Hat Trick on the Music

Kaia and I rounded out the musical beginning to our 2009 with a trip to E.J. Thomas Hall for the Performing Arts to see Drumeline Live!. I was even lucky enough to score us several free tickets so we could take friends as well. Not sure how I earned the good marching band karma, but I'll take it! We had such a great time. It was a foot-stomping, hand-clapping, stand up and get down kind of performance. After the show Mikaia wanted to the get the autographs of several of the performers and so we headed to the lobby for some stalkerazzi moments.

Not Your Average Day at the Library

We enjoyed the family program on steel drums hosted at the main branch of the library. The guy doing the presentation was very knowledgeable and very patient...both good qualities for capturing the attention of this audience.

Of course Mikaia was the first kid to jump up to volunteer and she picked the steel drum. He had brought this great steel drums for kids (made here in Akron!)....if I were rich I'da bought each of the kids one on the spot (hint hint wealthy friends). Mikaia was particularly thrilled to learn about the role of steel drums in reggae and soca music.

Vanessa wasn't so sure, but finally decided to give it a go as well.

Natalie was a little too cool to participate, but seemed to enjoy the presentation. If only you could have been there to see Big Daddy dance :-) This program is but one great example of why funding for public libraries should be a national priority...not to mention to the extraordinary people like KStar and Keith who work at libraries!!

One Love February Style

Who doesn't love a good reggae show in the middle of February? Here's a few shots from a Carlos Jones and the PLUS Band show at Mocha Maiden.



Carlos has been spreading the good news of reggae since 1978 and he has truly been a blessing for our family. Mikaia has been going to see his shows since she was months old and rockin' the sling.


This show was the first time she actually got to play the tamborine on stage with the band. She was THRILLED....and tired by the end of the first song...you know how long those reggae jams can go.

One Love. We hope to see you at a show!

Good Intentions...

So I hoped to start this blog at the beginning of 2009 to make up for my serious inadequacies with regards to staying in touch with family and friends. I figured it had been nearly 10 years since I'd sent Christmas cards (cheesy letter and all) and things only got worse in terms of my follow through once Mikaia came along (June, 2004). And please, if I haven't reiterated it enough please know that I love and cherish you all despite my complete incompetency at staying in touch in all ways traditional.I have several good friends who keep blogs as a way to help stay in touch with others and otherwise document their lives. I find myself regularly peepin' their digs (divanova and the grove family at the top of that list) and thinking, "I should do that". So it went for six months now . . .

I hope some of you enjoy keeping up with what our family is doing and if you don't then by all means find some other mindless, time-wasting thing to do on the internet and move on!

I decided to just start with the pictures I downloaded from my camera and take you all back to February 2009...I mean, why not? It took me this long to get started so I might as well not run out of content tomorrow.