Really, though, I think that March in Atlanta should be snow free.

I feel lucky that I can call you a friend. Both because you are cool and because we’re stuck with one another anyway. You are a great guy, and I’m happy to have you in my life. In addition to being fun to hang out with, you’ve always taken time to take care of me, like when mom and dad sent me a care package at Halloween full of candy and you tossed in a toothbrush so I wouldn’t get cavities. Or when you wrote me a long letter while I was at college and you taped a dollar bill to the page to I could buy something for myself.

One of my favorite memories is when we went to visit one of my friends and I introduced you as my little brother. That friend gave a long speech about how you might be my younger brother, but since you have a few inches on my and had lots of muscles, there was nothing about you that could be called “little.” You waited until he finished the whole little lecture, then stood up, put your arm around me and, towering over him, told him in no uncertain terms that not only would you always be my little brother, you were also my baby brother, and anyone who wanted to question that fact was risking some trouble. He shut up quickly, and I was so proud.

Little brother, my girls love you. They talk about you all the time, and use the postcards you sent from your trip with Stephanie as book marks in whatever they’re reading. Maggie now has a tendency to use two, just because she likes having them with her so much. I swear Katie is trying harder to read so that she can get to longer books so she needs bookmarks.

Enjoy your day, your trip to the torch and whatever other hippie-hipster things you’ve got planned… It is one of the last times you’ll get to do something crazy and fun like this, since soon, you’re going to have to grow up and have adult responsibilities.

Tiger at the Boosterthon

They had a great time walking the laps– I think some were run, but most were walked. And the kids were so cute doing it. The Boosterthon team did a wonderful job keeping the kids motivated and happy while they were going around a 1/16 mile track. It wasn’t quite as much fun for the parents, but it was still a good time.

More pictures here.

I mentioned that they are lost to Stagg, and he thought about it for a while and decided, “they are probably somewhere in the house, in the van, in the backyard or at Lisa’s.” Thanks, honey. Seriously? Are you sure you don’t want to change “Lisa’s” to “somewhere else” because that would be just about as helpful.

When we were in our seats, the girls thought the jig was up, and mentioned something about Good Eats. There was a huge blackboard with a slide show of pictures from Good Eats and Feasting on Asphalt. On the side, there were huge food props: corn, a Tbone steak, a kitchen set, a cow and other items that had been used on the show.  Knowing what we knew, it seemed so obvious. So I showed Stagg the program, which had Alton Brown in a party hat and said something about Good Eats’ 10th birthday, and he was excited. Then after a few more minutes of listening to the band and watching the set, something happened and he looked at me with surprise and said, “This is LIVE?” He was really excited.  I still can’t quite figure out what he thought the other option was.  Going to a big hall to watch Good Eats on a big screen?

When we were first married, Stagg and I used to watch Good Eats whenever we could.  Our brand new TiVo made it much easier, since we could watch it whenever we had the time.   We loved the mix of science, anthropology and nutrition with the cooking. And his brownie recipe makes a batch of brownies that would make you weep, they’re so good. I’ve been told that they freeze really well, but I’ve never had any left over to freeze, so I don’t know about that.

After the girls came along, they noticed us watching it one time, and it became their pre-bedtime routine to watch a Good Eats before bed for over 2 years. They loved the different puppets, thought Alton was hugely funny and smart and ADORED the idea that he actually lives in the Atlanta area. They both looked for him when we went to the store because, hey, you never know. They would occasionally pick recipes they wanted to try, and though they were not always favorites, they would try them, which I considered a huge compliment to both the show and the man. But their favorite part was at the beginning, when the opening credits came on. They competed to see who could get closest to the timing of shouting “GOOD EATS” and then dissolved into giggles over who won.

The show was great. We even got to shout “GOOD EATS” with the band for the opening, which made the girls smile. Alton Brown had Ted Allen interview him on stage, and Alton explained that Julia Child, Mr. Wizard and Monty Python were the three things he thought of mixing together when he came up with the idea for the show. Which seems like a pretty perfect description to me.

There were clips from the show, the ubiquitous lawyers reading legalese and a giant pancake cake with day glow frosting. Alton even used the one uni-tasker in his kitchen, the fire extinguisher, to make frozen fruit smoothies (and dry ice) on stage. It was messy and smoky and lots of fun.  There was even advice on how to get little kids to eat foods they don’t like, like peas. Alton’s advice was to put it on a dinner plate, put the plate in front of the child and say, loudly, “EAT YOUR DINNER!”

Since the show was almost 3 hours long, Katie got a little antsy, but Maggie was riveted the whole time.  During one of the commercial breaks, I had her run up the stairs and do some calisthenics, and that seemed to help her ability to sit in her seat and watch the show.   It was a really fun show, and getting to surprise Stagg as thoroughly as we did made it an even better gift for all of us.

It was a little crazy with all the excitement, and she called and chatted just as we were sitting down to dinner, so I’m not sure how much “real conversation” was going on. But then, with three little girls, how much real conversation can be expected?

Katie and GrandPapa: Two peas in pod

I love ‘em both, though.

Today, we’re heading out to get some school supplies and new shoes, and maybe even some new clothes for the big event.

Tonight the girls are going to a sleepover party. Wait. Actually, it is a slumber party, a point which both girls have taken great pleasure in correcting all week long.  They understand that what you do at a slumber party is sleepover, but I’m apparently completely missing the point. Completely.

So Stagg and I get to do something on our own for the evening. There will likely be dinner out, and we’ll get to enjoy some conversation and an adult beverage. Stagg suggested a steak place we’ve been meaning to visit for a while, but today is Friday, and its Lent, so I’m trying to figure out where we can go that will keep Stagg’s mind off the fact that Catholics can be a pain in the butt sometmes.