Perspective

So funny how talking to someone else gives you a whole new view. W is not an aggressive basketball player. That's a kind way to put it. We have to keep reminding him to keep his arms out in front and not hold one arm behind his back with the other hand and to keep involved in the game. I don't WANT to be those parents who coach from the sideline, but good God son, play ball!! And we see the kids reaching in and wrestling the ball away like those long ago parents trying to get Cabbage Patch dolls. And leaning on other's backs when they are guarding and as parents we get out of sorts about it. It just doesn't seem like a good game of basketball. But when I talk to other parents at halftime (in order to miss out on the sermon going on at court), a sweet sweet stay at home, home school mom tells me that it is not competetive enough and she wants her girl basically out there swinging!! Competely shockered. What we think is too aggressive is not aggressive enough for some. Who is right? We don't know any other perspective on how 8 year olds play ball. But W comes out of it saying he loves the game, and we try to point out things he does well (like guarding), so I guess it is all good. Unless they start requiring pads, mouthguards and cups. Then we may find another league.

Mmmm, ice creamish

My ice cream maker has been sitting in the corner of my kitchen for way too long. So I moved it into the garage. Then I felt bad for the poor thing sitting in the garage so I found the easiest ice cream recipe I could find. Pudding and milk. Yup, that's right, that's all. Any chocolate junkie can find chocolate pudding ($0.84 each) and milk (have to sell a kidney for a gallon of milk). I even put in the candy canes saved from Christmas but knew I would have to throw out the nasty things by 4th of July cause they hadn't been eaten yet. And now they're gone! So, is it really ice cream without cream? Ice pudding just sounds nasty, and it's actually really good. But then again, I do not have a sophisticated palate (had to Google that one for spelling, first time was palete which first comes up as a studio in Croatia, how bizarre!).

An irritating/interesting habit I have is to turn a random phrase into a song. So that last sentence? That OMC song, How Bizarre http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfJe8hQ8ha0 Love it!!!!! One hit wonders rock. I can make the boys crazy singing songs for everything they say.

I've been surfing YouTube recently and found some great vlogs. I've been following Brotherhood2.0 for about 7 months now, ever since Hank came out with "Accio Deathly Hallows" but now I have found sxephil and whatthebuck and kevjumba. Another great way for me to find something else to do besides what needs to be done!! Speaking of which.....

Um, OK

And I thought last time was bad! It's been a while, I'll just start with 2008. The New Year has been really nice so far. Happy to be back home after traveling like crazy over Christmas and New Years. We always say we will stay at home but it never happens. I do know that we would be sorry if we didn't, so we do. Blah.

Recently went out to a lovely restaurant here in Knoxville called Oodles Uncorked. It's a wine bar and restaurant combined. Nothing like looking through a BOOK of wine options. I know Yellow Tail. Period. Not much else. I looked at my friend Stacey and said, "Would I like a wine with peach overtones?" I had no idea. So sophisticated, snort. But the food!!! Oh,......My.....God!!! Really wonderful. At first we each got cheese platters to sample. I now know that I don't prefer goat cheese. It's not like if someone offered it to me I would go, gag, no, never goat cheese. But I don't say mmmmmmm goat cheese. Too tangy and strange because I like tangy like gin & tonic but apparently not goat cheese. I'll shut up about the goat cheese now. Why do I carry on like that? I do it in person too and I'm sure people want to say "Shut up already" but they just nod their heads and let me prattle on and on and on......anyway. I had an $8 glass of wine. I remember the name because it is like mirror and tiramisu combined. Mirassou. I had to open up another window to get the spelling right, but dammit I remembered and I don't remember much!!! For the entre I had Moroccan chicken, baked in a tagine (another cool thing I learned that nite). So tender with figs and plums, yum. And a crappy tiramisu for dessert. Too bad about that because the rest of the meal was so yummy. And the restaurant was really pretty with a punched tin ceiling and twinkle lights everywhere. From there we walked (brrrr in my little black dress and 3" heels, what was I thinking I'm 5'10" as it is) to a bar called Sapphire. Had a yummy Tanqueray and tonic and a great time talking to the other 2 couples until they turned up the music and we started feeling old. Damn. So we left and went next door to the Brewery. Some got another drink and we played a great game of pool. Then it was 11 and we had to leave to relieve the babysitter. What a great evening with great friends.

We also spent another great evening with P&S and their son J recently playing Apples to Apples. Fun game, check it out. And I made the Blondies that Santa gave me for Christmas. Double yum and very rich. And drank WAY too much Kahlua on the rocks. Can't figure out why the Christmas weight isn't falling off yet, snort again.

Time to put the monkeys to bed. I'll try be more consistent, sorry!!