Cute Kid Alert: Welcome to the Gun Show!

The apple does not fall far from the tree, kids. Behold:



She is shouting "WELCOME TO THE GUN SHOW!" in case you aren't sure.

Scenes from The Train: Mel C. and DG Travel to the Burbs

This weekend, Dangordit and I traveled to Hotel Murphy to properly celebrate Cinco de Katie. Pics will be coming soon - but for now, you can entertain yourself with our BlackBerry Messenger chat conversations.

Participants:
-------------
Mel C.,DG
Messages:
---------
Mel C.: Leaving work!
Mel C.: Mama is thirsty!
DG: I can get the beer, can u get pretzels?
Mel C.: Of course
Mel C.: Do you want one or two?
Mel C.: Holy fuck do I hate people
Mel C.: I am perfectly punctual!!!
Mel C.: I see you
DG: I'll have what u have. Where r u?
Mel C.: PING!!!

Participants:
-------------
Mel C., Kate, DG
Messages:
---------
Kate: File: IMG00574.jpg (10 KB) (Editor's Note: This is a picture of sangria.)
Kate: Hello old friend
Kate: We meet again
Kate: Also, it just smells like alcohol
Kate: This has a magnum of red
Mel C.: That is a VAT of sangria!!!
Kate: And a cup each of vodka and brandy!!!
Mel C.: I will drink it
Mel C.: I just put it on fb!
Mel C.: We are totally on train!
Mel C.: Already had a pint
Mel C.: Opened 1st 24
Kate: I just ate a warm-up chicken finger!
Kate: Yay!!
Kate: And some diet soda
Kate: And all of the breakfast crap is at jackie's
Kate: I am SUPER excited
Kate: And now I will ping you
Kate: PING!!!
Mel C.: PING!!!
Mel C.: That's how its gonna be!
Mel C.: PING!!!
Kate: Ji
Kate: Hi
Kate: Phone broke
Kate: PING!!!
Kate: Phone was broken!!!
Kate: Don't shun me!
Mel C.: PING!!!
Mel C.: So lippy!
Mel C.: Not shunning!
Mel C.: Your phone broke! Don't yell at me!
Mel C.: PING!!!
Kate: I'm not yelling
Mel C.: Why does your phone keep breaking?
Kate: Whining in a loud voice maybe!
Mel C.: I ove you
Kate: I ove you too!
Mel C.: If you are whining, I am going to say "I can't hear you when you whine. Why don't you think about it and come back when you can talk without whining?"
Kate: Oh no
Kate: That's not really great
Mel C.: I have to pound a beer in 8 minutes
Kate: You can do it!
Kate: Why the time limit?
Kate: Just for sport?
System message: File sent: IMG00480.jpg. (Editor's Note: This is a picture of soft pretzel)
Mel C.: To stay on pace with my drinking
Kate: Oh good
Kate: How is the beer going?
Mel C.: Super good
Kate: Did dg ask you to conference?
System message: DG has been invited to join.
System message: DG has been added to the conversation.
Kate: Hi
Kate: Does everybody see this?
DG: Hey.
DG: Mel fucking rules.
Mel C.: I'm almost caught up
Mel C.: I keep snorting
DG: Hello?
Kate: Oh no!
Kate: Snorthing!
DG: I'm good now.
Kate: Where are you guys?
DG: Big time
Mel C.: Gordon is rationing my beers cause I just spilled all over my lap
DG: Snorthing! Ha!
Mel C.: Beer bogart!
Kate: Oh no!
Mel C.: So good
DG: Actually rationing b/c her Beer is still so heavy.
Kate: Tell him to give it back!
Mel C.: He's not listening
Kate: I will drink a beer tonight
Mel C.: One?
Kate: Maybe one
Mel C.: I am on the equivilent of my fourth
Kate: Also, where are you guys?
Kate: 4 is good
Mel C.: Gordon is snorting too!
Mel C.: Snorther!
DG: She is on her 5th if the can she's drinking/spilling is more than half gone.
Kate: Awesome
Kate: How many for you Gordon?
DG: Same as the girl.
DG: 1 ahead.
Kate: Wow
Kate: You guys are going to be awesome when you get here
Kate: What are we eating?
Kate: I am starving
Mel C.: Order for us
Mel C.: You know what we like
DG: Subs, homes! Do NOT order for me.
Kate: Melanie, you are having buffalo chicken cheesesteak
Kate: Gordon
Mel C.: Dg said he wants an italian hoagie
Mel C.: With a side of Bud Light
DG: I am eating Mel's sandwich then.
Kate: You are having italian hoagie
Kate: We are all having fries
Kate: And chips maybe?
Kate: Now
Mel C.: Boy, you abt to lose a finger then
Kate: Just fries
Mel C.: Now what?
DG: I 'll go ahead and order my own sandwich, which may or not be the Italian.
Kate: Okay, that's fine
Kate: I am pretty good at the ordering
Kate: But it's fine
Mel C.: Does mine have mozz?
Mel C.: Cause I want mozz
Kate: I will order it with mozzarella
DG: Ok - for me let's do the Italian w/ provolone, oil and vinegar, mayo, roasted peppers, salt and pepper.
Mel C.: And it has blue cheese and buffalo chick? And lettuce and tomato?
Mel C.: Now who is wing?
Mel C.: That's supposed to say "whining"
Kate: We will order when you get here
Kate: These are no longer my orders
Mel C.: I will eat whatever you present me
Mel C.: I almost just died over wing vs whining
Kate: Where are you?
DG: Which makes sense b/c THEY'RE NOT YER SANDWICHES!
Mel C.: 30th st
Kate: That's the 5 beers in a couple hours mel c
Mel C.: Hanging
Kate: I see you point dg
Kate: But here's the thing
Mel C.: I was chokin and chokin!
Kate: I am awesome at eating, thinking about eating, and ordering
Mel C.: And then laughichockn!
Mel C.: That was all blackberry
Kate: That makes me yaff
Kate: !
Mel C.: I typed all the necessary letters
Mel C.: For laughin and chokin
Mel C.: Dg is peeing
Mel C.: Again
Mel C.: He timed it so I can tell you how long btwn
Mel C.: Pants are so wet with bud light
Kate: What is the matter with that kid's bladder?
Kate: Seriously
Kate: Maybe it is like irritable bladder
Kate: Nona just did a big fart
Kate: And seems oblivious that she did it
Kate: Fun
Mel C.: Are you at Nona's now?
System message: File sent: IMG00486.jpg.
Mel C.: Where did you go?
DG: 23 minutes Kate!
Kate: At non's
Kate: Nona's
Kate: I am here dropping sal off
DG: WHAT?
DG: We don't see her tonight?!?
Kate: No way man
Kate: She is sleeping soon
DG: This is some weak shit.
Kate: She is super cranky at night
Kate: You're not missing anything
DG: Sounds like someone needs to focus on raising a Baby that can hang.
Kate: Except she is super cute in her jams
Kate: Alright
Kate: Talk to me when you have a spouse and a 3-year old
DG: Don't YOU get cranky now too.
Kate: Who is cranky?
Kate: Not me
DG: :)
Mel C.: Not me!!!!
Kate: I miss you guys
Mel C.: Except I wish my pants were less wet
Kate: So must be dg who is cranky
Kate: That also makes me yaff
Kate: We can do laundy
Mel C.: Oh no she din't!!!!
Kate: Laundry
DG: Mel McSnorty, am I cranky?
Mel C.: Mommy! You are yaffin so much!
Mel C.: Dg - can't decide if you are cranky over the snorting
Kate: And also, so many jeans are waiting for you!
Kate: I am yaffin so much
Kate: I am not cranky for any reason
Kate: I am hungry for subs
Mel C.: Did you order?
Mel C.: What is john gettin?
Kate: No
Kate: Will order when we get to train stattion
DG: In about 5 minutes? (Editor's Note: we aren't really paying attention and nearly miss our stop.)
Mel C.: Yes
Kate: Approaching train stattion
Mel C.: We are here

The Anniversary of Chicken Parm Friday

Musings readers - as you may or may not know, I recently declared May 1, "Chicken Parm Friday" and asked several of my friends to join in. I'm happy to report that several partook in the new tradition (which might be amended to the first Friday of every month because, well, delicious), but Dangordit took it to a higher level than I could have imagined. The kid does not disappoint. Behold his email below.

Tonight Dangordit and I head to Hotel Murphy to celebrate Cinco de Katie in the manner it was meant to be celebrated. I'm pretty sure the trip is not going to disappoint.

From: Dangordit
Date: Fri, May 1, 2009 at 9:05 PM
Subject: Happy Chicken Parm Day!
To: Mel C.

Thought you'd like these. Hope you've enjoyed the holiday.

Happy Cinco de Katie!

A Musings shout-out to faithful reader, Kate, who graced the world with her presence on this day back in the late 70s. And oh, what a happy day for all the rest of us!


This picture is from last summer's dangordit party. I'm really looking forward to seeing if I can recreate it this weekend. There will be sangria, so anything is possible!

Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

Kudos to Kate for snapping this awesome picture as she was out and about this morning. As part of the Cinco de Katie celebration, Dan and I will be joining the Murphy's to run the Berwyn Victory Run, benefitting the Berwyn Veterans Memorial.

The real victory will be me finishing the race. But after last night's 3 mile run, I'm feeling good that victory will be mine!

April 20 is a Good Day

It's a big day for the Musings extended family.

Happy Birthday, Lorraine! (and check out her kicky new Locks of Love haircut! So pretty!)


And Happy 7th Anniversary to the Murphy's!

The Heat is ON!

I've been talking for a year about how I hope to run the 2009 Boilermaker, scheduled for July 12. Or, roughly 96 days/13.7 weeks from now. I mean, if my 61-year-old father can run it, what's my excuse? No offense, Dad. So, I've been meaning to start training. I've been to the gym twice in the past two weeks, sidelined temporarily by 1. a hangover (week one) and 2. the flu (week two). But I'm hopeful that this week I can really get a plan in motion.

Kate's had good success with Hal Higdon's training plans, so I started there. And then I found a modified (slower) version of his plan here, so I think I'm on the right track.


No choice now. Registered. Crap. Time to do this, bitches.

First milestone? A 5K on May 9 as part of the Cinco de Katie celebration. Or as Shirtless Dangordit has started calling it - Cinco de 5Katie. It's going to be so good.

Sunshine on a Monday Morning

Monday mornings aren't usually full of warm, fuzzy feelings. This video is about to change that.



Don't even try to tell me you aren't smiling...

Holiday Medley

Yes, I know. This is turning into a bit of a "Sally" blog lately. But she's just so stinking cute that I can't help it - she must be shared.

It's Our Problem-Free Philosophy!

This latest entry into the Cute Kid Alert series features both a reminder that we should all remember Hakuna Matata, as well as a rundown of the rules you should follow if you want Santa to come. And I would like him to stop by, so I asked for the list (Sally loses her focus at this part of the video).

1. Good listening (check!)
2. Good manners (check!)
3. Be a nice kid (and check!)

Looks like I'll be seeing you later, Santa! Please don't leave me knives, money and thong underwear in my stocking again because that was creepy!

Cute Kid Alert: 5 Pumpkins - and Happy Halloween!

So clearly, I am one of Sally's biggest fans. And equally clearly, with good reason. Check out her latest musical preformance.



I should probably mention that Kate puts in a nice performance too.

Happy Halloween!!!

Cute Kid Alert: Shout-out to Aunt Meyahnee!

This little one is sure good for what ails you. I'm one lucky Aunt Meyahnee.

Well, That's One Way to Look at It

Thanks to John for sending this to me about a billion years ago, even though I never got around to watching it. Until now. And then immediately had to share.

Congrats to the Murphy's!

Congrats to the Murphy's on a job well done at their half marathon this weekend! They look fab!

Cute Kid Alert: She Stole All My Best Moves!

I'm not going to say I taught her everything she knows, but...y'all have seen me dance.

The Murphy's Rock (or I Love the Suburbs, Part II)

The Reintroduction to Society Summer Tour brought us the infamous Dan Gordon Party at Casa de Murphy this past weekend. I'm pleased to say that shirtless DanGordit! lived up to the hype - not just for Sally (who was obsessed with him), but for all of us I think. To recap:

• I kicked off the weekend with Dan and his shirt at Wheeltapper Pub. Hilarity ensued.
• I continue to awesome Alisa's house (well, technically Boyfriend Matt's) for the Olympic Opening Ceremonies where I feast upon delicious Chinese food, Alisa's killer Olympic cake and Matt's dynamite lychee martinis. A lot of lychee martinis.
• I take the most entertaining ride home where the driver tells me about the men who don't have any money to pay the driver because they've spent all their money at the clubs trying to get the "boom boom." Pretty sure this would have still been entertaining even without a pitcher of lychee martinis in my belly.
• I wake up to pack and make my way to Penn Station to meet up with Dan. I may not be sober from the night before.
• I stop to get breakfast sandwiches for the train, as Dan is bringing the gatorosas. I get a text from him telling me he's running late. I immediately text him back to hurry as I'm almost sober.
• We commence our train ride with fierce blue gatorosas. I decide Dan Gordon might actually be a genius.
• Some red-headed lady tries to make a move on Dan Gordon, or maybe just his gatorosas. I refrain from shanking her because I do not want to get kicked off Amtrak for life just for that biotch. Besides, Dan didn't think she was "pretty from the front." And more importantly, he didn't dare offer her a gatorosa or he might have gotten shanked himself.
• We run out of gatorosas just as the cafe car closes. Dan valiantly tries to score some booze at 30th Street station, but comes up empty. We're booze-free for about 30 minutes until the train is moving again and the cafe car reopens. Dan comes back with a half bottle of pinot grigio that we proceed to mix with cranberry juice. It is a vile combination that we chug down and finish in about 15 minutes. Because we are committed.
• Kate picks us up at the train with Sally who is a little surprised that Dangordit exists, but is pleased about it - especially when he presents her with a stuff Big Bird. She pauses in her celebration long enough to ask Aunt Meyahnee if she remembered the M&Ms. Luckily, I did. She resumes celebration.
• We get to Casa de Murphy, where John is prepping some of the most delicious food we will ever eat. Dan falls in love with the 16 pounds of ribs the Murphy's have on deck. Much eating and drinking commences.
• Kate's brother Tom shows up with the Future Mrs. Tom, aka Rebecca. They bring soft pretzels. I immediately fall in love with the pretzels.
• Other activities that took place? Frisbee, Sally showing us her muscles, Kate showing us her muscles, Kate letting/making us feel her muscles, arm-wrestling (Dan Gordon knocked down both Aichele kids before John Murphy reminded him who's house he was in), a push-up competition (a dispute over proper form and Kate sabotaging John kept us from crowning a clear winner but Dan did take his shirt off so we had that going for us), and perhaps a short demonstration of how I would perform Proud Mary at karaoke with Kate as back-up.
• The following morning Sally showed us all how awesome she is at running and jumping and Dan even showed off his somersault skills - all pre-breakfast. A trip to the diner (bacon!), a drive around to see houses we can't afford and then back to the house to pack up and head out. And most importantly, pick up the makings for a round of gatorosas on the way home. SWEET!
• Cap off the weekend with Dan leading me out of Penn Station through a secret tunnel (well, maybe not secret but I wouldn't have gone that way on my own. I watch Lifetime, I know how that can end) and then weaving through the crowds waiting for the Jonas Brothers. We both manage to get through it without shanking any screaming little girls. Barely.

Best exchange of the weekend:
John (watching the Olympics - men's swimming): He's just not a good breaststroker.
Melanie: That's what she said!
FYI - That kicked off a full scale "that's what she said" assault by me for the rest of the day and evening. I had mixed success - not all instances were accepted by the crowd - but even when I was denied they were still pretty amused. So, mission accomplished!

A picture is worth a thousand words. Behold:



And a video is priceless, especially if it is video of a push-up competition. I can't figure out why they are so dark, but I'm going to see if I can do anything to fix it. The videos are much better in their full glory. Suggestions welcome.

The Shirtless Wonder Dangordit shows what he's made of

Tom trys a slightly "different" approach

John gets sabotaged by his own wife

So, who won the battle of the burbs? I think I did because I got to have two really awesome weekends with great friends. I would road trip with Dangordit any day of the week - even with his shirt on. And as for the Murphy Family and Los Fitzes? I guarantee I'll be back to visit each of them as soon as they'll have me. Wait - that's what she said? Hmmm... Nah. She probably didn't say that. But she might. She just might.

The Bar Has Been Set, Murphy Family

Murphy Family - Are you ready to compete with these highlights from post-BBQ hijinks with Los Fitzes?



In the battle of the 'burbs, who will reign supreme? NJ or PA? Consider it brought-en.

Things Are Looking Up

It's been a rough couple days around the Musings home offices, but perhaps the healing is on the way. And, special thanks to Mrs. Los Fitz and the newly-named, Shirtless Dangordit! (courtesy of the ever-awesome Sally, though I added the shirtless part because otherwise that's creepy and weird and not cute at all) who helped the healing with wonderful IM conversations, excerpted here:

Mrs. Los Fitz (accepting my response for not posting this week): you better be in tip top shape after this weekend and your gatorosas with shirtless dangordit

Shirtless Dangordit! (in response Mrs Los Fitz's comment that I shared): Tip top shape after the weekend? I doubt it. You'll be recovering through Wednesday afternoon.

I hope the Murphy Family is ready for the chaos that is going to descend upon them around 1:00 PM, Saturday.

I'm a Philadelphia Tourist - Part I: The Philadelphia Zoo

A special thanks to the Murphy Family for meeting me at the Philadelphia Zoo this weekend. I had a great time and hopefully they did as well. Also, I highly recommend the Philadelphia Zoo and the $2 trolley that they run from 30th Street Station and Independence Hall. Excellent value.

Some highlights:

Check out how the Smartest Elephant EVER takes an ingenious approach to quenching his thirst. (give it about 30 seconds to get to the good part).



The full experience - in pictures.

Cute Kid Alert: Murphy Style

Oh, to be that carefree in my swimsuit. And kicky hat. When I was this age, I got in huge trouble for taking off my swimsuit in the middle of the road.