New Kiddie Blog

So I started a new blog...one just for the kiddies instead of trying to keep separate ones for each kid.  As was T's, this one is private too....if you'd like an invite let me know.  If you had an invite to T's, you should have already been sent a new invite to the new one.  If you never had an invite to T's (sorry) let me know and I can send you one to each.  If you like keeping up to date with T's ongoings, I'll be posting to the new one now, so don't miss out!! :o)  If you don't want an invite, that's fine too, if I sent one to you already and you don't want it, don't accept.  I promise it won't hurt my feelings...too much anyway.  I know all of you want to know the day to day of life at home with my child(ren).  Or at least want to know when this boy makes his debut...right????

So if you didn't get an invite and want one, just leave me a comment or email me and I will send one out to you!

Ticket MASTER

This past weekend we took the wee one to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live. The show itself is a post on it's own, but until then...here is today's rant.

Ticket prices for this event ranged from quite reasonable to I don't think so. We decided to go with the reasonable $17 tickets since she won't remember this show, she isn't even 2, and I didn't want to pay $99 to see YGG.

Anyway, so for a live show, it was $51 for three tickets. Not bad in my books, especially for a once a year type outing.

Thanks to Ticketmaster however...your final price is never the ticket price.

Here's a breakdown (why they send you a receipt with the actual breakdown is beyond me, since it makes me never want to purchase a ticket from them again):

- total face value $51

- facility charge $6

- subtotal $57

- "convenience" charge $18.75 (I added the quotation marks)

- convenience charge tax $1.47

- order processing $6.08

- total charge $83.30

Yes, there were almost as many fees as the total ticket charge. And why is it a convenience charge? It's not convenient to me. Perhaps if they only charged it for online purchases, but seeing as they charge you even if you buy your tickets at the actual box office, it's definitely not a convenience! OK, I get that it's only a convenience charge for Ticketmaster, so why not call it something else then, like "I can charge as high of, and as many, fees as I want because this is the only place you can buy these tickets" fees. Sounds a little more truthful to me, and people would still buy the tickets, because they are right - they are the only place I can buy tickets.

Thankfully they had some American Express deal in place, so I was able to use our rewards points to pay for half (which basically paid for the fees) of the price, so it wasn't too much out of the wallet.

It was all worth it, but when I got the receipt in the mail it just made me laugh and shake my head a little. Oh well. I am sure next time YGG rolls through town we will do it all again, convenience fees or not!

English 101

So I guess no one is enjoying my attempt at reliving my days of fluency in French as much as I am. Someday I will be fluent again! Not that there is a great need for French in Minnesota, but that's irrelevant.

Alright kids, for those of you who don't speak French, or don't look at the labels posted under the blog entry, this is for you!!

This July, little Tennyson 2.0 will be making his/her appearance. Sadly, my appearance will probably not return to normal for many, many, many months afterward. Here's to months of peanut M&M's, chocolate milk and chocolate chip cookies. Who am I kidding, it's only a matter of weeks until the gestational diabetes rears its ugly head. But until then...who wants to bring me some key lime pie??

Commencez à Étendre les Nouvelles

Que s'attendre quand vous vous attendez à un autre paquet de joie? Moins de sommeil, moins de fonction du cerveau, moins de nettoyage de maison. Plus de bruit, plus de rire, plus de photo ops, moments plus heureux de famille. Espérons que nous avons plus de dernier.

Il va être un été long.

Starting Early

First we take the World Juniors tonight....then we take the Gold in February!!! T is all ready to watch the game (if only it was broadcast on a channel we get in the US). Mom's ready too with her sweatshirt and jersey, but I don't think Dad will be donning his Canada hockey jersey with us.

(man is it hard to get this girl to pose)

Looking Ahead

I wish I had something exciting to say kids, but I don't.

I've been trying to come up with something witty, thought provoking, even something mildly amusing, but I've had no luck. Many posts have been started and deleted...I just want to update my blog so I don't have to see that last post. So I guess I will just give you a here's to list:

Here's to:

new shows this week

25 days until Christmas

no snow in MN yet

shopping without the wee one in tow

family members to entertain said wee one

online shopping

Christmas candy

cookie exchanges

shortened upcoming church services

Costco

Christmas lights and wreaths up on my house

a hubby who puts them up for me

Nanaimo bars - oh how I can not wait for you!!!

appetizers on Christmas Eve

watching T on Christmas morning

Christmas tree shopping next week (yes Mark, next week)

no more work travel for Mark this year

holiday dresses

candy cane kisses (and mint and cherry cordial)

going to the 'Peg for the holidays this year

Be Careful What You Wish For...or Ask For

In a seemingly neverending blog-drought, I put out a request for blog topics. While I only did this a short time before writing this blog, I got an idea I couldn't pass up. Okay, so it's probably not exactly what the suggester had in mind, but it's my blog, my idea!!

This is for my niece Janna. I wish I had all of my pictures scanned into my computer because I would have some great pictures of her! But alas, I only have some from the last few years.

I was 13 when Janna was born, she makes me feel old daily as she is now a University student; I used to babysit her!! Now I think she might actually be a little bit taller than I am.

She wants to be an anthropologist and loves all things Egypt (well she did last time I saw her, maybe it's changed now). She loves Chancers (our old Chocolate Lab that my parents adopted when we moved to NYC). She has been a vegetarian of sorts for most of her life. One of the funniest things I remember about her was one Sunday night, everyone was over for dinner, we were having some sort of beef product that Janna didn't want to eat. This was at the very beginning of her no meat days so she was around 10. I asked her if she would just take one bite and if she didn't like it, she didn't have to eat it. She screwed up her face, looked right at me and said, "Auntie Mel, how would you like it if I cut out your eyeball and ate it??" Oh, it still makes me laugh today. I don't get to see her a lot anymore since I have moved away from home, but every now and again she will type me a hello on Facebook..she used to think I was cool once upon a time. She wanted this blog to be about how she is the awesomest niece ever, and she would be...if she were my only niece! But she is the most awesome 18 (almost 19) year old nice I have. Although, once she sees this and the pictures that follow, she'll probably hate me (just be glad I don't have your baby pictures on here!!).

Many moons ago, one Christmas Eve (she's the tallest one).

Being a sullen faced teenager.

She has the cutest, best smile of anyone I know!

Showing off her moves in the dance recital.

Growing up so fast!!

Being silly...she is the best silly girl ever!

Reading to her cousin...T sure loves Janna! She can't wait to see her at Christmas time!

Janna, you know I love you and you are awesome!! You'll always be my favourite, awesomest, oldest niece I have! And don't worry, I won't tell Auntie Lisa that I am your favourite Aunt!

You better be home a lot when we come up for Christmas Janna Banana! None of this hanging out with your boyfriend instead! Love you!!