Art Prize!

I BIG reason to love Grand Rapids is that it created and hosts Art Prize! Last year was the first one and I'm sorry to say that even though we lived downtown at the time we did not take full advantage of the festivities. In fact the only 2 art works that stand out in memory was the giant table and chairs and Nessie. This year we have been there twice and still have only seen maybe 20% of the pieces.

Giant Spike!

Diftwood faces and animals

Scrap metal dragon! 

I don't know...but I think its really interesting 

Elephants on parade! Their heads bob up and down in the wind

And my favorite so far is...

because it is SO intricate and modeled after the Red String of Fate

How long did it take her to make all those!? 

Anyway, we had a great time with friends wandering and wondering at the art. If you're anywhere near GR you've got to go. I'm even thinking of adding a thing to my List of 27 for next year- make an entry for art prize.

Seasonal Work!

I love budgeting...for real. I have always loved forecasting where and how I would spend money. Most of my monies over the years have gone towards traveling or a calculated Anthropologie dress buy :) Sadly the days of the awesome teacher salary have dried up. Sniff. HOWEVER, I still get that budget bug now and again. And after working one up and forecasting into February '11 I have discovered 2 things.

#1 We are on track to completing my cut debt in half goal
#2 I need to get a job!

Okay. Can do. Fortunately tis the season of seasonal work and a plethora of jobs are to be had. On the down side I likely will have to go into the belly of the beast (the mall) to find this job. Yuck. I have managed never to really work at the mall (I was a hostess at Tumbleweed in '00 and technically it was located there). Oh well. I'll live.

Picture Montage Due to Crying Baby

Create a List of Baby Friendly Places- Check

We have been busy around here trying to take advantage of the sunny days and the final warm ones of the season. Our recent adventure helped me cross off yet another 26 Things thing. We joined Baby Time at Grandville Library. Its a little circle class of moms and babies (birth to 18 mo). Baby H is the youngest at 4 months. I always like looking at the various ages and stages of babies around him. Some crawling, some babbling and others quietly starring.  We all read a book together then sang little songs while tickling or moving baby. One of the 6 month olds was having the time of his life- cracking up when his grandma had the itsy bitsy spider crawl all over him. Harrison preferred to observe from my lap this time.

The other baby thing to add to our list is a mothers group in GR I sometimes go to through Baby Beloved. Younger babes tend to be there because its a breast feeding support group, and you need the support earlier for sure!

Well, its a rainy day here. Baby is slumbering on the bed and I'm about to read some more of the Millenium Series, I just finished the Girl Who Played with Fire so now on to the last one!

Join a New Sport/League

Check.

Played my second game tonight with a team I met on craigslist :) Really. But actually I am really excited to play of course and meet new people. They all seem nice (and good players too) and happily are my age. I am a weak link but will improve.

I had my first shot on goal today, it was weak but it was there. I also need to practice my crosses.

I also should go to sleep...it's 11:20 at night.

Anticipation

A little over a month from now, Harrison and I will be preparing for our first flight together. We're heading to LA to visit Kellie and Dikran in Santa Monica. My parents will also be out there, but their vacation is 2 weeks and starts sooner than ours. Sadly Jonathan will stay here as I cant convince him to call in sick for 5 days :) 

I like to get to California at least once a year. I was pretty good about it for a few years (NYC income + multiple vacations = opportunity). But my last trip was over winter break of 2009 and although it technically is last year it feels a lot longer. I'm really glad I get to go there again this year. It still is weird that my sister has lived there for such a long time, it makes visits more important. 

So we'll be there from Monday to Friday. Agenda so far for the Matteson's includes: Yosemite, Las Vegas, Disneyland(world?), and downtown LA. Agenda for me and Harrison is simple and straight forward: beach, coffee shops, promenade and naps. We are excited. 

However, I am nervous (very nervous actually), because I am going to be THAT lady with a baby on a long flight. I have no idea as to how Harrison will react to his first flight. I myself am a nervous flier and having to entertain a baby for the whole trip is daunting. Do you think a baby can eat for 5 hours straight? Because that seems to be my only plan... What other things can I do to keep baby occupied? 

Little Bug Harrison 

Little Bird Harrison 

Little Star Harrison 

(sadly little boy is...losing his brown locks of hair! I'm holding out hope they will return curly :))

Reminiscing

It's been a long week here with the baby. His growth spurt hit hard on Saturday night and lasted til Tuesday. Now he's making up for it by sleeping a little more these past couple of days. Currently he's swinging away while I watch some US Open. I am SO glad I was able to attend a match at the open while living in the city. Curtesy of ex-roomie I got to see Nadal, my tennis cutie :) Sadly, he lost his match.

Yellowstone sister and I plan on attending the big tennis majors at some point. I have never attended Wimbledon..however I was there in May '05 and it was just a quiet town outside London. No strawberries and cream, no tennis, sniff. In fact I was a little bummed that I took the train all the way out there for a whole lot of nothing. Oh well.

The French Open would be sweet to see. The only vivd memories I have from visiting France are these; 1) taking shelter from the wind in a bomb shell whole in Normandy 2) eating an amazing crepe after touring the ridiculously steep cliff of Omaha Beach 3) standing under the Eiffel Tower 4) eating my first chocolate croissant at the hotel for breakfast. I should remember more, but it was the last few days of a whirlwind high school trip. (Greece, Italy, Switzerland and France in 18 days). Anyway...point is, didn't see any tennis then.

Lastly the Australian Open. Hmmm, that is a hike for me. As much as I want to get over to that side of the world...I really have my doubts I could handle that plane ride. Maybe with enough sleeping aids...

Gotta get back to playing some tennis! I miss it. I am pumped about my soccer team though. But, wow, I am SO out of shape! Two days after my game and my shins and ankles are crying. Also, as much as my competitive self hurts to admit it, I am on the bottom quarter of my team. Sigh.

Well, I never begin writing a post with a theme in mind. The only thing I do know starting these posts is what pictures I want to share :) So, even though these pictures are not relevant to the post, here they are. Because who doesn't like seeing babies? Especially the cutie Harrison?

Look what I can do!

Mom's teeth are HUGE! Harry is mesmerized by them.

He actually wont close his mouth while in this position. He seems to think holding it open helps him keep his head up.