It's your lucky day!

 Remember in this post when I told you about my brother's superpower of music?

Staying true to his word and saving us all from un-coolness, here is

CHRISTIAN'S TUESDAY TOP TUNE PICKS:

1. YEASAYER- AMBLING ALP 

2. THE DISCIPLINES- YOURS FOR THE TAKING

3. MARS VOLTA- THE MALKIN JEWEL

4. HOWLER-BACK OF YOUR NECK

5. DELTA SPIRIT- CALIFORNIA

You're welcome.

**I should add that these are songs Christian is listening to right now. Keep in mind some are fresh and some you may have heard......either way, keep on rockin'!

You're never too old....

.....to get an Easter basket from your parents!

HOPPY EASTER!

Obviously you need one:

The baseball boys had a rough Saturday last weekend. They lost twice, the same day. It wasn't pretty and the cute coach, that I totally have a crush on, wasn't happy. Not at all.

Chris said sometimes when you aren't playing the game right, the baseball gods will make you pay. The boys said ENOUGH was ENOUGH, and decided they needed their very own good luck charm
(I think mine has just been to busy making my life awesome!).

The boys weren't sure what to do. They had meetings on the mound:

They asked Mr. Jackson, the bat boy (you read that right), for advice:

They even tried a special 'adjust your hat' and wave your arms around dance: 

but the answer to appease the baseball gods came to them during practice this week
in the form of a little box turtle they name Reggie.

Reggie was found at the baseball field during practice, and instantly buoyed the boy's spirit's. It was quickly decided he was the new team mascot. They even brought him to the game last night; and being the sweet, smart, thoughtful boys they are, they made Reggie a decorated leash:

Breckin was getting a pep talk from Reggie when he stopped to pose for a quick photo.

Here, someone is creating a nice path for Reggie to walk crawl back and forth.

Notice the leash? That's actually athletic tape they stuck on Reggie's back and attached it to the bench

Clever, really. 

Bringing their new mascot to the game must have been the right move because they won last night! This can only lead me to one conclusion:

You need a Reggie in your life.

**Thanks Missy W. for the great pictures!**

Make way! Make way! The talent is coming through!

Remember how I told you about my BUCKET LIST? I can honestly say I have NOT met J.K. Rowling or professed my undying devotion to her, yet. HOWEVER, I was slowly starting to realize one bucket list item was within my grasp: item number ten, Be in a play.

 I talked to my talented thespian friend, Beth, and she said: "There is an audition for a play this Tuesday. Why don't you come with me?" I mustered all my courage and went. Do you KNOW what happens in an audition? Especially for a show with singing? and dancing? AND acting? You have to show your singing and dancing and acting skills to the play director and they decide if you are even worth the hassle of keeping around.

I thought: "Well, it's now or never!" and gave it my all, like a boss:

I brought my own skull, but the director said it wasn't necessary.

 After a brilliant audition, the show director begged and begged me to play the lead role (lie); but I felt that my superb acting abilities would be better suited for a smaller role, after all I didn't want to over-shadow the rest of the cast! I am playing, Goat's Mother.

If you ask me that is an extremely significant role! Without Goat's mother there would be no Goat and without Goat ....well I don't exactly know because I haven't read the whole script yet (note to you because I was confused at first, it is not an actual goat but a man nick-named goat).
The play is called, 'The Robber Bridegroom' and is loosely based on a Grimm's fairy tale.

You may now start calling me: 'The talent'

Superpowers

We rented, watched and liked Captain America and Thor, this last Sunday. It made me realize that everyone has superpowers. Some, like me, have more than one (obviously)...

 My brother, Christian, has a very unique superpower. If you are what you eat, he's definitely bacon and cheese; but if you are what you listen to, he would be every song ever written. The guy loves music, and not just any music. REALLY good music. He is never without a pair headphones. For proof, see picture below:

He also can talk to Diner statues.

 Here is how conversations regarding music go with my brother, Christian:

Me: "You know what song I'm into right now? As My Guitar Gently Weeps by Eric Clapton, so pretty."
Christian: "Ya! That's a great song. It was actually written by George Harrison and recorded by the Beatles in 1968 for their White Album, but Clapton does plays lead guitar on it. If you like that song, you'd really like blah blah blah"

If you want to know what a song is called, just call Christian up to get a quick answer:
Me: Hey! Are you busy?
Christian: No, what's up?
Me: Which band sings that song (singing) DOOON'T STOP BELIEVIIINNNN! Somethin' Somethin' FEEEELINNN'!
Christian: Journey.
Me:  Nooooo... that can't be right.
Christian: Yes. Journey. Why?
Me: Darn it, I just lost a bet.

A few years ago, I decided to use his superpower to my advantage, and began demanding he make music playlists and C.D.s for me. He did, but only because he loves me:

I probably love him more though.

 Christian is a frequent concert attendee, and is usually forced to be the resident D.J. at every party (although I have a feeling he chooses this job because other's people choice in music is sub-par):

See the ipod in his hand? He's about to rock the party out with his musical selections.

He also knows how to look cool at an outdoor music festival:

Yup, that's JACK WHITE'S mobile recording bus he's standing in front of.

Now that Christian makes me cool, I say things like: "This song is JUST NOW on the radio? Pshhh I was listening to it MONTHS ago!" like a true hipster would. 

I know what you're thinking: It's just NOT fair that she has a brother with Superpowers like this!  I agree. So, I'm starting what I call: "CHRISTIAN'S TUESDAY TOP TUNE PICKS." 

Every Tuesday Christian will give me a list of the TOP FIVE  songs he's listening to that week. You can check them out, download them or completely ignore them (although I wouldn't they're usually pretty good). You guys are so lucky! So without further ado: 

CHRISTIAN'S TUESDAY TOP TUNE PICKS:

1. Hold On- Alabama Shakes

2. It's Time- Imagine Dragons

3. Beneath the piano- The Devil Makes Three

4. Disparate Youth- Santigold

5. Sleep Forever- Portugal the Man

You're welcome.

It's time for a change!

There are some of my friends (I will not name names, but you know who you are) who change their profile picture almost daily. Do you find it interesting that I can say 'profile picture' and you know exactly what I'm talking about? If not....DO NOT get on facebook, you know why? You will become addicted and become thoroughly annoyed with yourself- oh wait that's totally me, damnit.

Facebook has now introduced that stupid 'timeline' feature which I can say without a doubt, I hate. It's confusing (meaning harder to stalk people), and you have to scroll down for day to see ANYTHING and even then you still don't get the whole picture. In my opinion, Facebook timeline's one redeeming quality is you can have a cover photo AND a profile picture. THIS I like. It allows me to further express myself via a photo. How are you going to know what kind of person I am without TWO pictures?

I decided enough was enough and it was time to change the cover photo from this glorious photo....

to this masterpiece:

These feet belong to my me and family, and those toes are happy in a Colorado river.

I was satisfied with my strategic move of changing my cover photo, then I realized it was time for another change...this time the profile pic...OH YEAH--watch out Saturday I'm feeling crazy today! 

I really had to think about this one. I needed something snappy, peppy, outrageous and wild. 

I went from a picture of my handsome fella playing baseball....

to a picture of my smooshy face getting ready to play baseball:

Pretty drastic profile picture change, right! LOOK OUT!

I highly recommend taking time today to look at your own profile/cover photo, and consider a possible change; unless you're one of the aforementioned people that changes theirs daily--

you're fine.

HAPPY SATURDAY!

Forget the rabbit's foot:

There is a baseball game today (I will be saying that a lot now), and fortunately it's at home. My smooshy face said he was a little nervous because the team we're (yeah I said we're, I'm totally a part of the team) playing is ranked like 30th in the state (this does not impress the coach).

 I assured him he was a total bad ass; and the coach was even more of a bad ass, and if they lost they could just beat up the guy's on the other team afterwards. He agreed with this and went on to show me how big his biceps were. I didn't want to tell him the REAL reason he shouldn't be nervous: My lucky baseball bracelet! Duh.

Remember in this post, I told you all about how I was ready for baseball and even showed the lucky bracelet I made?

 

I've decided it's time you learned to make one. Mine has not only helped our team to a 2-0 record, but I've been pretty lucky in life since I made it. So feel free to make one even if you hate baseball. 

**The only person who isn't allowed to make one is my friend, Jessika M., because we play her team this weekend. Two lucky bracelets from opposing sides might cause a black hole or a tear in the fabric of the universe....Got it, JESS?!**

STEP ONE: Gather your ingredients....

STEP TWO: Start on one side and cut around the seams. If you have proven yourself incapable of using a knife, don't hesitate to ask for help. I didn't ask, and then yelled at Chris for not helping me when the knife slipped and almost chopped off my finger: 

Layla is hoping Chris isn't serious about ruining a perfectly good ball and will throw it at any second. 

 STEP THREE: Once you have cut around the ball, the 'guts' should come out easily.....

Layla still thinks that ball has potential for a quick game of fetch. I also apologize for my husband's un-gentlemanly pose.

 looking like this:

Is it just me or does the ball look like a muppet talking?

STEP FOUR: Use scissors to cut along the seam. I'm allowed to use scissors so I did this ALL by myself: 

STEP FIVE: Cut across the seam to separate it from itself. You'll get a 'seam snake'

STEP SIX: Peel off any remaining 'guts' off the back your 'seam snake':

Can you make out the stringy things? Yeah peel those off.

STEP SEVEN:Put your future bracelet in water for at least an hour:

STEP EIGHT:  Take out your wet 'snake seam' and stretch it...stretch it....stretch it, and let it dry straight:

I don't have a picture for this step so pretend I'm doing that.

STEP NINE: Measure the bracelet around your wrist and cut it to fit loosely: 

I was too busy measuring to take a picture...The A.D.D made me do it!

STEP TEN: After you have cut the bracelet to fit loosely, pull the seams on both ends. This is how you connect your bracelet. 

STEP ELEVEN: Depending on how tight/loose you want it keep pulling at the seams. I made mine loose so I pulled the seams even more than this picture shows....

STEP TWELVE: Snip the excess leather on the top, and tie the baseball seams together

Some people use a clasp so they can take the bracelet on and off..... Not me! I'm a fan for life the season!

Now that you have made the ultimate good luck charm....go out and help your team win the big game; or why not try something new? I promise the bracelet will NOT let you down.....

Remember my awesome win from Monday? 

Totally because of the lucky bracelet.

P.S. If this made zero sense and you still want to make one, click here.