Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King

I am a bit obsessed with this album lately, it is Dave Matthews Band newest Cd called

"Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King".

I can honestly say that I love each and every one of the songs on this cd. I have very strong feelings about this CD. As evidence of how long this post turned out. Kersten originally downloaded the album and later bought it for me so I could listen in the car. For the last 2-3 months this is what I listen to while in the car. The kids I think are getting a bit tired of it but I still am not. This is their first album since the death of their saxophonist last year, Leroi Moore. It is a tribute to him and his music and genius. They did have a lot of it recorded before his death. So he is still on this cd. I really think this is their best cd. I just absolutely adore it. I love music that makes me dance and I can sing along with the lyrics. I love uplifting music and also music that makes me think about other things than just the song.

My favorite song on the Cd is #2 called "Shake Me Like a Monkey"

Oh, the joy that this song is. It is dance music wrapped up in a cupcake. It is delicious.

Both my kids start bobbing when the music start and they hear the yell.

It is a bit disconcerting when you hear your son singing to himself

"love me baby, love me baby. Shake me like a monkey baby,

Forever I am yours, yours yours, yours."

or another one he likes

"I like my coffee with toast and jelly but I'd rather be licking from your back to your belly

I, I, I think that I'm going too."

Maybe not the most appropriate lyrics for a 5 yr old to be singing.

I know for a fact that he really does not know what he is singing and it just sounds so cute

with his mixed up mouth and his sweet voice.

#5 called "Why I Am." is a song about death and I read that they wrote it for Leroi, who they called "Groogrux" before his death. Which is a bit eerie and a tiny bit creepy and also very sweet.

I love this song. The first time I heard it all the way through my mind turned to the time when I would return back to my brother, the Lord Jesus Christ. They sing about some of his miracles, although it is a bit irreverent and then talk about how now that the Groogrux king is there that he is going to dance and sing and hang out with him for awhile. Just because he wants to. I believe that this is how it will be. That our brother will want to be with us and talk and dance and sing if we want to when we return to him. He loves us and of course he would want to spend some quality time with us. As a little girl I imagined that Jesus would play Jump rope with me when I needed him. He is my brother after all. He loves us.

And that is why I love song number 5.

Other great songs that I won't elaborate on so this post does not turn into a huge novel are

#9 which is Alligator Pie which has a bit of a New Orleans southern style to it.

I imagine him singing it in the Bayou.

My favorite line which is through the whole song

"Then my Stella smiled, she said
Stella said daddy when you gonna put me in a song?"

# "Spaceman" is awesome and here one of my favorite lines

"Probably get it wrong much as I get it right
But I got it right woman when I caught your eye
I remember most about that night
Is I love the way you move baby
Yes I love the way you move baby"

#13 '"You and Me" favorite lines

"'Oh, and when the kids are old enough
We're gonna teach them to fly

You and me together, we could do anything, Baby
You and me together yes, yes"

Okay I have concluded that this is enough. I keep finding lines that I love from each song. This album is that good. I just love it and had to share.

Burn Notice Obsession

I am obsessed and I am reveling in it. Loving it and completing embracing my obsession. A lot of you have either been told about it, heard a casual mention of it or something. I am obsessed with the show on USA called  Burn Notice.   It really is so good.  I am proud to say that I have hooked other people because it really is that good.  As shown here and here on my sister in law Lena's blog,  her obsession is full blown also. It has been compared to shows like McGuyver, the A-team and Alias (a bit less intense).  I have not been this excited about a show since we watched Alias.  I am hooked.  

Kersten's brother told him about it and he would watch episodes online. He was downstairs for 3 nights in a row completely ignoring all else after kiddos went to bed. I wanted to watch too so we bought the first season on DVD and watched the entire season in  a week.  It is about a spy who is burned or blacklisted during an operation and he is trying to figure out why and who did this to him.  He has no money or anything and is dumped in Miami where he grew up.  He has only on friend Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell) and his ex Fiona around to help.  And now he has to deal with his crazy mother.  So he takes on jobs for people to live on while he solves the problem of who burned him.  So awesome.

One night while talking in bed,  Kersten said he wanted to be just like Micheal Weston (Jeffrey Donovan).  I don't blame him,  he is a really cool character.  Totally messed up childhood, he has been burned so he cannot be a spy anymore and very inventive and imaginative.   He narrates the show as it is going on and as he solves problems for people he says why he is doing it or what will blow up best.  He has a great smile.  At first I wasn't sure if he was worth a full blown crush.  But as the season progresses, he is so cute.  I love his character.  His ex girlfriend is Fiona who they call Fi and she love explosions and used to work for the IRA in Ireland.  Their chemistry and relationship is fascinating and some of the best moments of TV ever have happened between them.  Sam Axe is a great character too.  He is an old buddy also a spy but retired.  Who tries to live off of sugar mamas.  And has some very witty comments.  

Okay,  now I just feel like I am rambling.  It is on USA on thursday nights so check your local listings if you have cable.  It is worth your time.  Fun, clean, action  packed, with just the right amount of romance.  Love it

"Moo Haw"

Tuesday was a very tragic day for my sweet Noah. As everyone who knows him or reads this blog has figured out, Noah Loves, is obsessed, is overly zealous and excited about Star Wars. He has 2 lightsabers, a blue one and a green one. The blue one is his favorite because Obiwan has a blue lightsaber. Green is cool because Qui Gon Jin has one and so does Luke. As Noah watches these movies numerous times a week, he acts out the entire sequences as they unfold on the movies. He swims, holds on to the ledge when they slip, he fights, spins, jumps and makes all the sound effects possible. His blue lightsaber is offically the Moo Haw and the Green one is the Eee Haw.
Tuesday was one of those days were you run and run and never stop. I had the doctor, we had lunch at the park with Kristin for her birthday, Noah had his Little Ninja class and then Kristin's Birthday party that evening. In the late afternoon, I realized in the events of the day we had lost, misplaced or dropped it somewhere in our adventures. It usually is snuggly placed in my purse or in the iron grip of Noah's hand. I did not alert Noah of this but we did go back to all the places and do a search as he screamed home. At bedtime he asked where it was and I said a casual remark that it might be at Aunt Emilee's.

The next morning the first thing he asked was if I had called Emilee to see if we had found it. When I responded in the negative. He sat on the ground and started crying. I held him in my arms and tried to comfort him. Emilee had not done a through search as of yet. So I said we would keep looking. All morning long, he would look at his Star Wars books we got at the library and find the blue lightsaber and come and show me. He lamented and had a hard time all morning. This is one of his first dealings with grief and loss. He was genuinely mourning the loss of his precious "Moo Haw". My sister Amy called and I was chatting with her as I did the dishes. Noah comes running in with a grief stricken look on his face. He started crying and wrapped himself in my arms. Amy could hear him on the phone. She started mourning with him. She started thinking about when she was young and she lost her favorite piglet. She said she could not handle it that was so sad. Before she hung up she said "I am just going to run to Walmart and find him a new one". She showed up a tiny bit before she had to go to school to give it to him. We made a big fanfare about how lucky he was that Amy loved him so much to give him a new Blue Lightsaber. He gave her huge hugs and said thank you a million more times. He shows it to everyone now and say "Mimi" to tell them that she gave it to him. The joy in that boy is completely undescribable with his new "moo haw". Wed morning was so heart breaking to watch my son go through such genuine grief over his favorite toy. I am eternally grateful that Amy came to the rescue and brought peace back to his soul.