hello gorgeous

have i ever told you i married the hottest man ever?



he has his faults, but those baby blues & dimpled chin make me forget what they were in the first place.

and the fact that he makes grocery store runs for me at 11pm... that gets him bonus points.

mr. lindler, you are pretty fantastic.

love, me.

moments

moments like this

will make up the stories i tell them years from today.

vista lights

so, so, so excited about vista lights tonight!! come hang out with us (the lindler5 minus dad). we will be hitting up z pizza & cupcake, then moving on to the tree.

it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.
but, wait. what happened to thanksgiving?

Celebrate the Season at the 24th Annual Vista Lights on November 19th 

Vista Lights November 19, 2009

Times: 5-10:00 pm

Location: In the Congaree Vista, on Gervais Street between Gadsden and Assembly; on Lady, on Park, on Senate, and Lincoln.

The 24th annual Vista Lights will ring in the Midlands holiday season with a night of culture, cuisine and artistic performances. Bring your family to the Congaree Vista, Columbia's arts and entertainment district, as over 60 galleries, restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and shops open their doors and offer free hors d'oeuvres and lots of holiday cheer during Vista Lights on Thursday, November 19, from 5 – 10 p.m.

This night is especially child friendly in the Vista. For starters, you'll find horse-and-carriage rides throughout the neighborhood, Santa Claus at Marble Slab Creamery, and face painting at the Miss Cocky table at Park and Gervais Streets. As usual, make your own S'Mores outside of LongHorn Steakhouse at Gervais and Lincoln. Plus, when you buy a cupcake at Cupcake on Lincoln, you get free hot chocolate and access to the Fixins Bar, where kids (and adults) can add whipped cream, sprinkles, chocolate chips, sprinkles, marshmallows and more.

Join Mayor Bob Coble for his final tree-lighting ceremony as mayor at 7 p.m. at Gervais and Lincoln Streets. The famous US Army Brass Quintet is playing in this location, too.

“Vista Lights is a wonderful opportunity for the Columbia community to come together and kick off the holiday season,” said Vista Guild Executive Director Deirdre Mardon. “We have a lot of family fun and entertainment planned for this year's event. We are please to invite the Midlands to enjoy all the Vista has to offer.”

Visitors can expect the Vista to be full of colorful lights. Bella Vista bridal shop will entertain visitors with a fashion show on Gervais Street.

Get a head start on holiday shopping (remember: Shop Columbia, Shop the Vista, and you keep your money in town where it benefits us all) while strolling along the Gervais Street corridor, which, after 6, will be closed to traffic from Assembly to Gadsden. Lincoln and Park Streets will also close between Senate and Lady.

And don't worry about parking! Park free in the Vista's parking garages located on Lincoln Street between Lady and Washington; Park Street between Pendleton and Senate; Assembly at Lady St.; and the lot behind M Vista, between Lady Street and Washington Street. (Street parking is always free after 6PM.) Then enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides beneath the holiday lights. Parking will also be available at the State Museum, with shuttle rides either by horse and carriage or by the 22-passenger Vista Cruiser taking visitors to the heart of the Vista. Wine and beer will be for sale outside of LongHorn Steakhouse and on Lincoln between Gervais and the Blue Marlin. The latter is the only place in town you can find a Vista Disco cup.

Helping usher in this holiday season:

o BonBons from The Nutcracker by Ann Brodie's Carolina Ballet

o Contemporary dance performances by Unbound

o Carols from White Knolls High School Choir

o Magician John Tudor

o Music from the Eau Claire Trombone Choir and Eau Claire Jazz Bands

o Jump rope champions Double Dutch Forces

o The U.S. Army Brass Quintet

o The Bubblin' Bobcat Chorus from Saluda River Academy

o More to come…

Columbia's Congaree Vista, always an art destination, will be hopping on November 19th. Make plans to kick-off the 2009 holiday season at Vista Lights.

More information at (803)269-5946.

kershaw came to town

my parents & i went to the sc philharmonic last night.

this was my third stop on the columbia new audience roadshow.  i thought my induction into the columbia arts scene would be a great cultural experience for me & kevin.  how much fun!!  turns out, kevin did not have a similar sentiment & is just not that into it.

so my parents accepted the invitation.

kershaw came to town last night.

we walk into the koger center & sit on the first row.  we are practically eating the stage.  my dad leans over & says, it's not going to be easy to sleep here.

before i continue, let me tell you a little about my dad.  he only sits still for extended periods if he is sleeping.  otherwise, while sitting or standing, he is constantly fumbling around with loose change in his pocket or slathering chapstick on his lips.  after he tires of this, he walks outside to get a little fresh air.  we are pretty sure he is ADD.  we have learned to adapt.  all of this to say, sitting still & quiet, while awake, is very difficult for him.

another important piece of information about my dad:  he is often inappropriate.  

as we wait for the performance to begin, mom & i are flipping through the program.  we come to some suggestions for proper behavior during the concert.  once the lights dim, please refrain from talking was a poignant suggestion.  mom makes sure to show dad that page in the brochure.

he nods his head.

i know he did not read it.

he left his bifocals at home.

the lights dim.  the first piece is performed by brass & percussion.  fanfare for the common man.  the piece ends.  the audience claps.  morihiko, the conductor, walks off of the stage.  

as the strings walk onto the stage & begin taking their seats, dad leans over & in a very loud whisper says, that man must have gone to pee.

totally inappropriate, dad.

and of course, i laugh a little too loud.

if i ever say or do anything totally inappropriate, during an inappropriate time, at an inappropriate place, now you know.

i am a kershaw girl come to town.  

and i get it from my daddy.

turkey burn

every movement i make with my lower half results in pain.

but don't worry. that is a good thing.
i think.

when i learned of the change in location for yesterday's workout, i was quite fearful. the last time we met there it was legs, legs, legs. the trainers did their job & brought just that. legs, legs, legs.

they call it muscle exhaustion.
i call it hurt.

i may have broken down & mumbled a few obscenities under my breath as i was lunging & squatting.

maybe.

2 months ago, that would have sounded like pure torture for me. these days, i am thankful for those workouts. even if they do hurt like the dickens. the trainers are great & work hard to get the most bang for the hour out of each session.

and if i could just stop hitting the halloween bag, i might see some real results.

if you are interested in seeing what bootcamp is all about, meg & brooks will be holding a session after thanksgiving. more information is below.

but, beware. they may make you cuss. a little.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

TURKEY BURN

Monday, November 30, 2009

9:15 -11:15 AM

Heathwood Park

Join us to burn off your Thanksgiving feast and receive some tips on how to make it through the holidays without calorie overload and creative ways to fit in your exercise.

$20 a person

Call or email with questions Meg Stanley (429.6297) or Brooks Wheeler (351.0752).  Registration begins at 8:45.  Bring a yoga mat or large towel and your own water bottle.  Snacks will be provided

well, what a happened was... (continued)

so, really, back to my speeding ticket.

it happened on the non-sick day.  

we were an hour late to school.

8:30am

after dropping orie off, lou & i head back on home our normal path.  the one i travel down at least 4 times a day.

i make my left turn & see an officer.  check the speed & make sure to go 1 mile under, just for good measure.  and then, a 1/4 mile later, i see the blue lights in my rearview mirror.

huh?

(that is exactly what i said to him)

license & registration, ma'am.

(yeah, yeah.  unfortunately, i know the drill.)

actually, sir, i just realized that i left my purse at home.  i was dropping my son off late at school & did not grab it in the rush.  but i do know my driver's license number.  it is 00789xxxx.  

(is that strange that i have my DL# memorized?  i have a thing with numbers.  ask me a phone number.  if i have dialed it more than 3x, i probably can repeat it to you.  ok, maybe don't do that.  i don't want to feel pressured.)

what was i doing wrong, officer?

(seriously puzzled here.  i made sure to go a mile UNDER the limit.)

you were going 34 in a school zone.  the speed limit is 20.

ooooh.

(but i am thinking to myself, what the hey!!  i just dropped orie off at school an hour LATE.  how is this a school zone now?)

the long & short of it.

i got a ticket.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

later that month, after getting my cell phone bill, i did a little investigative work.  

why cell phone bill?

well... because i was on the phone when i got pulled.

probably another reason for no leniency, huh?

i find what i am looking for. 

call to bridgette at 8:28am.

i thought so.  surely this officer made a mistake.  the school zone effect should not have been enforced that late in the morning.

i am building my case for court.

check crayton middle school's website.

bell schedule.

first arrival at...

8:40

i have no case.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

lou & i arrive to court on time.  big points for me, considering i operate on the 15 minute mommy time curve. 

who am i kidding.  i operated on that curve before becoming a mom.

(revealing lots of faults in this post.  not very therapeutic.)

8:30.  no judge.

8:45.  no judge.

9:00.  no judge.

9:15.  FINALLY.  the judge.  and wouldn't you know he walks in with a cup from hardee's.  throw salt in our face, why don't you.  we have been waiting, but he had time to get breakfast through the drive through?!

but i digress.

court begins.  lou is being very quiet.  the officer said at the opening no cell phones or beepers or anything that makes noise.  if there is a disruption, the item will be confiscated.

i told lou that she fell into that category, too.

she did not want to be confiscated.

she was quiet.

i guess being 45 minutes late to court makes for a very lenient judge.  the first 4 cases were dismissed.

oooh!!  this is going to be a good day!!  

even if i do have a lead foot.  in a school zone. 

my name is called.  i leave lou to sit with her chapstick & a pen.  she is content.

mrs. lindler, how do you plead?

guilty.

that will be 4 points & $133.37.  you can pay to my left.

waaaait a minute... that is exactly what my ticket said.  so why did i sit here, with a 2 year old, on a rainy day, for an hour?

i was guilty.  really.  but i was also curious.

to the lady writing on slips of paper:  i could have just mailed this in & it would have been the same, right?

yes.

and points?  didn't he say something about reduction of points?

you can take a class at midlands tech to reduce your points.

ok...

and then, the judge grabs my ticket, slashes something here, slashes something there, and 

VIOLA!!

he just saved me $50 & 2 points on my record!

i took my slip of paper, grabbed up lou, paid & hightailed it out of there before anyone could change their minds.

being careful, of course, to mind the speed limits.

well, what a happened was...

i got a speeding ticket.

once upon a time i got lots of speeding tickets.  that was back when i was young & carefree & didn't pay my own insurance.  

i remember the day my parents handed over the title to my car.  along with it came the insurance bill.  i cried.  and cried & cried & cried.  i called kevin (just my boyfriend at the time) and cried some more.  kevin, with a clean driver's record & insurance bill a quarter of mine, consoled me with the offer to help me pay my bill if needed.  

you know he was blinded by love when 3 months later he asked me to marry him, therefor adding my marked up driving record & heft payment to his own.

have i ever mentioned that kevin pulled my credit before asking me to marry him?  it was good.  great, actually.  i wonder if he would have been so blinded by love had my credit score been below a 500?

back to my penchant for speed.  

after my initiation into the real world, i learned to leave the house a little earlier, drive the speed limit, stop rolling through stop signs & check for the no turn on red signs at stop lights.

i was still a horrible driver.  just a little more cautious.

have i ever told you about the time i hit the metal thing after filling up for gas?  and i was in kevin's car?  don't know what i'm talking about?  next time you fill up, look for the yellow metal bar that prevents you from making a sharp turn.  yeah.  that thing.  i made the sharp turn.  kevin's car lost that battle.

while typing this, i am realizing that kevin puts up with a lot.  he must really, really love me.

once again, back to my speeding ticket.

well, actually, i have to go get lou & myself dressed to get to the hearing.  yes.  you heard that right.  me AND lou.  this could be a story in itself.

rest of story to come...

best cake ever

kevin's mom makes the BEST cake ever.

really.

not only does she bake the BEST cake ever, she also decorates.

if you have ever seen one of the kids' birthday creations, you will agree.

she is talented.

a friend of mine has a birthday coming up & her girls were requesting she bake brenda's recipe for her cake.  i don't know about you, but i don't think baking my own birthday cake sounds like much of a birthday.

i refused to get her the recipe & told her that instead i would bake the cake for her.

i don't bake.

usually.

this could be interesting.

her baking her own birthday cake was probably the better idea... but we shall see.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

it is probably not the recipe so much as it is the baker, but here is the recipe for the BEST pound cake ever.  if you attempt it, let me know how it turns out.  i will be posting pictures of my endeavor.  unless it is an embarrassment.  and who am i kidding.  i will probably post that too.

 

3 sticks margarine -- room temp

8 oz cream cheese -- room temp

3 c all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

6 eggs

3 c sugar

1 - 2 tsp flavoring

 

preheat oven to 325

mix together margarine and cream cheese until smooth

add sugar and cream together

add eggs one at a time

add flour and baking powder

add flavoring

 

depending on your oven will take 1 -1 1/2 hours

school rules

you can't have a school without rules.
orie's pertend school is no different.

1. hands are for helping not hurting
2. no stealing unles* the teacher says so
3. just come in here if you are in my class
4. do what the teacher says
5. make evrything* fair
6. have fun!!

* huge props for only 2 misspelled words!!

my personal favorite is rule 2.  because if the teacher says so, stealing is a-okay.

i'm a roadie

hi.  my name is ashley.  i am a roadie.

this is what a roadie does.



as with most facets of my life, this one also comes with a funny story.
one of my own making.

i think i have made known the fact that i often overload. who knew that could happen on a tuesday night? last tuesday night, to be exact.

bradley dance class at 4.
edventure's hallowonka at 5:30.
kids head home with the other ashley lindler.
stop by first citizens customer appreciation oyster roast.
arrive VERY fashionably late (as in an hour & half late) at philharmonic meet & greet with other roadies.

did i mention it was raining?

the first bit of the night went great.  kids had fun.  sent them home with SIL (the other ashley lindler). drop in to see kevin. head on to koger center.

i find a park in a garage. they don't take plastic & i have one cash dollar to my name. i barter with the attendant.  well, i guess not barter.  i make fun of my ignorance & he feels sorry for me, therefor allowing me to enter for the cool price of $1.

whew. passed go.
now, on to meet the philharmonic.

i run across the street & go into the closest door i find. people are dressed in tights. i walk upstairs. more tights. finally, i grab a man in tights, ask him where the philharmonic might be, and he gives me a confused look telling me he is with the columbia city ballet & they are rehearsing for the upcoming performance of dracula (ballet with a bite).

ugh. i walk back out into the rain. go into the next open door i find. it is the USC school of music. i know this because while walking around each floor, all 4 or 5 of them, i found professor's offices, students practicing, a performance in progress... but no philharmonic or new audience roadshow. my attempts to get info from students came back null & void. all i received were shrugs.

i walk back outside into the rain.  again.  circle the kroger center.  walk across the street.  find parking garage attendant (who thinks i am a complete idiot to begin with, so why not solidify my case) & ask him where the philharmonic might be.  he has no clue.

this is when a blackberry would come in handy.   if i could just read the email sent telling where the roadshow was meeting.

call the other ashley lindler.  hear sugared up, screaming kids in background.  ignore that & pray they will be on passed out in bed by the time i return home.  get her to pull up my email.

the other ashley lindler:  it says you are meeting at the school of music at the koger center.

me:  yeah.  the one i just spent 30 minutes wandering through.  is there no more information?

the other ashley lindler:  no.  just that someone will meet you at the front door to show you where to go.

me:  that is what i get for being fashionably (now 2 hours) late, i guess.

never one to give up trying (actually, that is not true. i do tend to be a quitter, but just not on this particular endeavor) i walk back into the school of music, close my eyes, turn around 20 times & open the first door before me when i open my eyes again.

(cue the soundtrack of sopranos singing - played during all great revelations)

golden.  there they are.  the roadies.  the philharmonic.
i am tremendously late.  i am waterlogged.  i am out of breath.  

but, i am here. 

and that is when the director, Morihiko Nakahara, says 

well, if you guys don't have anymore questions, we will get out of here.  thanks for coming.  we will see you at the rehearsal.

note to self:  do not try to be fashionably late EVER again.  

holiday decorations

while driving home from kershaw today:

orie:  why do some people still have halloween decorations out in their yard?  it is november!

me:  i suppose they will switch them out with their thanksgiving decorations.  then they will put out Christmas, then valentine's...

orie:  no, martin luther king day comes before valentine's.

me:  really?  is that in january?

orie:  yes.

(he is a walking, talking calendar)

me:  so, how are they going to decorate their yards for MLK day?

orie:  i guess with pictures of his head hanging around.  or something.

me:  hmmm... i bet you can't find those holiday decorations at hobby lobby.