Good Morning, Monday!

Yes, we survived gig #1 with Elvis and the newlywed game.  Rick was hilarious as Elvis, as those who know and love him can well imagine.  He forgot the words to one of the verses of Teddy Bear so he turned backwards and held up his cape…. for effect, I guess.  Then he started talking like Elvis, of course, to fill in the gap.  I don’t remember it all because I was laughing so hard, but I remember something like “If you are here with your main squeeze, take her hand right now and sing with me”…….. but he wasn’t singing.  We also forgot the tape for his sideburns, so they were flapping in the wind.

They boys won 2 of their 3 hockey games this weekend..Aus scored three goals… makes a mother proud.  I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for this season.

We accidentally left Rick’s car at the church yesterday in all of the commotion that went on.  It’s a half an hour drive.  Bummer dude.  So I hitched a ride with one of our pastors early this morning and retrieved Rick’s car for him. 

So, the week is starting…. on your marks.  Get set.  GO!

How We Celebrated Elvis’ Birthday

January 8, 2009. It started out as any ordinary day in the Crosby household… yet, ordinary days for the Crosbys are not that ordinary, I’ve come to realize. I needed to get some blood work done for our adoption physicals and packed up the boys, who chose to wear hats instead of combing their grossly, grown-out hair. (Sad news about scissors is coming their way later.)

We checked in at the lab and 23 of the 24 chairs in the waiting room were filled. oh yes, I counted! NOT a good sign. The boys decided to sit on a sofa in the lobby and play video games. Fine. After 45 minutes, I asked how much longer until my name was called. Another half hour. I went to the lobby to inform the boys and Austin pointed to his brother across the room without looking up from his game and calmly stated, “He’s choking.”

There I found Keeve crying, chocking, sweaty and red. He ran to the bathroom and threw up his breakfast. (My apologies if you’re eating while reading.) After much questioning, he explained that he swallowed the metal end of a cowboy belt…. and it was stuck in his throat. This son of mine has swallowed ridiculously stupid objects for years… but this one was BIG in comparison.

Fortunately, we were across the street from the ER and arrived in three minutes.  X-rays were taken… and boy does metal show up well.

The nurses were going to give him a numbing drink for his throat before putting in an IV to put him asleep for the removal of said metal object. Right before that all happened he threw up again…. into a blue plastic bag with a 5″ metal rim that I was holding for such a time as this. Keeve informed me that the end of the belt came out. Praise God. So the boys enjoyed Popsicles, Keeve was given a high dose of Motrin for swelling and pain, we paid $150…. and then we went to In-N-Out Burger…. for Elvis’ birthday. Get it? In-N-Out… so appropriate for the morning’s festivities!

We made a quick stop at a store for a dog muzzle for Keeve (just kidding), I can’t remember what we were shopping for. But Austin suggested, “Since you just spent $150 on Keeve, can you buy me a toy?” Um, no. (Austin’s ER visits triple the rest of the four family members put together.)

Later, when the excitement wore off, we did take in an advanced showing of Hotel for Dogs, (we renamed it Heartbreak Hotel for Dogs, being on Elvis’ birthday and all) which turned out to be an adoption movie… for dogs and kids. Yes, I cried in the end. Then we went to the Coyotes game against the Lightning. We wondered if it might be the last time we see Mark Recchi play here in Phoenix??  I hope not, but he is 41 this year.

The ordinary day ended with us picking up our beloved computer. Sweetness. Now to find all the start-up discs for the web-cam and the printer. Good grief, where do those things hide???

Elvis and Christmas

Unfortunately, Elvis and Christmas go hand in hand at the Crosby house during the season when we are celebrating Jesus’ birthday.  Music, ornaments, gifts, etc. etc.  Several years ago mother bought a tasteful 24″ singing/dancing Elvis in his gold dinner jacket playing his guitar with a deformed right arm that is at an unnatural angle… singing Blue Christmas.  It comes out each year and I try to hide it in an obscure corner of the house… laundry room…. garage… but this year EP is standing right next to the computer in the family room for all to push the mighty red button that brings him to life.

It’s not even Christmas yet and Rick has already received three Elvis gifts.  {sigh}  I did give in to my husband’s obsession, after fighting it for 19 years, and cristened the downstairs bathroom a shrine to Elvis Aron Presley.  It is sort of a memorial, being that he passed on in the bathroom an all.  I painted the walls and ceiling red… to showcase the black framed records and pictures.  We even provide Elvis entertainment for our guests who visit the Elvis bathroom… game magazines, trivia books, biographies, and a flip book that shows Elvis dancing… that was purchased at the National Archives in D.C.  (Why buy a copy of the Declaration of Independence when there are Elvis flip books???) 

There is a well-loved book in the tidy black basket that is titled Where’s Elvis?  It’s like Where’s Waldo, but Elvis has been placed in photos from all around the world and you have to find him.  A relative, who shall remain nameless to protect her identity, was in said Elvis bathroom for a L-O-N-G time one day. I finally went and gently rapped on the door and asked if everything was OK.  She frustratingly yelled, “I cannot find Elvis in this picture!”  Another sucker sucked in by Where’s Elvis.

The only song I loathe on one of Elvis’ Christmas albums is Mama and the Roses…. he actually sings the words, “She growed them in the yard.”   GROWED!   The hillbilly.  Makes me wanna say ain’t and spit on the floor.  Good grief.  Pray for me to make it to January… when I get to put the king back in his box.