When my son started kindergarten last year, I had a secret wish in the back of my head. I hoped that he would become friends with someone and continue on through school with that child. I was lucky enough to have this when I started school all those years ago. Back in my kindergarten days I met M and we quickly became friends. She would come over to my house, I would go to her house. We traveled all through elementary school in the same class. When we went to middle school we had a few classes together, but still remained close friends. In high school it was more difficult to have the same schedules. I still recall one of my favorite classes was Pottery and Sculpture because M and I were both in that class. It was fun seeing her and chat, plus the class was relaxing compared to all of the other academics within the day.
When we graduated from high school M went off to college not too far from here and I stayed at a local school. Time slipped by and we would e-mail each other every so often. When M was done with school she moved across the country. When she came back to visit several years later we got together. Many years had gone by, but we picked up our special friendship where it had left off. When M and her husband moved to Europe for a while we stayed in touch online. After that adventure they came back and settled in this area.
On Sunday I went to M’s baby shower. She and her husband F are expecting their first little one in just a few weeks. Each time I was introduced to someone we explained how we met in kindergarten. It made me smile and think of what an accomplishment that is. M and I may not see each other as much as we did when we were little, but our friendship has lasted over two dozen years – that is saying something.
M has watched me as I became a mother and now I will be able to see her in that new role. I look forward to meeting her little one and watching him/her grow up.
Moosekin, I wish you and F only the best as you begin this new adventure in life. I know that both of you are going to be amazing parents. Remember to enjoy this special time, learn as you go along and savor the moments because they truly grow up too quickly. It seems like just yesterday when we were in kindergarten together and look at us now!
As a child, my family went to Walt Disney World almost every summer. During the winter, I also have fond memories of going to see Disney On Ice. My husband and I would love to go to Disney World each year, but it is not in the finances right now. We have been lucky and gone to see Disney on Ice at our local arena several times with our oldest son. Last year, my parents and I brought my oldest son. This was just around the time that we booked our first family trip to Walt Disney World for May.
We saw the 100 Years of Magic show and it was amazing. I loved watching my son’s face as he saw the stage on the ice for the first time, and then witnessed all of the familiar characters skate by. Nana and Papa even splurged and bought him some Mickey binoculars.
I was recently asked by Mom Central to participate in a Disney on Ice Blog Tour to share information about their latest tours on behalf of Feld Entertainment. As a parent, I can stand behind this show because it was well worth the money and the show is a class act. Everyone big and small will be mesmerized with the shows. Here is some information about the shows traveling this year along with a special offer.
Mom Central is excited to extend the following special family offers; look for the box marked "MC Promotion" when purchasing tickets:
*Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code "MOM" at select ticketing channels. Offer good on all weekday performances, which includes all weekday evening and Friday matinee performances; minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each.
*Offer #2: All weekend performance tickets will be $4 off the original price
Offer #3: Get the best Front Row and VIP seats available – We have reserved seats in the Front Row and VIP sections just for you! No discounts available on these seats. Use the code MOM.
*Not valid on Front Row or VIP seats or combined with other offers including opening night offers. Other fees may apply.
The above offers are good in the following cities:
St. Louis: September 3-6, 2009
Chicago: September 8-13, 2009
Sunrise: September 17-20, 2009
Dayton/Cincinnati: September 17-27, 2009
Miami: September 23-27, 2009
Auburn Hills: September 30 – October 4, 2009
Charlotte: October 8-11, 2009
Philadelphia:October 14-18, 2009
Atlanta: October 14-18, 2009
Oakland/San Jose: October 14-25, 2009
Fairfax: October 21-25, 2009
Sacramento: October 28 – November 1, 2009
Baltimore: October 28 – November 1, 2009
Uniondale: November 10-15, 2009
Houston: November 11-15, 2009
NYC: November 17-22, 2009
East Rutherford: November 24-29, 2009
Denver/Broomfield: December 3-13, 2009 *available for purchase on 9/12/09
St. Paul: December 9-13, 2009
Los Angeles: December 17-20, 2009
Toronto: December 18-27, 2009
Anaheim: December 22-27, 2009
Philadelphia: December 23 – January 3, 2010 *available for purchase on 10/12/09
Boston: December 26-29, 2009 *available for purchase on 9/3/09
Ontario: December 30 – January 3, 2010
Cleveland: January 8 -18, 2009 *available for presale on 10/2/09
Shows coming this fall & winter:
Disney On Icepresents Celebrations! It’s one colossal party on ice, with all your favorite Disney friends! Enjoy a winter wonderland with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains, a Very Merry Unbirthday Party, a Royal Ball with the Disney Princesses and more in a magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivals from around the globe. Come join the party when this spectacular ice show visits your hometown!
Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy: Rev up for non-stop fun with four of your favorite Disney stories at Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy. Thrill to high-speed stunts as Lightning McQueen, Mater and the crew of Disney/Pixar’s CARS race across the ice. Dive into The Little Mermaid’s enchanting undersea kingdom and experience the ‘Circle of Life’ with The Lion King. Then enter the mystical world of Pixie Hollow with Tinker Bell and the Disney Fairies as they reveal the magic that lies within! From wheels to waves, Pride Lands to pixie dust, your family’s favorite Disney moments come to life at Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy with dazzling skating, special effects and beloved characters certain to create a lifetime of memories.
Special Bonus! Come see a Disney princess and a dazzling display of gorgeous gowns at the Disney Princess Pre-Show starting one hour before show time! Complimentary to all ticket holders.
Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic: Join the celebration as 65 of Disney’s unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic! You’ll be captivated by the one and only Mickey Mouse, the irresistible Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio and all the Disney Princesses. Be thrilled by exciting moments from The Lion King; Mulan; and Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Toy Story films; in a skating spectacular filled with magical Disney moments you’ll remember forever as Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic!
Disney On Ice presents Princess Classics:Dreams really do come true! Disney On Ice is proud to bring you a dazzling tale of hope, heart, heroism and hilarity as Disney On Ice presents Princess Classics. This stunning spectacle is an awe-inspiring and fun-filled journey to the magical lands of Disney’s classic fairy tales. Travel to a kingdom under the sea, an enchanted palace in France, an Arabian castle and more! Enter the fantasy worlds of your favorite Disney princesses – Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and Snow White – as they bring magic to your city in this royal skating extravaganza.
To learn more about Disney On Ice shows touring the country this year and to find shows in your area, visit the Disney On Ice site.And don’t forget to use the special discount code when purchasing tickets online! I just used the website and now know that the Celebrations show is coming to our area in December.
I know that my family will be going, will yours?
Disclosure:I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Centralon behalf of Feld Entertainment. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.
The summer time makes me nostalgic. I remember spending many a summer morning glued to my television set with my best friend, and neighbor J. What were we watching you ask? Each morning, we would choose to get up earlier than most children our age and meet up to catch Little House on the Prairie. Together, we would watch the episodes about Laura Ingalls and her life over and over. We watched as Half Pint grew up into a teacher and had children of her own. It was a time that we could relax, enjoy and dream of a simpler time.
To this day, if I see Little House on the Prairie on television the theme song, familiar faces of Melissa Gilbert (Laura), Michael Landon (Pa), Karen Grassle (Ma), Scottie MacGregor (Mrs. Oleson), Richard Bull (Mr. Oleson), Jonathan Gilbert (Willie Oleson), Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson), Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder), Victor French (Mr. Edwards) I always stop to watch.
When I heard that Melissa Gilbert had written Prairie Tale – A Memoir I was intrigued. Over the years, I remember hearing a lot about Melissa’s life growing up in the spotlight. I wanted to read the book because it would allow me to see the person behind the characters that she had played on television in Little House and countless other movies.
Here is a product description from the book:
A fascinatiating, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting tale of self-discovery from the beloved actress who earned a permanent place in the hearts of millions when she was just a child.
To fans of the hugely successful television series Little House on the Prairie, Melissa Gilbert grew up in a fantasy world with a larger-than-life father, friends and family she could count on, and plenty of animals to play with. Children across the country dreamed of the Ingalls’ idyllic life — and so did Melissa.
She was a natural on camera, but behind the scenes, life was more complicated. Adopted as a baby into a legendary show business family, Melissa wrestled with questions about her identity and struggled to maintain an image of perfection her mother created and enforced. Only after years of substance abuse, dysfunctional relationships, and made-for-television movies did she begin to figure out who she really was.
With candor and humor, the cherished actress traces her complicated journey from buck-toothed Laura "Half-pint" Ingalls to Hollywood starlet, wife, and mother. She partied with the Brat Pack, dated heartthrobs like Rob Lowe and bad boys like Billy Idol, and began a self-destructive pattern of addiction and codependence. Left in debt after her first marriage, and struggling to create some sense of stability, she eventually realized that her career on television had earned her popularity, admiration, and love from everyone but herself.
Through hard work, tenacity, sobriety, and the blessings of a solid marriage, Melissa has accepted her many different identities and learned to laugh, cry, and forgive in new ways. Women everywhere may have idolized her charming life on Little House on the Prairie, but Melissa’s own unexpectedly honest, imperfect, and down-to-earth story is an inspiration.
I just finished Prairie Tale and have to say that I really enjoyed it. The book was not only a behind the scenes tour of life on the sets with Melissa Gilbert, but also about a woman who finally found a path in her life that she liked. Melissa wrote a lot about growing up on the set of Little House on the Prairie. It was fascinating to read about her close friendship with Alison Arngrim who played her nemesis Nellie on the show. I laughed at how she was upset with the casting of a "man" as Almonzo Wilder. I was also touched by her close relationship with Michael Landon and his family. Melissa even allows us into her thoughts about the time when Mike, as she called him, was dying from cancer.
Melissa Gilbert’s life was filled with a lot of chaos during her late teens, twenties and even thirties. She abused drugs, was an alcoholic, and divorced her first husband. Of course, it was also during this time that she had two beautiful sons and found her soul mate in Bruce Boxleitner. Through the anecdotes and humor in the book, we see how Melissa finally realized her addictions and was able to get sober and become involved in Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition.
A fun part at the end of the book was the list of alternative book titles that were suggested by her friends. I sat there reading them to my friend on the phone and we laughed hysterically together. Sharing these shows the comedic side of Melissa Gilbert. If you are a Melissa Gilbert fan, I would highly recommend this book because you will learn so much from this strong, courageous woman.
One day I would also love to see Melissa Gilbert’s latest project, Little House on the Prairie, The Musical. During this production, Melissa is playing Ma to Laura Ingalls. If you have already seen this, know that I am very jealous!
Right now we are up to our eyeballs in getting NHL’s wiggle tooth out. It is hard to believe that my serious six year old once laughed at any word. Case in point, our little guy back in February 2004. At just six months old he was laughing at an unusual word. Check it out to hear the word of the day.
Are you able to identify what the photo below this is?
Any ideas? Really, I would love to know if you can guess. Here is another view:
Obviously, they are knitted washcloths that I have made. If you go deeper, they show my fear to try new and exciting knitting projects. Basically, I like mindless knitting to relieve stress and I have latched onto this DW Cloth pattern. The photos are the 40 that are currently made and in storage. This 40 does not includes dozens that I have given away throughout the year. In June, I made teacher gift bags and included 2 for each of NHL’s teachers (2), aids (2), and therapists (2).
I have been itching to try making a log cabin blanket, but can not wrap my brain around the pattern on my own. I can start it, but do not really understand how to add on the next rectangle. Last night, I decided enough was enough and I am breaking out of my shell. I asked people for suggestions on some patterns for a project and received a few great ones. This morning I finally settled on one, dug out my never used circular knitting needles (oy!), and some Caron Simply Soft Sage Green yarn and started on something new and exciting.
So, while the boys were playing earlier I got everything ready. I cast on 168 stitches (yikes) and started to knit. Here is what I have done so far:
Knitting on circular needles was not bad at all. Still getting used to them, but it is working out nicely. The photo does not do the Sage Green yarn justice (really not mint colored). So there you have it, I am trying something new and feel great about it.
Have you tried anything outside of your comfort zone recently? I would love to know if you have. Oh, if you knit please share any EASY patterns that you love to make. I have never made a hat, mittens and not really into socks, but you never know what I may try.
