I have a question...about Jack Jack

That question is, how cute can one kitten be? We just love this little kitty that joined our family a little over a week ago. And he has made himself right at home, giving us lots of love, and having a blast playing with Brie and Blue. He has made Blue his honorary mother, and sometimes she obliges by bathing him. Other times when he's annoying her she clearly has a look on her face that says "I didn't sign up for this motherhood thing." He is not intimidated by anything! He loves to sleep in his little basket, or anywhere he happens to be when he runs out of energy. He also likes to use humans as a ladder, as you can see by the photo of him climbing up Drew! He's soooo cute, I wish he wouldn't grow up.

Everything's coming up ROSES!

"Pearl Essence"

"Paradise"

"Chris Evert"

Just thought I'd post some beautiful shots taken in Emma's rose garden this morning. I was about to cut some roses for vases but then ran back inside to get the camera - they are too beautiful not to share.

Wish there was such a thing as "smell-a-blog" because these smell incredible! Be sure to supersize them (by clicking the photos) for full effect!

What a blessing to be able to enjoy God's amazing creation like this.
I give Him all the glory for the pleasure of these aromatic flowers!

An even MORE Wicked evening!

Right before the show: four excited people!

Well, on my post about a Wicked Evening last week, I half-jokingly mentioned that we might try and win the Wicked lottery....well....we just had to try....once or twice....

Well, the saga began on Saturday, when Rich and Drew were attending the men's breakfast at the Master's College. Emma and I had planned on a day of shopping, but instead, decided on a whim at breakfast time to go try the lottery for the 2:00 matinee. So, we got dressed up, drove down to Hollywood, and gave it a shot. Basically, you show up 2 1/2 hours before the show (they do this for every show), put your name in a lottery and 2 hours before the show they call the names of 13 happy people (each winner gets two tickets) who get to go to that show- sitting in the FRONT row for only $25/ticket and most importantly also winning the coveted green button that says "I won the Wicked Lottery!" We found ourselves in the company of about 100+ other people trying as well. Well, unfortunately we weren't one of the 13 happy people whose name was called. So Emma and I said "oh well," came home, put on our sweats, made goat cheese and broccoli omelettes, and turned on Food network. That was that!

In the meantime, this past week Suzanne and I had made the decision to take my dad to see Wicked for his birthday on May 20. We talked through many options for tickets. We couldn't find many good seats at this point searching Ticketmaster, so we decided that Rich and I would go down Sunday (yesterday) afternoon to buy tickets at the Pantages box office. Then a little *light bulb* went off in my head. Why not go at Lottery time (4:00) to visit the box office, and give it a try before purchasing tickets for May 20th? In my mind I thought that it would be completely unlikely that we could win four tickets....but why not try? My sister was put on alert, but we would be surprising my Dad with tickets for that night. It made me a bit nervous, not knowing where my dad was that afternoon, but we decided to go for it.

So, the four of us (Rich, Drew, Emma and myself) arrived, and much to our relief, only about 40-50 other people showed up as our competition. We all entered the lottery....and who's name should happened to be called?? DREW HARASICK! Scream!!! So, we had two front row seats! I decided to go to the box office and just see if there were any tickets left for that night's performance, and amazingly there was a single ticket in the 2nd row (right behind the two winning tickets) and another orchestra seat a few rows back to the side. BINGO! We had four tickets so Emma called Suzanne. She hopped in the car. Then I called my Dad. Roadblock! He had just been at a memorial service reception in Pacific Palisades, but was just starting on his way home with some friends who lived in Glendale. After much brainstorming, it was finally decided that his friends would just drop him off at the Pantages. He showed up around 5:30 and Suzanne showed up about 10 minutes later. My heart could rest - everyone made it in time for the 6:30 show. Everyone was so excited! It was an absolutely wonderful evening - my dad and Suzanne enjoyed the show immensely, and sitting in the front row was certainly a thrill! Plus, the spur of the moment-ness of it all made it even more exciting! We felt so happy that my dad enjoyed it and that we pulled off the surprise!

Megan Hilty and Emma

One more exciting part for Emma was that right before they began the lottery, Megan Hilty (Glinda) came out where we were waiting, to walk a couple of friends out. She was trying to be incognito with sunglasses and baseball hat, but when I saw her I knew it was her. So, Emma got a chance to briefly talk with her and get a photo. Quite exciting indeed!

Well, this probably won't be the last of our Wicked blogs. Rich and Drew felt kind of left out, and plan to try the lottery sometime.... the show has been extended through March so I'm sure they'll get another try - especially if Drew enters his name!!

Megan as Glinda

A new baby!

Scared you for a moment, didn't I? Well, it's not ME having the new baby, but rather some unknown cat that did the honors. We just adopted baby Jack from the animal shelter yesterday.

Emma and Jack

He is a 9 week old white kitten with a black spot on his back, a black tail, and a gray striped tiger face. What a cutie! He was named Jack because our last two cats were named for cheeses: Brie and Blue, so we continued with the theme. We mulled over several names, such as Colby, Cheddar, and Stilton, but Jack seemed just right for him. Since we got him yesterday he has been a complete and utter spaz. He accidentally fell asleep twice yesterday, but other than that he never stops moving. He is very cute and sweet, loves to play and purr loudly. We just love him!

In case you didn't know, we are big time cat lovers in this house. In addition to Jack, we have three other cats: Boomer, the original cat of the house, is a brown tabby who loves the great outdoors (and all the critters contained therein). Last week he brought us two (partial) mice, as well as a lovely arrangement of selected "parts" displayed artfully on the back patio. (I did take a picture of it but it is probably too graphic to be posted on the blog.) Boomer is known as "Drew's cat" as he adores Drew and loves to snuggle with him. He is the world's perfect cat. Then there are Brie and Blue, sisters we got from one of Suzanne's litters of kittens. They are adorable, sweet and cuddly. Brie likes her independence, but can be very affectionate when it's her idea. Blue is always in clear view of us. She has earned the nickname "door jamb" as she loves to plop herself down in the doorway of whatever room we're in. She loves to play with paper wads, and comes running from the other end of the house if you wad up a piece of paper for the trash. She sleeps spread out on her back - quite the character. She's a mama's girl for sure!

Blue in usual form.

Boomer and the girls (as kittens). He tolerates the other cats.

We can't imagine life without our cats. They don't ask for much but give us a lot of pleasure.

A Wicked Evening

My family treated me to a wonderful birthday Saturday (my birthday was actually Sunday, but that was Easter so we celebrated on Saturday). It began with dinner at my favorite restaurant. I thoroughly enjoyed going there with the whole fam, as the kids had not been there for dinner before. Rich had the lamb chops, Drew the calimari appetizer and chicken and smoked mozzarella ravioli, Emma the crab cakes appetizer and roasted garlic potato soup, and myself the fish special of wild salmon in orange/mustard sauce, broccoli souffle, fresh carrots and brussels sprouts, along with a beet and goat cheese salad shared with Rich. And let us not forget the creme brulee for dessert. YUM! Then we walked down to the Pantages theater to see Wicked! No one was more excited than Emma, who has been listening to the soundtrack for months and talking about it with Kylie Dempsey, who saw it recently. Well, what a show! All of us enjoyed it thoroughly. As it is with some Broadway shows, in the end you are left slightly puzzled as to the exact plot. We came home and went online at midnight to read the synopsis! Wicked is a very entertaining, clever, hilarious, blow you away show!! The singing of the two main ladies is unbelievable. Now, we must try and devise a way to see it again!! (I just found out that if you enter a lottery 2 1/2 hours before the show you may win orchestra tickets for $25... hmmm. )

Porch Update

Well it's a fine Saturday here in Shadow Hills and Rich is busy finishing up the insulation on the wall behind the porch. He should finish it up today and then the siding goes up!

It's been a nice week of accomplishment around the ole' homestead. Last weekend, the kids cleaned (big time) their rooms, going through everything. Together, they tossed out 8 giant hefty bags of trash (also 3 bags of clothes to the Goodwill)! On Monday, all the carpets were cleaned, and with that inspiration, I cleaned all the wood floors. On Thursday evening, the office got an overhaul. Now everything feels nice and clean and fresh. I feel like a regular Martha Stewart doing "spring cleaning" (her last issue had a two page foldout list of what to clean in springtime.)

If you're wondering what our toes have to do with this blog, that's because while the guys were slaving here at home, Emma and I carried on with the Spring Cleaning theme - getting our toes cleaned at a spa pedicure.