Muppetational

The Muppets may be coming back to primetime tv. I for one am keen on the idea, I love the original series, and the short-lived Muppets Tonight. In a few weeks ABC will be airing a muppet version of The Wizard Of Oz. It'll be good to have something entertaining on television, because haven't we all had enough of reality tv.

Have you seen the commercials for Craft Corner Deathmatch? It's got to be the most pathetic show premise. Seriously. Extreme crafting. Ooh, I must tune in. (I'm being sarcastic, in case that's not coming across.)

Not that I have time to go to the movies, but I'm intrigued by the trailer for Crash. Sandra Bullock and Brendan Fraser? Hook me up! Oh, and about going to the movies, I saw on the news the other day there is a theater here that has Mommy Movies Wednesday mornings. Essentially, it's for moms to go to the movie and you bring your young kids. The lights are up a little more, and the sound isn't as loud. And if your child fusses, the people there understand, because they are moms too. Dads are welcome too, I think they just like the alliteration. I may have to check it out one of these Wednesdays.

I'll close with a quote from The Muppet Show.

Statler: Why did they want the igloo?
Waldorf: I don't know. Maybe somebody must have broken their ig.

Almost May
Is it possible for April to feel like the month went on forever, and also feel like it flew by?

Next week, I'll be donating blood and going to the dentist. Not on the same day. But it will make the week interesting I'm sure. I'm still trying to have a routine in my life. Geoff will have to stay home with Elijah while I'm at the dentist, so that may be challenging for him. Sometimes Elijah can hang out with Dad and be good, sometimes, he just screams because Geoff isn't Mom.

Katie, Katie, Katie, what are you thinking?
Tom Cruise? I'm a little disappointed, but what can you do?

I'm going to try to make a new dish this weekend. Baked spaghetti. I figure we need to inject new dinners in the rotation once in a while. Some meals we used to eat I grew tired of, like chili. I think I may be ready to reintroduce that. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Well, I should sign off. I'll close with a quote from Pleasantville.

David: I know you miss her, I mean, you told me you did. But maybe it's not just the cooking or the cleaning you miss. Maybe it's something else. Maybe you can't even describe it. Maybe you only know it when it's gone. Maybe it's like there's whole piece of you that's missing too. Look at her, dad. Doesn't she look pretty like that? Doesn't she look just as beautiful as the first time you met her? Do you really want her back the way she was? Doesn't she just look wonderful? Now don't you wish you could tell her that?

Good Day, And Welcome To The Great White North
I wanted to wait until we told the family first, but now I'm ready to let y'all know when you can see the Armstrongs on tour in Alberta. We'll be flying up on June 19th ( & 20th) and coming home on July 1 (Canada Day). Since we don't fly out until 5:30 on the 1st, I will still get to celebrate Canada Day, at least a little bit.

Here's a picture from many moons ago when our circle of friends used to celebrate Canada Day together. This is Geoff, Jason, Karen and Doug at Fort Edmonton.


I should check to see what Cowtown does to celebrate, perhaps a parade. Who knows, this may be Elijah's only Canada Day celebration. One never knows what the future will hold. I'm trying to not get ahead of myself and make solid plans, there is so much I want to do! Lisa's having a party, a "come meet the baby, and oh yes Melissa and Geoff will be there too" party. And a trip to Banff is a must.

We had to fly out on different days, but we get to fly home together. The things you have to deal with when flying on points. Not sure how I'll work out the carrying of luggage (mine & Elijah's) as well as his stroller/carseat. But for the 1st time ever, I'll get to pre-board!

Yesterday I called Mike to tell him & Meg the details of the trip. We spoke for an hour. It was fun, we talked a lot about tv/movies, and how they are settling in Calgary. We're hoping to have one night when the 3 of us can go over and check out their place. Also to give them one-on-one time with their nephew.

I'll close with a quote from Red Dwarf.

Toaster: Howdy doodly do. How's it going? I'm Talkie, Talkie Toaster, your chirpy breakfast companion. Talkie's the name, toasting's the game. Anyone like any toast?
Lister: Look, I don't want any toast, and he doesn't want any toast. In fact, no one around here wants any toast. Not now, not ever. No toast.
Toaster: How 'bout a muffin?
Lister: Or muffins. Or muffins. We don't like muffins around here. We want no muffins, no toast, no teacakes, no buns, baps, baguettes or bagels, no croissants, no crumpets, no pancakes, no potato cakes and no hot-cross buns and definitely no smegging flapjacks.
Toaster: Aah, so you're a waffle man.

Take my Quiz on QuizYourFriends.com!

Mmm, Ice Cream Cake

What's better than ice cream cake? A free slice of ice cream cake. Cold Stone is giving away free slices of ice cream cake from 5-8pm tonight. Visit the Cold Stone website to find your nearest location and see if they are participating.

What's Happening
Today the Armstrongs participated in their first family activity, the Cherry Creek Sneak. Elijah and I did the 3.1 mile walk, and Geoff did the 5 mile run. My race started at 8am, so we departed for the mall at 7:20am, walking of course. It was a cold walk, but once we got there (7:55am) it was time to go. Geoff stood in the cold waiting for us to finish (50 minutes), then his race began 9:25am. He finished his race in 42 minutes, but we missed him crossing the finish line. He was very pleased with his run, and we hope to see if his picture will be posted on the Sneak website on Tuesday (I'll let you know if it is). All this excitement has caused Geoff to finally post on his blog. Yeah, he has a blog, and he hasn't posted on it in 8 months. Hopefully it won't be another 8 months between posts.

The weather did not get any warmer after we were done our races, so we opted to take the shuttle home. It dropped us off a few blocks from home. It's raining now, so we were lucky the rain held off until the Sneak was done.

In travel news, we may just use our points to get one ticket home and buy the other, or we may try to fly out on different days. The only problem I have with flying out on different days is I will have to have a note from Geoff saying I am allowed to take Elijah out of the country. And I don't really want the stress of someone having a problem with the note.

Not much else is going on. Just being a mom, and trying to stay sane. I hope to arrange some tea dates for this week, and get to Hallmark to buy Mother's Day cards. Oh yeah, and I have to make an appointment to see the dentist (play horror music here). It's been two years since I've seen the dentist, and then it wasn't so much fun (crown lengthening). I find most dentists aren't so nice, so I hope to luck out and find a good one.

I'm going to close with a quote from What About Bob?

Bob Wiley: There are two types of people in this world: those who like Neil Diamond and those who don't.

Road Trip?

So flights to Calgary aren't so available in the time frame we were looking at. There are some available in August, but Grampy & Nana will be in Victoria. So we're thinking about driving up to Alberta. Which sounds kinda fun, but also kinda scary. I don't know how long it would take with the wee one. We're supposed to call the airline again next week to see if anything opened up.

The museum's volunteer appreciation luncheon was today, and Elijah and I went. I was very disappointed in the number of people there I knew, and also in the food. It was better last year. I didn't stay long, opting instead to go to the mall & Peet's. Stopped in at Harry & David's to see Jen & Nicole. Elijah was being really good, and Jen and Nicole each got to hold him, which they loved. I pray that someday Jen gets to have a baby, as she really wants one. And she was such a natural with Elijah. I remember the disappointment I felt when it took so long to conceive, and I can see it in her face.

Gary (the car) is going in for a check up next week. The service light went on the other day, and he is over his 100,000 miles. Hopefully it won't break us. Gary's been a good car, so we really can't complain. Plus if we do end up taking him on this road trip, it'll be good to have him looked at.

After giving it more thought, I do think we'll end up passing on attending Angela & Craig's wedding. I am considering going up to Edmonton for the post-wedding reception at the end of January. There will be a reception and dance. I know, taking a trip to the frozen tundra of Canada in January is crazy.

I was walking with Elijah yesterday, listening to my iPod, and it played Have A Nice Day (Stereophonics) and it reminded me of California. Driving to work, or down the PCH looking at the ocean. I feel like those 4 years in California are like a dream. A life I never really lived. It's crazy, I know, it just feels like forever ago. I feel that way about Edmonton too. The longer I stay in a new place, the more it feels like I've always been here.

I took a quiz called How Canadian Are You? I scored 13. Here's what it says about me: While you have not achieved the Canadian ideal, the wishy-washiness of your score is very Canadian in its own right. You don't take nutmeg on your rice pudding because it's too spicy.

I'm going to close with a quote from Newsradio.
[Talking about his vacation in Japan]
Matthew: You would've loved it, David. A week in a foreign country, strange people, strange customs...
Dave: Oh, I know what you mean. I've been to Canada.

Conundrum
I got my wedding invitation in the mail today, for my cousin Angela's wedding to Craig (now I know his name, I won't forget it again). The wedding is set for January 2006 on the beach in the Dominican Republic, at the Breezes Puerto Plata Resort. Here's my dilemma: I really would like to attend the wedding, but I have read such bad reviews of the resort online. Also, it's set in an exotic locale (re: bugs & lizards), and it would cost a bit for the 3 of us to go. I kinda feel like I should take this opportunity to travel to the Caribbean, because what if I don't get that chance again. But, I feel like if I was going to travel somewhere exotic, I'd want to stay in a 5 star resort. If the trip was free, I'd totally go. So what should I do? I don't know if we could even afford it.

Speaking of trips, we're going to knock out dates for our Alberta trip this week or next, since Diane said Air Canada is thinking of canceling their points plan. Have no fear, Ill be posting that info once it's been finalize.

I finally watched Garden State today. It was an alright movie, I could have done without the brief sex scene. Did it really do anything for the movie? I also noticed Zach Braff's got a big mouth, I never really noticed it watching Scrubs.

Great weather today, it was 70. I love it when it's warm.

Going to take advantage of a sleeping baby and do some chores. I'll close with a quote from Jurassic Park.

John Hammond: All major theme parks have had delays. When they opened Disneyland in 1956, nothing worked, nothing.
Dr. Ian Malcolm: But, John. But if the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists.

A Little More Like It
Ah, the weather has gone back to being a little more normal, thank goodness. The freak blizzard was nice in that we got to have Geoff here for his birthday. It will be nice to have him home tomorrow, though I'm sure he'll miss the luxurious accommodations of his hotel (king size bed, fluffy pillows and blankets, no crying baby). He says if we ever get out to Providence, we'll stay at the Biltmore in one of the jr suites.

It's been a HUGE blessing to have Diane here. I would not have survived without her, or rather Elijah wouldn't have. :) It's been a pretty laid back trip. We did venture out to the museum on Tuesday to get out, and to say hi to Erin & Julie.

I do have the travel bug, the desire to break out of my box and go somewhere. I've decided I'm going to try to sway Geoff into a drive up to Estes Park. I really want to see the town, and visit the Stanley Hotel (seen here)


Nothing else is going on. Life is just trying to keep up with Elijah, trying to get him into a routine (ha ha ha), and watching a little tv. I'm nearly all caught up on my correspondence and thank you cards. I think I'm ready for the Cherry Creek Sneak in 10 days. I do think we'll have to get Geoff new shoes before then, as he will be running the 5 mile race, and his current shoes are falling apart.

I'm going to close with a quote from This Is Spinal Tap ('cause it was on tv the other day).

David St. Hubbins: Well, I don't really think that the end can be assessed as of itself as being the end because what does the end feel like? It's like saying when you try to extrapolate the end of the universe, you say, if the universe is indeed infinite, then how - what does that mean? How far is all the way, and then if it stops, what's stopping it, and what's behind what's stopping it? So, what's the end, you know, is my question to you.

Denver Weather
One day it's beautiful, the next day...

This is what it looks like today (Sunday). It's suppose to continue to snow all day, with estimates of 1-2 feet of snow when it's done. Geoff's flight was cancelled, he won't be flying out until Tuesday. Crazy!

Misc. Thoughts
I'm feeling much better now, thank you. The cold didn't last long.

Is it just me, or does anyone else think it's wrong that people viewing the Pope's body are taking pictures? I certainly don't want people taking my picture once I'm lying dead. I just think it's disrespectful, and not just because he's the Pope.

We finally watched Spider-Man 2 this week (thanks to Alec for lending it to us). I liked it, and Geoff thought it was cheesy. I think they needed to make it more lighthearted, because they couldn't do that with the first one. Fans would have gone rabid. Geoff is keen on Venom being the villain in the next installment, and since I was never a comic book person, I have no opinion. But I'm happy with the choice of actor to play Venom, Thomas Haden Church.

The weather here has been fabulous, though they say it's going to snow this weekend. We'll see if it does, they haven't been too accurate with the weather lately.

I'm thinking about starting to write out my will. Not that I have an assets, or money, but I just want something in writing that states Geoff gets everything, and in the case that we both die, Elijah will have someone to go to. I've been meaning to write it for some time, and I think sooner is better than never.

Okay let's get a little less morbid. I love that I can watch Conan O'Brien on CNBC at 5pm. I find Conan hilarious. Meghan says she doesn't like him, which I find hard to believe. Maybe he was having an off night. Or maybe his humor is just more my style.

So the plans for our Alberta trip are trickling together ever so slowly. We decided we'll fly into Calgary, then rent a car and drive to Edmonton. Visit there a while, then drive back to Calgary visit the Armstrongs and Schmidts there, then fly home. I'd love to try to get in a day trip to Banff, since it's so close. But ideally the trip will allow everyone time with Elijah, and in my fantasy world it will be without conflicts or stress. (insert laughter here)

Well, that's all the excitement from this end. I'll close with a quote from Ned And Stacey.

Ned: "I don't really drink. I just like sayin' 'Scotch, neat.' It sounds better than 'Tea, neat.'

Goings On
Captain Tractor put out a new album, North Of The Yellowhead. I had no idea they were even working on one. To my surprise, Brock isn't listed as a band member anymore. I thought when he put out his solo album, he'd still continue on with CT. I'm a little disappointed, but also curious to hear how the CT album turned out. Incidentally, I have heard snippets of Brock's solo album, but I think his work with Captain Tractor is much stronger.

In Scrubs/Ed news, there is a rumor that Josh Randall (who played Mike on Ed) is going to guest star on Scrubs. There is also a chance Tom Cavanagh (Ed) will return as J.D.'s brother Dan. I'm still watching Ed regularly and still enjoying it a bunch. An episode the other day had me thinking of former co-worker Erik, as the episode featured the hilarious video Peanut Butter Jelly Time, which Erik had showed me. I miss Cramer.

We had a wonderful time with the kroliks who made it out here. Our time with Amy and Alec was too short, but Cindy, Alyssa and Abbie stayed the night. We went out to dinner at Gunther Toody's, and played a game of Yahtzee. I did get some time to talk with Amy before we took her & Alec to the airport. She's doing great at UCLA, she got all A's & B's for her first quarter at school. That girl is wicked smart.

Geoff leaves for Providence on Sunday, and we're going to celebrate his birthday when he gets back. Mostly because he'll be less stressed, and the gift I ordered him should be here by then.

I keep getting emails about the high school reunion, and while we have no intention of going, I may send them info about us and a picture. I have been checking to see if anyone I know has RSVP'd, but it doesn't appear to be so.

Dawn told me today Alberta is having a contest of sorts where Albertans can win a trip for 4 family members or friends to come to Alberta to celebrate the centennial. She's hoping to win it for us.

Well, it's time to have some ice cream. I am nursing a sore throat, so hopefully this will help. I'm going to close with the lyrics to Anything by Third Day. I just love this song.

I can't do anything
I can't do anything without you
But You can do everything
You can do everything You want
I just can't believe
I can't believe that You would love me
After everything
After everything I've done

And I want to love you
Love You more than life itself
And I want to hold You
Even though You can't be held
Because You're so much more
Than everything I've ever known
Anything, anything

I'd give anything
I would give anything to hold You
I want to live for You
For You alone I want to live
When I see Your face
I would do anything to know You
You gave me everything
You gave all You have to give

Halle, hallelujah
Halle, hallelujah
Halle, hallelujah
Halle

Holiday Food
I do want to post, and I will if I get a free hand. But until then, let's see what Bucky has to say about what food you eat for the major holidays.

Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God."
--Psalm 14:1, NLT