365 Project - Day 110 - Prom

Ah, prom. It's the one high school event that is truly loved, hated, feared and anticipated all at once. There's just something about prom that can make even the most down-to-earth, rational person into a frenzied lunatic, and that goes for both adolescents and adults.

For most teens, prom is just about the closest they are ever going to get to being royalty, and the days and weeks of careful preparations rival that of the upcoming royal wedding. There are dresses to buy, tuxedos to rent, transportation to arrange, flowers to choose, hair appointments to schedule. Girls start tanning months in advance to get rid of the pesky tan lines that would look awkward should they choose a strapless dress. They choose earrings and necklaces to compliment their gowns, and make sure their dates choose coordinating vests and neckties.

High school students who are already dating someone have it easy, because they already have a date on standby. For the single folk, prom can seem more like the impending apocalypse. Some take the easy way out and simply choose to go with a group of friends--no fuss, no hurt feelings, just a bunch of kids who want to have a good time without any drama. Others are faced with the choice to either ask someone to be their date, or go it alone. Choosing a prom date is like playing a game of Russian Roulette--you just never know which choice is going to blow up in your face.

I was very fortunate when it came to prom. I ended up going all four years--as a freshman and sophomore because my boyfriend was two years older than me, and with good friends my junior and senior year--and had a good time. I can't say that it lived up to all the hype, but I enjoyed spending time with my friends there.

I'm actually sort of glad that all my old photos and yearbooks are still packed away from our move or I might have had to dig out a photo from one of my proms to add to the blog today. (Did I just hear you groan with disappointment?) I'm sure you would have gotten a few chuckles from it because there's something strange that happens when a tomboy like me tries to actually wear makeup. I guess when you only wear powder and maybe a dab of concealer on a daily basis, any bit of extra color on your face instantly transforms you into a Tammy Faye Baker lookalike. I was also never one for bright, flashy colors, so I wore black dresses all four years (well, junior year my dress had a white strip running across the chest and down the side). That's right, I was a regular Morticia Addams, minus the pasty white skin.

So, since I spent so much time today uploading and sorting photos from Katie's prom extravaganza last weekend and didn't have a chance to actually take a photo for today's blog (or ressurect one of my glamorous old photos), I'll just share one of my favorites of Katie from our day together. I'll say one thing, I certainly don't remember being even half as gorgeous when I went to prom!

Today's 365 Project entry is dedicated to my dear Miss Katie, a girl who is beautiful both inside and out. I hope you enjoyed every minute of your special day!

365 Project - Day 109 - When Marsupials Attack

Among Cadence's menagerie of stuffed animals is this little Beanie Baby kangaroo named Pouch.

It's an adorable little creature, complete with a minature joey peeking out of it's pouch. I'm not sure where we got Pouch, but she has become one of the chosen few that Cadence likes to sleep with in her crib. It's VIP only in the crib with Cadence's favorite ginormous stuffed giraffe and favorite baby doll, and Pouch somehow earned a pass.

Today, when Cadence woke from her nap, she spent nearly 20 minutes playing in her crib, perfectly content to look at her baby animal book and talk to her stuffed animals. When I finally went in to get her, she wanted to bring Pouch to play in the living room. It was then that I noticed something slightly disturbing about her new little friend.

I had assumed that the little joey was securely sewn into the kangaroo's pouch, since it was just his little head poking out and there didn't seem to be a whole lot of extra room for his body. But, instead of sewing him in tightly, the toy's manufacturers apparently thought it was enough to attach him with one little string to the kangaroo's belly. Unfortunately, they must not have imagined what it would look like if someone would try to pull the little joey out of the kangaroo's pouch, because it looks like this:

I don't know about you, but I find it a little morbid that the kangaroo apears to be clutching a severed head.

I understand if the pouch isn't big enough to hold the entire body of a little joey. Hell, I even understand if the toy company just decided to cut corners to keep production costs down. But is it really asking too much to make sure you attach the joey's head securely in the pouch where it's supposed to be, so it doesn't appear that the big kangaroo had turned into some sort of marsupial serial killer?

Today's 365 Project entry is dedicated to the good folks over at the Ty company, who have been scaring children with Pouch and her severed head since 1996.

365 Project - Day 108 - Words with Friends

My name is Lori, and I am addicted to Scrabble.

I don't know how a word lover like me could possibly miss out on this game growing up, but somehow I did. Oh, to think of all the hours I wasted doing other things! Steven first discovered the Words with Friends Scrabble app when he got his new Droid phone and one of his co-workers in Casa Grande talked him into downloading it. Of course, I was intrigued by a game where you scored points for strategically spelling words from randomly selected tiles, so I asked Steven if he would teach me how to play.

He should have resisted, or at least thought twice about teaching his English major, writer wife how to play a word game like Scrabble. I was an instant addict.

At the time, I was still sporting an old Samsung Omnia, so I wasn't able to download the app for myself. Lucky for me, Steven had an Ipad, so we were able to download the Ipad Scrabble app. It has gotten highly competitive here in the Romano household, and there have been far too many nights where we have stayed up playing Scrabble far later than we should, especially considering our daughter's unpredictable sleeping habits.

After upgrading to my new Droid phone in December, I was finally able to download the app for myself. With both Steven and my Aunt Jen as my current opponents, I'm like a junkie with an neverending supply of Scrabble to feed my addiction. I guess there are far worse things to be addicted to. And if anyone else has the app and wants to be an enabler, my username is TheTenorchick.

Bring it on.

Today's 365 Project entry is dedicated to the fabulous people who brought us Scrabble, and the new Words with Friends app, and to my husband for introducing me to what just might be my favorite game ever. Let's play!

365 Project - Day 107 - Some Serious Yard Work

Because we moved to Nebraska just before Christmas, we didn't get a chance to rake up all the leaves before the first snow hit. That meant they were waiting for us when spring finally arrived. Once everything dried up and it got a little warmer outside, we headed out to do some yard work. Rather, Steve headed out to do some raking, and I headed out to chase the kiddo around the yard and take pictures. Personally, I loved the arrangement. Here are a few of my favorites:



Ever get the feeling you're being watched?




Here, Daddy, let me help you unfold this bag.




Of course we have to take a break when we see the big blue ball.




Gotta make sure the perimeter is secure so Electra can't escape.




Hey, what goes in here?





Come on Daddy, let me help!



And Daddy tosses some leaves right in Cadence's face.



Thanks, I got it.




I keep thinking my daughter is getting so big, and then I see a picture like this and realize how little she still is!



Hey! I was looking in that!



And nothing else is important once we discover the dirt hole.





Hmmm...what's this?




Off to check in on Daddy.




Hey! Wait for me!



I Heart Faces Photo Challenge - Wind

My dad once had a convertible...an Indian Fire Red 1969 Gran Torino. So the story goes, Mom convinced him to sell it after they got married. Maybe she was thinking it wouldn't make a very good family car, or maybe she just underestimated the cool factor. Whatever the reason, it wasn't long after the sale was final that Duane was regretting his decision. Ever since, he's been longing for another convertible. For years, it was all he could talk about.

Finally, a few years ago, he found a white 1993 Chrysler LeBaron for sale for the right price and bought it. As soon as the weather would get warm enough, you could find him cruising around town with the top down, usually with my sister's Boxer named Honey riding shotgun.

When Steven and I headed out for a visit one summer, Duane couldn't wait to take his future son-in-law for a ride. He and Steven climbed in the back seat where they could enjoy the breeze, and I couldn't resist taking a photo of the two of them having fun on their joyride.

When I saw the I Heart Faces theme this week was Wind, I knew right away that this photo was going to be my entry. It's not technically perfect, or even much more than a snapshot really, but it's one of my favorite photos of two of my favorite guys.