Music-filled weekend!

Whew. I'm exhausted! This weekend was busy, and filled with music. And fun!

On Friday morning, a teacher at work emailed out that he had tickets for the Lucinda Williams show that night that he couldn't use - the first person to respond could get them for free. Well, that was me! Matt and I both really like Lucinda Williams and I couldn't wait to see her live. She did not disappoint ... it was a great show, and Over the Rhine showed up at the end to play a couple of songs with her too! Definitely a great night in Bloomington. If you aren't familiar with Lucinda, look her up ... or check out my favorite song, Essence.

I had my first orchestra concerts today and yesterday, which kept me busy with rehearsing and performing. Matt came to my concert last night, which was actually down the road at his high school. Not only was he in the audience, but most of his family came to support me as well, which was just great. Especially great because I think there were only about twenty people in the audience total, so it was nice to know fifty percent of the audience. :) Also, Matt ran into a friend of his from high school that he hadn't seen since they graduated. Fun times! He and his wife (who is in the orchestra with me) also live in Bloomington, so I think we're going to try to get together.

Today, the concert was at the high school I work at, and we had a much bigger turnout. And I'm beat! We also had some great brunch this morning over at Kyle and Rob's - Kyle made Pioneer Woman's baked french toast and it was mmmmmmmmm so delicious!!!

How was your weekend? Anyone else watching the Oscar's?

Creepy.

You know how the internet is creepy sometimes? How gmail always posts an ad for something you are emailing someone about, or how your name pops into spam emails?

Well ... this ad series popped up on the side of my screen when I checked the weather the other day.

I don't know what's more creepy ... the fact that they know I live in Bloomington, or the fact that they think I'm a mom.

29.

Today is my 29th birthday. Crazy ... the last year before a decade change. It has been a good birthday - I went to work (blah), came home (yay!), relaxed for awhile and opened presents (got some cash and a Sephora gift card from my man - finally ordering my Clarisonic!!!), and then went out for sushi dinner. Here is a semi-okay photo of us with our sushi. Mmmmm!

This is why I do this.

Today's quote of the day made me tear up. This time, it's something a student said to me.

You're such a good person. You're one of the best people I know. And if I had been surrounded by more people like you when I was growing up, I think my life would have been so different.

I think this is possibly the best, sweetest, and simultaneously saddest compliment I have ever received.

And being that person in this teenage boy's life? That's why I do this.

Welcome to the D

Like any good Detroiter, this commercial rocked my socks off.

My other fave was definitely this one. I literally squealed at the insane cuteness. I LOVE THIS ONE.

What were your favorite commercials from last night?

Superbowl Party!

Well, we really partied it up tonight for the Superbowl! If by "partied it up," you mean had our neighbor besties over with their beautiful three week old daughter, Madeline.

On the menu: Spinach Feta Dip, Grilled Beer and Cheese Paninis, and Mini Football Brownies with Cream Cheese Icing.

Aren't the little brownies adorable?!

This one is a bit too dark, but I had to throw in a photo of sweet little Madeline!
Oh, and the Superbowl? Welllll to be honest, I didn't really have an opinion about it, but I HAVE loved the commercials. And now? It's bedtime. :)

Sewing!

So, awhile back I decided I really wanted to learn how to sew. So! I got this Brother CS6000I Sew Advance Sew Affordable 60-Stitch Computerized Free-Arm Sewing Machine and unpacked it on our dining room table and stared at it. And realized that I don't have the faintest idea what I'm doing.

But then, I started reading the instruction manual. I figured out how to wind the bobbin and thread the needle. Huge things, ya know. And then I started trying to figure out how to sew straight lines.

And then I went to Hobby Lobby, looked through the pattern book for something in the Easy Sew section. I settled on an apron with contrasting fabric pockets.

Then I unfolded the pattern and realized that I had no idea what they were talking about. So I watched about 80 YouTube tutorials on how to read a freaking pattern, and I asked my friend Jenn about a million questions. I finally figured out how to pin the pattern to the fabric and cut everything out ... but then I still had no idea what to do.

So I video chatted with my mom about three times, holding up portions of the pattern to the webcam so that she could interpret all the sewing lingo.

And ... voila!

Not too shabby for my first project, right? I should add that I cannot even sew a button on ... so this is a pretty big deal. Now ... what should I sew next?!

Ice storm!

Oh man. Blogging. It's just been tough for me lately. I wonder how many times I've said that in my last few posts? Probably every time! Ha. Oh well. Anyway, y'all might have heard that there was a bit of a storm throughout much of the country the last couple of days ... not that the weathermen have been talking it up or anything. Oh wait. Yes they have. We were told we were getting a "CRIPPLING AND POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC" ice storm.

Really? Crippling? Catastrophic? These are pretty serious words. We did indeed get an ice storm, though, and it's pretty crazy out there. School was cancelled yesterday and today, and I just got notification they are closed tomorrow as well. Over 10,000 homes in our county are without power - thankfully we escaped that! - and they have turned the school I work at into an emergency Red Cross shelter. Even the grass is a slick sheet of ice ... scary stuff! I took a few photos, starting yesterday when the ice was just beginning.

This is my car ... covered in ice yesterday. It's way worse today - I tried to open the driver's side door and the handle was frozen shut. Matt yanked on it a bit and finally got it to open, so that's good.

So pretty!


Aaand the rest of the photos are from today - I think we got 2-3 inches of snow today on top of our 1 inch of ice.




Oscar and I ventured to the mailbox today and it is definitely much less slippery out now - in fact, things are getting a bit slushy out there. The temp is supposed to dip pretty low tonight though, so I fear that a lot of that will freeze right back up.

An ice storm funny: in the middle of the night, Oscar woke me up because he had to go to the bathroom. I let him go outside and he pooped. I know, exciting right? Well, I didn't pick it up because it was crazy scary windy and icy out. So this morning, I went out to take care of it ... and his poop was frozen solid to the ground. Gross, right? Yet also really funny.

I did take all this extra time off to finish my very first sewing project ... and I think I will attempt to blog TWO DAYS IN A ROW to share that with you tomorrow! For all of you caught in this crazy storm with 2 feet of snow ... pleeeeease be careful and stay safe. I know a lot of people on Facebook are all "It's just snow, get over it people," but if you aren't careful in this weather, bad things happen. And that's today's Shaina PSA. :)