Dave Matthews, July 11, 2012

After taking a year off from touring, the Dave Matthews Band came back to St. Louis last Wed night. It has been since December 2010 (read HERE) since Scott and I have seen DMB so we were beyond excited.

I know this is going to sound "spoiled" but I was pretty disappointed in our seats.  This year Dave incorporated a "pit area" into his show which means that the first 10 or 15 rows were gone and it was a standing room area.  Usually our seats are anywhere from the 12th-15th row but with the open seating, we were pushed back.  We only bought 2 seats this year, too, so instead of being closer to center stage, I think they used us as "fill-ins" and we were way over on the right hand side of the stage.  Once Dave came out and started playing it definitely didn't matter but they just weren't the seats that we are used to having.

(This pic was taken with my phone.  We really didn't look this horrible-ha!)

Here's the Setlist.  You can listen to the show HERE.

1. Don't Drink the Water

2. Proudest Monkey

3.Satellite

4. Eh Hee

5. Shake Me Like a Monkey

6. Lying in the Hands of God

7. Spaceman

8.The Song That Jane Likes

9. Crush

10. Mercy

11. So Damn Lucky

12.Digging a Ditch

13. You & Me

14. Jimi Thing

15. The Space Between

(Dave solo)

16. Typical Situation

17. Ants Marching

Encore:

18. Stefan Solo

19. Louisiana Bayou

20. All Along the Watchtower

Favorite song of the night:  Crush

Here is a video of All Along the Watchtower that I took:

http://youtu.be/RGGeRw2oh-w

Here is a video of Dave beatboxing that I took:

http://youtu.be/Brh42wEsu38

Caleb and Gracie's Birthday Party

This past Sunday we had Caleb and Gracie's birthday party.  Since their birthdays are only 2 days apart, it is much easier for us just to have a combined party.  I know that eventually we will probably have to end up having two separate parties because they will want their friends to come but for now, this works.

I had a huge debacle trying to get their birthday shirts but FINALLY they were finished and I was able to get them before the party.

Gracie really wanted Barbies for her birthday and Caleb didn't care as long as it was "boy stuff".  It looked like Christmas morning by the time they were finished opening up all of the presents.  Thanks to all of our family and friends for the awesome gifts!

Once again, Gaga made the birthday cakes and he did a fantastic job!

After cake and ice cream then the kids went outside and played on the water slide, sprinkler, and pool.  Gracie said it was the "best birthday ever!"

The Boo Boo is 3!

Today is my precious baby Boo Boo's 3rd birthday.  Can you believe it?  It seems like just yesterday I was laying in that hospital bed for 19+ hours and now here he is.

We had a rough start to Caleb's birthday as he woke up with a fever.  GracieAnn came down with a fever the night of her birthday (2 days ago--see that HERE) and, of course, Caleb had to follow suit and start a fever, too.  Luckily, his only lasted for a couple of hours so I was able to take him out and grab some pics of him.

I love this little red head so much!!

Somebody Turned 5 Today

My sweet Gracie SassyPants turned 5 today.  I can't believe how fast the time has gone by.  She woke up so excited today and was just sure that she had actually grown over night and that she looked different.

For the past several weeks Gracie has gone crazy over this huge sunflower balloon at our grocery store.  Scott went up this morning to buy her breakfast donuts and bought that balloon, too.  She was in love!  She kept talking to it all day long and pretended like it was her best friend.

It is our family tradition that you get to choose where we eat dinner.  Grace picked Chuck E Cheese.  While it wouldn't have been my choice (ha!), that's what she picked and that's where we went.  Before we went to dinner, though, I took her outside to get some pics.

Grace was excited to get her picture with Chuck E Cheese.

This big rocking horse was cool.  Mama rode with Gracie and I rode it, too.  

It was a great birthday for Grace.  

Now . . . 2 days until Caleb's birthday.

Race for the Cure 2012

Last weekend we participated in the St. Louis Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  This is the second year that we have walked in honor of my sister-in-law, Debbie.  You can read her story, HERE.

The day started early on Saturday when we all met up to load the bus to get downtown. 

Since we had some extra time, of course, I had to take some pics:

All of the babies:  Ben (4), Gracie (4), Kenzie (3), Caleb (2), Ian (2), Kanin (8) 

Here is Scott with his siblings (minus his brother, Rick).  Jeff, Debbie, Scott, Sherri

We all loved this big head of Debbie.  We had a great time with it.

If you have never been a part of a large march, I urge you to find something you are passionate about and go to a march or a rally.  It is absolutely amazing.  See that blur . . .those are all people marching for a cure for breast cancer. Incredible.

This group of survivors always serenades the walkers right by the finish line.  I love them and it is very emotional to walk by them singing, "I Will Survive".

Here is Debbie crossing the survivors finish line.

The St. Louis Rams players and cheerleaders passed out roses to the survivors.

Here is our entire group after the walk.  It was such an inspiring day and we are so blessed that Debbie cancer-free!

Father's Day Re-Cap

Father's Day was a lot of fun for our Daddy.  With his busy schedule at work plus his side gig as a DJ, Scott doesn't get a lot of time to do "fun" stuff so I planned for us to go golfing in the afternoon with a couple of our friends.

The day started, though, with breakfast and REAL bacon . . . I don't eat pork so just by default, I don't really make a lot of pork.  On Father's Day, though, Scott got to eat real bacon, eggs, and biscuits.

The kids made homemade cards and he opened his Father's Day gift . . . a Draftmark complete with a package of Budweiser.

After letting it charge for a bit, Gaga was ready for his first beer.

Next we went to see my dad and to let the kids swim.  We left the kiddos at Mama and Papa's and then headed out to golf.  It was a gorgeous day but it was H-O-T.  I loved the course that we chose.  There were so many deer.  They were everywhere!

We had so much fun together on Father's Day.  I picked the best guy to be my kids' Daddy.

What's Been Going On With Me

I realize that I haven't been on here and posted in forever.  If you think this blog is bad then don't even look over at my food blog.  I haven't posted a new recipe on there in forever.

What's been going on with me?

1. I am still learning how to be a work away and at home mom.  While I only go in to the travel agency a couple days a week, I have quickly discovered that mine is not a 2 day a week job.  I probably spend a minimum of 4-5 hours a day either booking clients, taking webinars, or doing research for a future trip.  It still doesn't feel like "work" to me and I am still loving it.

2. I am still trying to unpack, wash, and put away all of the clothes from my Jamaica trip last week.  You can read about it HERE.

3. I am trying to plan some fun things to do with the kids this summer.  I can't believe that we are already in the middle of June.  Before we know it, I will be buying school supplies again.

4. I am trying to find the time to workout.  I manage one good day a week and then the rest of the week gets away from me.

5. I am feeling a little overwhelmed with everything that I have to do and feel like I am not getting to do very many things that I want to do.

6. I am still doing my merchandising job a few hours each week but find it harder and harder to make the time for it.  

7. I am in the midst of coordinating our Race for the Cure team again this year.  I have the t-shirts ordered but have some other odds and ends to tie up.

8. I am dreaming of our family vacation in August.  

9. I am still working on the last of my 10lb weight loss.  

10.  I am dreaming of doing this again

and looking out at this