AUDREY MAKES THE HEADLINES

Audrey in the LA Times

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving this year, as it has been for the past three years now, was another wonderful orphan thanksgiving. That's what we call it anyway - " an orphan thanksgiving". Basically, we invite loads of people who have moved to LA from various parts of the country and even different parts of the world who do not have family in town nor a place to go on this great day of Thanks. Among those who showed up this year to the festivities, were people from Michigan, Connecticut, New York, Mexico, Chicago, Minnesota, and even a family from London. It was their first Thanksgiving ever. They rather enjoyed themselves, I'd say. As we talked about holidays in general with our new British friends, I learned that in England, the day after Christmas is called' Boxing Day'. I had no idea what this was. My guesses included oh.. something to do with empty gift boxes or maybe even "you touch my new toy... I'll show you boxing!", but as you can imagine, I was not even close. Simply put, it is a day that one goes to a local church and puts money in a donation box for people in need. Wow, now, how come we don't have a day like this here in the States? I might just have to incorporate Boxing Day into our family festivities this year.

Well, all 30 or so of us 'orphans" gathered together at our friends Mike and Natalie's huge victorian home to eat together. Everyone brought a dish and I have to say that people put their all into making their one dish. We ate some fantastic food that day.

We typically hang out late into the evening, playing Settlers of Catan, swimming in the heated pool or sitting on white wicker porch chairs chowing down homemade pecan pie and sipping hot coffee while chatting the night away nestled under blankets enjoying the darkness and the chill of the night.

All in all the day was pretty wonderful. I am always so sad to not be with all of our family clear across the country, but I do have to admit that I am very thankful for our dear 'orphan' friends as we celebrate this day of gratitude and community.

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

I asked Audrey what she was thankful for on this Thanksgiving morning.


"I am thankful for ponies"
"I am thankful for bears who wear clothes"
"I am thankful for sparkly jewels"
"I am thankful for fuzzy scarfs"
"I am thankful for purses"



What do ya say... you think she is thankful for accessorizing?

GIRLS BUG ZANE

Zane, my six year old, is the recent proud owner of.... an ant farm full of worker ants.

Yes, I am afraid to say we have more bugs.

When your son wants to be an entomologist, it pretty much guarantees you a plethora of random knowledge about pesky creepy crawlies.

Well, right before Zane was going to bed tonight, we were having, you know your basic conversation about... Harvest Ants. I mentioned to him how I read that all worker ants are female. The girls build the nest, they clean the nest, they take care of the young, they gather food and they defend the colony against enemies...



****crickets****




"WHAAAAT! all my ants are GIRLS!"

"yup"

"Where are the boy ants?"

"Well, after they meet the queen, they die." I respond.

"Boy oh boy," he mumbled "I don't know about all these bugs... I mean c'mon there's boy Harvest Ants who die after they meet the queen, Girl Black Widows that kill the boy black widows, and then Girl Praying Mantis who EAT the boy Praying Mantises....

... I am gonna have to find me some bugs that appreciate boys!"

1ST WEEK OF WORK

This week has been a L O N G first week. I worked 12 hours today. I am exhausted. All week long I have been trying to cram every last ounce of info I need to learn for this new job into my tired little brain. The girl that I am replacing has been teaching me the past five days. She has done a fantastic job instructing me, but there is just SO much to know. Today was her last day. Monday I am on my own. I feel pretty confident in things, but there is always the learning curve which tends to find you in uncomfortable, embarrassing situations sometimes... Ugh. I hope that does not happen. Well, I am glad that I have the weekend to recoup.

WHAT CAN WE DO ?

So my friend Deana asked if there is anything that the viewing public can do regarding the WGA strike. Well, looky what I found... here is a video that Rob Kutner, a writer from the Daily Show, put together. It's pretty funny, but near the end, he lists numbers to call and a website to visit.

COPS & HEROES ON THE PICKET LINE

Day three of the WGA strike brings Scott back to the picket line along with...

The Reno 911 guys and...

Suresh & Parkman from Heroes.

"THE OFFICE" EXPLAINS THE WGA STRIKE

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Well, my first day on the new job was great. I was given A LOT of information today, and tomorrow brings more. I hope I learn everything I need to know fast. I have only this week to squeeze it all into my brain and then I am all on my own to fend for myself.

Scott's first day as a 'kept man' was great! (That's what he refers to himself as now.) He is such a good dad and husband. Today he handled an ant bite, getting kids ready for the day, school drop off and pick up, soccer practice, dinner, laundry AND a picket line without a problem in the world.

yes... that's right Scott also had his first day on the WGA picket lines. Unfortunately, a fellow picketer was hit by an angry employee who was driving onto the Sunset Gower lot. The crazy unruly driver ran over his leg. And if that is not bad enough, he put his car in reverse and tried to hit him again. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!! The picketer was rushed to the hospital, while his shoe remained under the car. I hope he is ok.

**** photo from Deadline Hollywood****

BROTHERLY LOVE

Zane~ "Hey Audrey, do you know what lying is?"

Audrey~ "no"

Zane ~ "It is like if your mom asks you how your day was and you say you were good, but really you were a bully at school... well, that would be lying"

Audrey~ "oh"

Zane~ "lying is very bad"

Audrey~ "why?"

Zane~ "because it makes you have yucky in your heart"

Audrey~ "oh"

*silence*

Audrey ~ "I won't lie Zane"

*silence*

Audrey~ "I don't want to have a yucky in my heart."

LAST DAY

It's crazy what you don't take for granted suddenly when you know you won't have it anymore.

Yesterday I did just that. With the unexpected new job starting on Monday, my daily, stay-at-home mom activities instantly became more valued and cherished like nobody's business.

Simple things that I won't be able to do because I will be at work took on a whole new worth to me yesterday.

When I picked the kids up from school, their expressions when I walked into their classrooms caused me to stop for a moment and take a mental snapshot of those precious looks of surprised, grinning delight. Then on our drive home, I absorbed every last detail and every last story that filled their little mouths of all the happenings of their day. These details seem to only spill out to that degree right after school. I will miss being there for that.

Then later, I enjoyed the afternoon with my sister while we took our kids to the zoo after school. I LOVED holding hands with my kids as we walked from animal to animal. At one point Zane grabbed my hand and started singing me his best Beatles rendition of "Hold my hand and I'll kiss you, on Monday I'll miss you..." then flashed his big six year old toothless grin and completely melted my heart. I even took pleasure in the normally frustrating corralling process of keeping everyone together so no one gets lost. My speedy Zane usually takes off running, full of excitement and then my lingering Audrey lags way behind singing songs and looking around at all of life's details. Then there was me... smack dab in the middle, spitting out "hold ons" and "hurry ups" between them, trying to stay within proximity of both. That... even THAT, I soaked up.

I also took in a new sense of thankfulness for my beautiful girlfriends who also stay home with their kids. I will miss days in the park where our children play which allows us girls to hang and talk. I will miss conversations of life, parenting and spirituality on Friday mornings over coffee. I will miss going to the gym with my friend Christen. All those days of saying, "hey we should hang out after the kids get out of school" came crashing into my brain, because... well... now we can't.

I know, I know it is hardly the end of the world. I will still have time with my kids and friends, but things will just be different and yesterday that sunk in. I am filled with mixed emotions as I transition to this new part of life. I am nervous, sad, a little weepy, reflective, grateful, excited, alive, inspired and full of joy. How can all those coexist in me at once... I don't know....

but they do.

Ahhhh... emotions gotta love em.
Well, here's to my last school day as a stay- at- home mom!
and here's to my new adventure.

THE PRINCESS AND THE PEAS

So I can't get Audrey to eat any vegetables.
I cook them every day, encouraging her to eat them, but she just WON'T.

The other day, she saw a bag of frozen peas in the freezer and she started to beg for some of whatever was in that bag.

I gave her a single lonely frozen pea and she shrieked with delight. "hmmmmmm that was gooooood!" "more! more! more!"

Since that day, she asks for a bowl of frozen peas everyday...
"Peasicles please!"

And... she finishes

every

single

one of them.

UPS AND DOWNS AND ALL OVER THE PLACE

What a week it has been!

Yesterday was the obvious: Halloween... and then also the not so obvious: Scott's birthday.

It was a fun night hanging with kids and friends, roaming the neighborhood in search of sweets and then back to our place for chili and birthday cake - not that anyone needed more sugar mind you.

Earlier this week, Scott and I were able to get out to see a band and go to dinner in celebration of his day. It was such a good night for us.

Then today happened....

...the reality that the dreaded Writer's strike will most likely happen in the next few days in the film and television industry stared us down face to face today.

I have been panicking about this for many months now, hoping against hope that the strike would not happen and all parties involved would work things out before hand. Well... in short they have not so far... and it's not looking good. Let's just say it was quite a gloomy morning in our house today. If the strike happens... yep...you guessed it...no work for Scott. Ugh! The last writer's strike happened for one whole year. Double ugh! Scott and I both have been looking into jobs the past month. Nada - zip - zilch -nothing. Triple ugh!

Until that is... at 2 o' clock this afternoon. I got a call from one of the places I worked for a few years back. They want to hire me!!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT... A JOB!!!! I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!! especially just days before the potential strike!!!! And on top of that... I start MONDAY which if it all goes down will be the first day of the strike. I will make enough for our family to get by. Can you believe it? I totally believe God has given me this job. The timing is just crazy for it to be anything else. WOW!!! I am so excited. I am just so excited!!!

I am looking forward to reconnecting with my old friends at this place of employment. I am looking forward to being on the phone without interruption or chaos unfolding in the background. I am looking forward to working hard on projects that have a beginnings and ends. I am looking forward to working for this particular company (it was my first choice and it is entertainment related, which is what I wanted). I am grateful beyond grateful that our family will be ok even if the strike goes on for a year!

I am sure I will mourn my last school day at home with the kiddos tomorrow.
But... I have a job... and we will be ok.
I am thankful!!!

Wow! what a difference a day will make.

BRINGIN' BACK THE 80'S!

Our good friends Mike and Natalie put on an amazing Halloween party every year. Each year there is a theme that everyone is encouraged to dress to. Last year's theme was "Dead Rockstars"... this year's..."The 80's are Dead". Mike and Natalie live in this amazing house that is perfect for the grand event each year.


I was there all Saturday afternoon helping to decorate for the party. I dug deep into the recesses of the 80's part of my brain, (ok maybe not so deep) and brought the room to life with all kinds of 80's memorabilia

Scott, the kids and I arrived at the party early in the eve, so I got some good shots before the crowds filtered in. Mike moved all the furniture out of the livingroom, hung a disco ball and projected 80's films onto the wall and voila an 80's dance floor was born.

Natalie took full advantage of the empty dance floor and did her best Cyndi Lauper.

There was a good spread of food. But, the items that particularly caught my eye were the cakes.


Well, and of course the Hot Dog on a Stick truck at the end of the drive way.

Mike and Natalie's daughter is one heck of a performer. She is in a band, she dances, she acts, you name it, so it was only natural that she and her friends perform "Thriller" in the back yard. The dancers stumbled into the yard in full costume parting the fog pumping from the fog machine with their Micheal Jackson zombie dance moves. They were all really good. As I sat in the crowd waiting for the show to unfold, I learned that one teenage friend asked another teenage friend if there was anyone from the 80's that is actually still alive now. HA! little did she know there was an ancient soul sitting in her very midst.

Another main attraction was the vintage Ms. Packman video game stationed inside. Ariel the mermaid and Alley Sheedy from the Breakfast Club (well, I think it was Alley, it did not really look like her but that's who she said she was all night) anyway they tried their best to get a good portion of power pellets and cherries, but those pesky ghosts got em every time!

Scott, however was one of the highest scores of the evening.

I was a little Scared when I ran into a Zombie skate boarder, but luckily he just grunted at me and stumbled on. Wheew... close one!

Among some of the other people I ran into, was the girl from Flash Dance,

and then there was Cher who not only 'turned back time' but turned a few heads too!

Adam Ant also showed up...

along with some actors from the HBO show Big Love

All in all the party was pretty great. I was way wallflower that night, maybe Alley Sheedy and her loner character really got to me, but even in all my wallflower glory I still had a really great time!

HOW TO MELT A PUMPKIN IN OCTOBER

My good friend Dana came over last night. Scott was shooting his short film into the night, so Dana's company was an extra special treat. With the past week handing us sweltering, summer heat day after day, Dana and I thought it would be fun to fill the evening with some fall festivities in hopes to make it feel more like... well... fall. So I cooked up some tortilla soup (which, I might add was a little weird to eat in our 90 degree heat, but we were committed to the cause) After we sipped our soup, we were warmer than warm. We wiped the sweat from our brow and stepped outside (still warm) for a little pumpkin carving fun with the kids.

They were beyond anxious to design their own pumpkins. They jumped right in without hesitation and started drawing feverishly on their glorious gourds.

Audrey did, however, stop for a moment, to give Z a little pumpkin carvin' love. Z soaked it up, but remained focused on the task at hand.

I helped the kids carve out their designs. They were quite pleased with their finished glowing artwork. Let's just hope these little pumpkins can hold up in the heat until Halloween.


While I put the kids to bed, Dana washed pumpkin seeds and put them in the oven to toast. She lit an amazing candle that smells like pumpkin cheesecake that she brought back for me all the way from Northern California, (where I am sure the weather is nice and crisp just the way fall weather should be).

When I walked out from the kid's rooms, the whole place smelled absolutely delicious. With the air conditioner doing it's best to leave a chill in the room and the sweet pumpkin smell rising in the air, I was almost convinced that it truly IS autumn. We munched on toasty pumpkin seeds curled up on the sofa and watched one of our favorite shows. If it were not so completely desert like outside, a cup of hot mint tea would have finished off our autumn evening perfectly.

WILDFIRES

With all the massive wildfires that have been raging out of control in Orange County (about 40 miles south of us), in Santa Clarita (about 30 miles north of us), at Lake Arrowhead (which is east of us), and then in Malibu (which is west of us), the sky is thick with gray smoke and the air is scented with the smell of burning wood. White ash flutters down every so often in front our faces to remind us of the harsh reality of what is happening all around southern California. We, personally have not been affected by the fires, except for the poor air quality, which at worst, has forced our kids to play indoors at recess time (nothing in comparison by any means to what others are experiencing!) My heart goes out to all the those in the neighboring Southland communities who HAVE been affected by the fires and who have lost homes, lost possessions and lost their livelihoods.

It seems that some of the fires are under control now. Let’s hope and pray the rest of the fires die fast and we get some of that much needed rain this winter to prevent anymore from flaring up.

Click HERE to check out some incredible photos of the raging fires and the heavy smoke hanging in the sky.

SEATTLE WEDDING

We got back from Seattle last night. We spent the week there for my sister-in-law Kat's wedding. The wedding was on Friday. The first part of the day supplied us with hail, strong winds and of course, being in Seattle - rain, but it was not your typical Seattle rain/mist, it was a full-blown down pour, so the planned outdoor wedding moved indoors and believe it or not without a stress in the world. The ceremony took place at Kat's friends' home that overlooked the Puget Sound. The views were beautiful, the ceremony was intimate, and Kat was gorgeous. I had to fight off the tears when Kat and my new brother-in-law, Justin (whom I just met and whom I absolutely LOVE!) pledged their love and commitment to each other. As they were announced as husband and wife, the buried, hidden sun surprisingly burst through the clouds and instantly illuminated everything outdoors and beamed through the windows. Everyone was drawn outside to explore the glistening beauty. Once we were all outdoors we looked up into the sky, and there standing proudly over the new couple - a rainbow. It was truly amazing!


Scott's parents came clear across the country on a train for the wedding.

It was so wonderful to have family together.

Not only did Scott's parents come in from out of town, but a few friends from college did as well. Scott and Jen (my sister-in-law) and Trey (my brother-in-law) and Kat and I all went to school together in Michigan so the very moment our good friend Mike G got off the plane, a big ole reunion began. I have not seen my wonderful, dear friend, Mike G in many years. So you can imagine how absolutely GREAT it was to laugh with him again in person.

and believe me... he is a really good laugher.

The wedding reception was on the top floor of the Smith building downtown. Kat and Justin were in full swing along with many of their friends who are amazing rockabilly dancers.


The kids had some pretty good moves too.


The night before the wedding Kat and Justin took us to their favorite bar where we all hung out.
Scott and Justin bonded over guns.


Kat and Jen bonded over a Spin Doctors' song.


Mike G bonded with his beers.


Jen and Trey... well they just bonded.


and Justin and I bonded over a nice LONG conversation...
uh... I think we bonded... yeah... yeah.. we did!
(He doesn't look stunned to you at all does he?)


We had such a busy but, extremely wonderful trip.
Scott, the kids and I are all bit sad today though.
Leaving family and friends is always tough.

COUSINS

FLICKR

Have you ever seen this video?
Jonathan Coulton created a song from random pictures he got off flickr.

It's pretty great.

FARMER'S MARKET

I went to visit a friend of mine last night who lives a block away from a Farmer's market that whirls into town every Wednesday. We had a delightful dinner of shish kabobs and hummus while I caught up on all of her summer adventures to Columbia where she loved on children in an orphanage and then to Northern California where she explored Mt Shasta, Yosemite, Mt Lassen, Lake Tahoe and Mono lake. What a summer huh?

As we strolled through the farmer's market picking out amazing plump nectarines and fresh roasted toffee almonds, I came across my absolute favorite flower of all time, Tuberose. It was not fresh cut flower stalks bound together like I usually see at the various farmer's markets around the city, but the fragrant flower was potted in a 3 gallon tub. My friend saw the excitement in my eye and snatched up the flower for me instantly!

If I could attach the sweet smell of the flower to this post, you would absolutely drift away in it's scent. I love it. Today, Audrey and I potted the aromatic plant next to our front door. The scent wafts through the window every so often to remind me it's there standing tall ready to greet all those who come to our door.

Thanks my beautiful friend for the lovely flower.

SWERVE

Scott the kids and I went to Swerve yesterday. The arts, film and music festival took place on top of an inconspicuous hill tucked between tall city buildings right smack dab in the middle of bustling Los Angeles. This hidden peaceful park is home to the famous Hollyhock House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, which was built in 1921.

The day was fun and relaxing for me. I soaked up the art, the architecture and the city views that surrounded me. The warm California sun enveloped me as I listened to the music of Oh No! Oh My! and DeVotchKa. The booming beats permeated our little hill top, and then the music slowly dissipated as it billowed down the hillside into the city streets below. I thoroughly loved just kicking back on my blanket watching people around me enjoy the day. Zane was off winning a Skateboard with Scott while Audrey napped next to me (she was oh SO tired and grumpy - hence the picture below). Her nap allowed me to stop long enough to take it all in.

It was really quite a wonderful day.













And last but not least: I will leave you with another "dancing Z" video. He went to town while DeVotchKa was playing. I wasn't thinking when I recorded this VERTICALLY and I don't have Quicktime Pro to fix the orientation, so bear with me and turn your computer screen 90 ° to the right and enjoy all 19 seconds of it!!!