hocus pocus.

Here is that Silver Apples song that I was referring to in the last post. Catchy, non? Complete with footage of Henry golfing it up, summer style. It is bizarre how he intuitively grasps all of these different sports. Mike is very athletic, but this is relegated mostly to skateboarding. We both did the usual organized sports as kids- soccer, swimming, basketball, softball, cheerleading (shhhh); but we don't watch any football and certainly don't run off to play golf on the weekends. But when Henry sees a football, basketball, or soccer ball he literally freaks out. Someone got him a little golf set at the beginning of the summer and the rest is history. If we want him to be happy at a cookout or some other outdoor event, we just bring along a club and some balls. Yep, my son loves balls!!

Henry, Golf Genius from Marissa on Vimeo.

Also, as promised: The Whispering Winds blurb we put together. Totally ridiculous.

"From the ashes of shoegaze, psychedelic, 2step, and western swing springs forth Whispering Winds.
Whispering Winds are pushing the boundaries of wizardry through the implementation of such magical
musical devices as delay, reverb, wah-wah, and phaser. They have more tricks up their sleeves than
both Siegfried and Roy AND their two wily tigers. Traveling across a musical spectrum punctuated
by both extreme repetition and simple pop, the Winds weave magical tapestries of layered sound which
may or may not bend your mind. "

Come out to the show. Saturday night at The Boot. It "may or may not bend your mind."

In the traditional sense I am by no means a very religious person.
However:
Thank

the Almighty

One,

hallelujah!!!!!! We have walls (sort of). And a roof (sort of).

Craziness abounds here as the planning of fifty billion projects (all to be carried out at once) continues. The building of a home and managing without a general contractor, which includes enough details that I'm sure my brain might soon explode; the very, very soon birth which is about to occur and includes me more than I wish to be included at this point (I wish Mike could absorb the baby from me by some marvel of osmosis and then push her out for me- he is such a dear man, I'm sure he'd do it if possible); the planning of a best friend's baby shower (whose little guy will also be arriving shortly); and last but certainly not least, the organizing of what I desperately want to be an awesome and unforgettable birthday weekend for my most favorite almost two year old, sweet Henry. There is so much more in between, but those are the main things I'm trying to focus on.
Speaking of 'focusing on', I can't get this damn Silver Apples song out of my mind called 'Hocus Pocus'. It is so catchy that if you heard it right now you'd be humming it too. I can't find a video of it on you tube, but here is a taste of some silver apples:

and there you go.
Speaking of music (and to make this post even more rambling than it already is)- my husband and brother are in a band together along with some other friends, and they happen to be playing this weekend (Saturday at The Boot). It is their first show after developing their songs and practicing for a year. I am looking forward to this. I helped Mike write the most ridiculous press release this weekend. I'll have to post it here later.

holy crap!

I have just been too busy lately to write anything of substance here. My sincere apologies to my dear three readers.
This was in my email inbox today:

Holy Crap! But at least we finally got this stuff:

All of the wood was delivered last Thursday. The windows are arriving later this week; french doors, etc. next week. I had a doctor's appointment this morning and all seems to be well with the little lady. I have my next appointment in two weeks and then after that I will have to see my doctor every week until she is born. Where did the time go?

pickle

for beth:



yummy pickles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm a... chair!

Thanks for the link, Suzy!

a la plage

These days I can't get enough of this:

or this:

Living so close to the beach is something I would never take for granted.

heart attack waiting to happen.

We adore our little house. When I discovered our sweet 1938 cape cod in a quaint little neighborhood with giant trees and winding roads near our favorite Norfolk places, I knew we had found our home. We knew that it was small, but with a large backyard there was potential for expansion. And then our family began its expansion. At the point Henry arrived we began seriously contemplating a major addition. And when that second little line arrived on that pregnancy test this past late winter, we knew it was time to stop contemplating and get the ball rolling. Having an architect for a brother really came in handy at this point, as we were able to sit down with Thom and get him to flesh out the current attainable version of our 'dream home' (my actual dream home consists of secluded acres of land, lots of glass and steel, and ocean views). We simply need a larger kitchen/family room area, another full bathroom, and an extra bedroom, preferably a large master bedroom with a nice big walk-in closet. Oh yeah, and a screened-in porch that the family room and master bedroom could both open up into through nice sets of french doors.

We contemplated just moving to a larger house, but we couldn't find anything in our price range that matched our current location or the criteria by which we deem housing suitable for our family needs. With plans in hand, we were somehow able to secure funding in this god-awful market. We decided to act as the general contractors ourselves to save money. Mike's mom has run a breakfast/lunch shop for 25 years, and she has many regular customers who work in various areas of construction. Foundation guys, plumbers, electricians, etc. Through her and some of our own connections we were able to lock-down some people to help us get the addition done. People warned us of the stress this type of thing causes, and how it always runs over-budget and over-deadline. But I was so excited that we were moving forward with this thing that I didn't even allow that part to phase me.

At first the novelty of having a port-A-potty and a giant back hoe in our yard was very exciting. (Our name is even stenciled neatly on the front of the port-a-potty- hello this years christmas cards!!) Things moved pretty quickly past the environmental/preliminary building inspections we needed to obtain permits, etc.; the foundation was quickly dug, concrete filled in, sand dumped, bricks beautifully laid. Now we are just waiting on a building supplier to come up with the necessary materials from our blueprints so that we can order what we need to frame it up. This has been the most frustrating part, thus far. Which is ridiculous, because it shouldn't be. We have already dumped one supplier and are just waiting on another (anyone reading this about to build something? DON'T USE PRO BUILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Long story. Will save it for some other time. Let's just say that I'm not playing mrs. nice guy any longer. And this time around I might even take freaking prisoners, dammit.

Needless to say, the novelty of the back hoe and even the port a potty have sort of worn off. Perhaps I will feel better about everything once the materials are delivered and the framing begins. In the mean time I'll just keep my fingers crossed that this baby doesn't arrive any time before she is supposed to. And the next time we decide to build something, it won't be with a crazy two year old running around and another one on the way. Actually, the next time we realize we need to build something, we will probably just move.

man in the van

Look at my nerds:

with their matching shoes:

M.I.A.

I am cranky and tired and need a vacation. A 'laying on the beach in Mexico' kind of vacation.
If you are feeling the same, check out my girl below. She'll perk you right up, promise. I just have to make it through to Friday- deerhunter at The Boot. holler.

bucket head.

It has been forever and a day since I've posted... I have been staying quite busy with my pregnancy. Our little lady is just kicking away, and my anticipation of her arrival is filled with such happiness. My love for little Henry just grows so much every day; the thought that this sort of love will be doubled soon just blows my mind. I think back often to when I was in the last months of pregnancy with Henry. There is so much waiting and wondering; wanting to see and hold this tiny person that has been growing inside of you (for what seems like an eternity). There is nesting, worrying and wondering, a bit of apprehension about how things will change. Then the baby is born, and nothing could really prepare you for the reality of it. Before Henry I had zero experience with babies. I had various stints as a babysitter, but nothing that prepared me for the reality of dealing with an infant. Those first months are so sleepless and tiring, and your body is still trying to re-acclimate itself from the toll of pregnancy. It takes quite a while for things to reach an even keel again (not that they will ever be the same- which is a good thing, it just takes a while to realize this). This pregnancy is so different in that I feel more prepared. I thought I was so prepared last time, with all of my baby manuals, gear, etc. This time around I am more prepared without any of those things.

Henry will be two in a very short couple of months. Every night we carry out the same bedtime routine- after dinner and a bath Mike and I snuggle with him on the couch and unwind with a little Sesame Street. And every night I think "kid, where have you been all of my life??!! you are truly the bees knees!!" and then I realize- oh yes, you have been inside of my heart this whole time. all of my love, my hopes, and dreams. And now you are outside of me, my love, and Mike's love all out there in the open. And I guess this is the part that really scares the hell out of parents, because of course you want to protect your love with all of your will and might. But you also have to set it free. There is a balance, and I guess most of my every days are about trying to figure out that balance. And here there is another little one inside, kicking away, a whole bunch of love waiting to be set free. I will miss being pregnant- I feel more beautiful and strangely alive this way (maybe it is because I felt so awful and wished so much for death the first few months of "morning" sickness); there is something so primal and amazingly spiritual and even animalistic about being pregnant.
I wish I could bottle all of this up and really remember it forever, because this is likely the last time I will be pregnant. Two is a great number, and I think we are sticking with it.

We have undertaken a huge project, which is another big reason why I haven't updated in awhile. I can't wait to share news of it here, but it will be just a bit longer. Let's just say that every morning when I wake up and look out the window, I mutter under my breath: we must be insane. But more on that later.

I'll leave you with some lovely shots of Henry and I fooling around and of him raiding my tupperware drawer. The kid loves to put stuff on his head. Bowls, buckets, boxes, pots and pans. What can I say? We lovingly refer to him sometimes as "bucket head." Well, he is his father's son!



(he likes to put stuff on my head, too)