Never Say Never

Bieber Fever has taken hold at the Upchurch household and it's 100% my fault.  I saw a preview for the movie Never Say Never about a month ago.  It featured video clips of JB as a youngster doing so many things I've seen Devlyn do - it instantly sparked my interest.  My formerly dismissive attitude towards the Biebster instantly flipped and I sat down with Devlyn that day and watched a few of his videos on YouTube.  Fast forward to today...we've seen the movie, we own the CD and Devlyn can sing all the words to Baby, Baby a cappella (complete with the Ludacris rap in the middle) all by himself.  I find myself fielding questions about Justin Bieber all day long.  "What does Justin Bieber eat for breakfast?", "Does Justin Bieber play baseball?"   So cute!  I followed Devlyn around the house tonight with my phone as he was singing Baby, Baby all the way through for the second time in a row.  Visually it's no prize winner but I'm impressed with his rhythm and lyrics considering there was no background besides Charles and I : )  It's not an easy listen with Blake in the background yelling (surprise!) but worth your while if you're a long distance grandperson or auntie : )  

Fort Wayne's Funny Dilemma

How any of these newscasters held a straight face and a steady, serious tone I'll never know.

Follow the Link Instead!

If you embed the file it cuts of the aspect ratio and you REALLY lose the effect.  Follow this link instead and watch it on YouTube in full size - totally worth it!

http://www.youtube.com/vw#p/a/u/0/R55e-uHQna0

Darth Volkswagen

It wasn't quite as exciting during the Superbowl in the thirty second format but this has to be one of my favorite "commercials" of all time.  Perfect timing for our household.  Devlyn completed Jedi Knight training at a Star Wars themed birthday party last weekend and we've watched this on YouTube so many times that Blake just couldn't believe it was on tv tonight - he looked at me with big huge eyes and said, "Momma, it on tv!?!"  I said yes it is!  He smiled as big as he could and said, "Wow!"  A little window into the world of a toddler in 2011 : )
   

Kindergarten Bound

Well, it's happened.  Devlyn has gone and grown up.  We register him for kindergarten tomorrow and I am a sentimental wreck.  He is SO ready and I am SO not : (  I grossly underestimated the effect this rite of passage would have on me.  To be honest, until the sappiness washed over me unexpectedly, I don't think I even realized this was a rite of passage!  His first day of school will be sometime at the end of August and I may as well just request that day off right now - I'll be a mess!  I'm not ready to share him with the whole world!  I suddenly find myself longing for all of us to remain in Soapstone Preschool's insulated, cozy little universe - FOREVER.  Instead I am on the brink of buses, K-5th graders, backpacks, school lunches and God knows what else.  I need a valium.  Devlyn, on the other hand is excited and proud - just how he should be.  Charles and I were watching video online of 6 and 7 year old boys playing sports at a summer camp the other night and I started bawling - I can't handle all this growing up!  Some lucky teacher out there gets to watch his mind work and grow all next year.  Ok - crying again - end of blog!

Me & C

Here's a funny back and forth Charles and I had in the kitchen this evening making dinner for the boys.

Me - (in the cupboard reaching for something) to C, "Did you take your old people vitamins today?" (Centrum Silver baby)

C (laughing), "No, I forgot."

Me (dipping back into the Mexican leftovers we're both picking at out of a styrofoam container on the counter - so fancy!) "Did you eat my last shrimp?!?" (he's allergic to shrimp)

C, "No.....I'm allergic to shrimp." (I have, on occasion, been known to forget this important fact)

Me (feigning surprise)"You are?!?"  I continue on by gesticulating and making strange noises to drive home the point that I actually remembered.  He chuckles at my odd mannerisms.

Me (noticing my weirdness), "Am I the type of wife you envisioned having?"

C, "You're the type of wife everyone envisions having."  (Aww....)

Me, "With all my weirdness?!?"

C, "I love your weirdness.  It's all the other stuff I can't stand : )"

Both laughing.

Marriage.  It's a trip.

3 Little Fishies

I have strong childhood memories of singing songs with my paternal grandmother, Vivian Hayward Swain.  Occasionally, she would come pick me up for a sleepover in her little Toyota Tercel and we'd sing the entire way back to her house.  All kinds of good songs.  She had been a camp counselor in her youth and had raised 4 boys for God's sake!  I sure would like to talk to her about that!  Most of the songs she taught me are stuck pretty well in my head but there has always been this one I could never quite remember.  Tonight, I found it online!  It's called "3 Little Fishies"  Can't wait to teach it to the boys - I think Blake will love it.  Now that I have all the words, I can picture her singing it perfectly - she had fabulous hand gestures that made the already fun refrain even better!  I dedicate this great recording of "3 Little Fishies" to Vivian - the big band swing sound of it definitely reminds me of her.  This one's for you Gramma!