8/23/11 Me

Today is my birthday.

I am thankful for all the people who make me feel special on this day and every other. Thank you everyone for loving me as much as you do. I am glad that I am here to appreciate all you do for me.

kk

8/22/11 Cluck Cluck

Jason brought home some rotisserie chicken for dinner tonight. It was very good. Moist and flavorful, and we didn't have to even cook it!

I am thankful for our delicious chicken tonight.

kk

8/21/11 It's Blue Too

Today Jason helped me put a second coat of blue paint on Ethan's walls. Mom helped me put the first one up. I have painted nearly the entire interior of my house alone. Erin helped me with the two wall coats in my bedroom while she was living here. Jason and mom each helped with one coat on three walls of Ethan's room. I have done two coats on the following rooms solo: living room walls, dining room walls, hallways walls, bathroom walls, bathroom ceiling, chalkboard wall in Ethan's room, front door, trim in the living room, trim in the dining room, trim in the hallway, trim in the bedroom, trim in Ethan's room, trim in the bathroom. I have done three coats on the ceiling in Ethan's room and one coat on the ceiling in the living room, dining room, hallway, and bedroom. Um, that is a crazy lot. The only room I haven't touched yet is the kitchen. Which will be done as well. Although I am on a break for now. Doing that all alone is quite a bit of work. To have the help of Erin, mom, and then Jason has made it that much more bearable. Thank you all of you.

I am thankful for the help I received this summer painting.

kk

8/20/11 Ripper

Jason and I went to the premier of Ripper tonight at The Broadway Rose Theatre Company. We got tickets 2-for-1 online, which was good. My friend Isaac did a great job as the lead. But the script needs a lot of work still. The music I think is ok, but the lyrics that go with them are not as good. There were some other good performances and then there were some that weren't so great. I am glad that I got to go and support Isaac but also very glad I didn't pay full price. I feel bad saying that. But at least I stayed through Act II. People around us left at intermission. Good learning experience, I guess.

I am thankful I saw Ripper.

kk

8/19/11 That's What Family is For

I ran a load of laundry last night. I opened up the washing machine this morning and it was all still soaking wet. I ran the spin cycle again and when I checked on it it was barely better. I noticed that it wasn't spinning at all. After trying different things and realizing it wasn't working I loaded up the sopping mess into my laundry basket and headed over to mom's to throw it in her machine to spin before I went to work. How lucky am I that she lives so close that I can do that? Phew. Now I just have to figure out what's wrong with the dumb thing.

I am thankful I was able to use mom's washing machine in my emergency today.

kk

8/18/11 That's All Folks

Today was Ethan's last day at rehearsal and the last day I get to see him before he heads back to Chicago. Ron, our director, started tearing up as he said goodbye. Alan gave him a hug and it was very sad to think that this is his last day here. He has come to several rehearsals now and is very well behaved and totally engaged with what is happening on stage. It's like he is at the show. He's paying attention and talking about why he likes our lead in a very adult way. When he said that he liked her Jason commented that she was very pretty. Ethan is susceptible for a pretty woman. But Ethan responded that, yes, she was, but that wasn't why he liked her. It was because she was very good and he just couldn't take his eyes off her while she was acting. So funny. We have had a fantastic time this summer and I am so glad that I was able to be such a part of it with Ethan.

I am thankful for one last day of fun at rehearsal with Ethan.

kk

8/17/11 Airplane Pillow

Ethan wanted to make a pillow for the airplane. He had done some sewing at school and really wanted to sew more. He had made a little "baseball" that looked slightly plumper than a coaster. White with red string. Since I never throw anything away I had felt from Christmas presents I made many, many years ago. I pulled it all out of the craft box and he picked the pink felt since it was the one that had the most left and he wanted a big pillow. Then we looked at the embroidery thread I had. I picked a maroon since he felt it matched the best. Smart kid. It did look great. I had no idea how we were going to stuff it. He thought we could use the other felt but I didn't think that would end up being squishy. I didn't have any stuffing like they used in school and we were running out of time before we had to get down to Lake Oswego where Jason was already at rehearsal before I needed to be there too. So I brought the plastic bag recycling tub in from the garage. I pulled out all the newspaper plastic bags since they were a good size and crumpliness. I had just enough. We used every last one and he didn't want one more. Good thing. Then he wanted to color on it so I pulled out some fabric pens I had. They didn't work that amazingly on the felt. It was a little smeary and got all over his hands. I said we should wait for it to dry some more and then maybe it would be better. I must mention that he sewed the short ends all by himself. He stuffed it too. I just gave him the material. So his drawings included happy faces, peace signs, and hearts. Who is this kid? Pretty amazing. All good things. We had fun and his pillow turned out very well.

I am thankful Ethan and I got to make a travel neck pillow for the airplane.

kk