Hey everyone. This is going to be really quick because I'm exhausted and we are driving to Utah so I need my rest. Will does not need any surgery and, in fact, does not have intestinal malrotation! I will post more tomorrow and give the long version of the story, but for now I'm just going to go to sleep being incredibly grateful that our little guy is pretty much healthy. We know that the Lord is looking out for him and for us!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
We Made Cake
On Monday, the girls and I decided that we wanted cake later in the day. So before naptime, we made a yellow cake from scratch...soooo yummy! There's no pictures of the cake because it didn't look very pretty, but there are some pics of the girls because they are always cute!
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup milk
Preparation:Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans.
In bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix until completely combines. Slowly add flour alternately with milk. At end of addition batter should be smooth. Divide between 2 pans.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then invert onto a rack and cool completely before frosting.
For a 9 x 13 pan - Baked at 350 degrees F. for 30 to 38 minutes.
I frosted the cake with a frosting made of cool whip and chocolate pudding. Not pretty, but still so delish!
An Open Letter to the Dance World
Dear Dancers, Choreographers and those who consider themselves artists in the form of Movement,
I'm disappointed with the current trend that I'm seeing in the dance world. I feel that I have always been one to support free thinking and the pursuit of the 'new'. I've prided myself on the fact that one of my favorite choreographers is Merce Cunningham. I love watching Lamentation by Martha Graham. Most mainstream ammature dancers would most likely shy away from these expressions on eccentricity, but I can support those who strive to make their feelings known through avant garde means...even if that is the lack of feeling. However, I cannot support someone creating something 'out of the box' purely for shock value or for the extreme reaction that it will receive. In my opinion, this defeats the purpose of creating thought provoking art.
Case in point is this dance created by Wade Robson for So You Think You Can Dance. Begin watching at about 1:50
Until I saw this dance, I could pretty much get on board with anything created by Wade. I was a huge fan of quirky style and movement ability. He has an eye for nuance and is one of the best when it comes to thinking outside of the box. However, as I sat in stunned silence when this dance was over, I couldn't help but think that it was supposed to be a joke. Is he secretly laughing at us? I'm over it Wade. I'm done with it Mia. In your quest to be different and unexpected, you are beginning to become predictable. I've seen your dances before. I'm not interested in the same tired danced anymore.
And now a word on dance plagiarism. I tend to do a lot of my dance research on youtube. I love to see what's out there and whats popular. I teach kids who are going to competitions and they need something that is going to impress tables of judges. However, I feel like I end up seeing the same dance over and over again. The same solo, the same group dance. Not that the choreography is the same, but similar patterns in the creation of the dance, the same elements being executed in almost identical ways. Why is this happening? I'm not interesting in seeing a second rate regurgitation of someone else's original idea. I want to see true visionaries and you are never too young to expose your own ideas.
Where would this world be without thinkers? Where would we be with the Thomas Jeffersons of the world or the Ray Charles' of the world or the Any Worhols? Those with staying are the ones who reinvent, who create from the their heart, who evolve.
Don't stop reaching within your soul and putting a piece of yourself on the dance floor.
-Meghan
I'm disappointed with the current trend that I'm seeing in the dance world. I feel that I have always been one to support free thinking and the pursuit of the 'new'. I've prided myself on the fact that one of my favorite choreographers is Merce Cunningham. I love watching Lamentation by Martha Graham. Most mainstream ammature dancers would most likely shy away from these expressions on eccentricity, but I can support those who strive to make their feelings known through avant garde means...even if that is the lack of feeling. However, I cannot support someone creating something 'out of the box' purely for shock value or for the extreme reaction that it will receive. In my opinion, this defeats the purpose of creating thought provoking art.
Case in point is this dance created by Wade Robson for So You Think You Can Dance. Begin watching at about 1:50
Until I saw this dance, I could pretty much get on board with anything created by Wade. I was a huge fan of quirky style and movement ability. He has an eye for nuance and is one of the best when it comes to thinking outside of the box. However, as I sat in stunned silence when this dance was over, I couldn't help but think that it was supposed to be a joke. Is he secretly laughing at us? I'm over it Wade. I'm done with it Mia. In your quest to be different and unexpected, you are beginning to become predictable. I've seen your dances before. I'm not interested in the same tired danced anymore.
And now a word on dance plagiarism. I tend to do a lot of my dance research on youtube. I love to see what's out there and whats popular. I teach kids who are going to competitions and they need something that is going to impress tables of judges. However, I feel like I end up seeing the same dance over and over again. The same solo, the same group dance. Not that the choreography is the same, but similar patterns in the creation of the dance, the same elements being executed in almost identical ways. Why is this happening? I'm not interesting in seeing a second rate regurgitation of someone else's original idea. I want to see true visionaries and you are never too young to expose your own ideas.
Where would this world be without thinkers? Where would we be with the Thomas Jeffersons of the world or the Ray Charles' of the world or the Any Worhols? Those with staying are the ones who reinvent, who create from the their heart, who evolve.
Don't stop reaching within your soul and putting a piece of yourself on the dance floor.
-Meghan
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Zinky Doo Die
This past Saturday was our studios dance recital. Siobhan did so well and I'm so proud of her. Their dance was to Zippety Doo Dah from Song of the South (she calls it Zinky Doo Die). The theme of the recital was movie soundtracks so there was some super fun music used. It was so much fun. Here's some pictrues from when we got home after a very long day.
Siobhan always does the goofiest grins and poses for pictures.
Of course Audrey needed to get in the picture taken and rightfully so. She was so good at the recital. She sat still and watched most of the time.
I must say, Siobhan's hair turned out awesome!
My little dancer!
Apparently it's really hard to pose for a few pictures.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Prospective Sewing Projects
These are the before pictures of the things that I plan to make this summer with a link so you all can see what I plan to do with them. We'll check back and see if they actually turn out the way they are supposed to. :) I've decided to dabble in refashioning clothes. So I looked through my closet and after a trip to Goodwill and Dollar Tree this is what we've come up with so far.
I bought this shirt right before college and it was great then, but I don't think that I have worn it since. I love it, but I never wear it. The proportions are very 2002. So I decided that it needs to become a skirt for Siobhan. I'm hoping to make it into something along the lines of this pencil skirt. I just hope that mine turns out a little cuter because let's face it, that length is not flattering on that model at all. But Siobhan has nice legs so she should be able to pull it off.
Price: Free-from my closet
These shirts are going to become really cute little dresses. I'm not sure why my computer won't let me rotate the picture but the top shirt is going to be for Audrey and the bottom one for Siobhan.
Price: White striped shirt-$1.00, Green shirt-$2.99
These bandanas are on their way to becoming skirts for the girls. We went to the Dollar Tree and they had two pack of bandanas-one was a traditional bandana and the other was a coordinating pattern. I let the girls pick which colors they want and if all goes well, Siobhan will have another one in red for the Fourth of July and and Audrey will have a dress (also pictured in the above link) in blue.
Price: $2
This shirt is going to become a skirt for Siobhan. Sorry, I don't have a link for it, but it's not hard imagine what it's going to become.
Price: $2.99
These three pairs of socks are going to become baby legs for the girls. I can't wait. I think they are going to look super cute on the girls. If you don't know what baby legs are check this out. I'm trying to convince Carson that it's okay to put a boy in baby legs, but he's not listening. I found this post though and I thought it was so cute!
Friday, June 5, 2009
My New Thing
The kids and I were driving around the neighborhood this morning looking for garage sales. I try really hard to be selective when garage saleing and I have to remember that just because it's a dollar, I probably don't need that embroidered throw pillow that I just might get around to restyling in about a year. And let's face it, people are mostly just selling crap so it should really be re-termed a garbage sale. So I usually just drive by at record breaking slow speeds to see if anything catches my eye. As I drove by sale after sale, I figured I wasn't going to find anything. Then I made my way into a cul-de-sac and came upon the best deal ever. There, with a beam of light shining down on it from the heavens, was the object that has taken me to thrift store after thrift store, garage sale after garage sale and craigslist posting after posting.....a sewing machine. I got out of my car thinking that it was probably going to be out of my price range. Then I looked at the blessed tag and saw it $5 . So I bought it. It was her mother's from back in the day who always kept it in immaculate condition and the woman selling it had only used it once since inheriting it 15 years ago. I'm so excited to break it out and start making things. I already have ideas of all the fun skirt and dresses that I can make for the girls. I might make a few things for myself here and there and I might branch out and make felt food. We'll see. The possibilities are endless!
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