Lights...Camera...Action--Espositos' Visit Take 1

I have so much to report on that I'll have to break it all up into a few posts. I'll just begin with whatever picture files I copied to my baby laptop.

1. Because Andy was working and it was raining the 1st Saturday that GG and Grandpa Rick were here, we went to the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Museum. As it happened, it was Family Day, with lots of interactive exhibits and meet-n-greets with pilots. We even watched the area Air Force rock band perform live. Most importantly, Alexa discovered her true calling; she now aspires to be a fighter pilot and kill bad guys. I am sure she will want to add a few sparkles to her uniform.

2. GG and Grandpa Rick came along to VA Beach with us. Here are the sun bathing beauties. Notice they are not on the beach proper but on a deck facing the beach. In Grandpa Rick's defense, he did hit the sand and waves with Noah and Alexa the night he and GG babysat--which is another story. The deck was also the site where Alexa played the tambourine (with absolutely no rhythm, might I add) in a band that was performing at our hotel.

3. Grandpa Rick listens to the longest version ever of Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. Not pictured is Noah pouting at the adjacent table.

4. Alexa became practically inseparable from the plush "parrot" (bald eagle) GG got her at the VA Beach Aquarium and that Alexa officially named Bird-ittude Sam Roussel. That bird has a pecking problem and does not get along with Alexa's black plush cat, Miss Cattitude, because he thinks she is "too fancy."

5. Noah pets the sting rays then rides a dolphin at the aquarium. He also took in a 3D IMAX movie with the rest of us, which I've been told was boring. I disagree...I learned alot about sea mammals, like the flatulence problems of manatees, for example.

6. And of course, no visit anywhere would be complete without Noah developing a rash. Maybe he's allergic to running.

It was a spectacularly sandy few days at the Roussel Roost.

Your foot is in my pumpkin pie.

Sorry, people, I've got no pictures for you today; call me lazy bones.

Let me take a few moments here for some shout-outs for this week. Happy Birthday, Rex--Nannie Toni and the Krazy Krewe love you! Happy Birthday, Amy--have a rockin' time at your party! And, finally, Happy 5th Anniversary, Tams and Nick!

Switching gears, now...I love that my children are innocent enough to think that calling someone "bagel" is about the worst thing ever. It can, in fact, bring two children to fisticuffs. And for the dear child who likes to start ketchup wars on both students and teacher in his second grade lunchroom, calling someone "french fry" is just as blasphemous, apparently. The Ketchup King served his first lunch detention with the assistant principal today as he is a repeat condiment offender. I will be sure to keep him away from food flinging temptations at my bank's 27th branch Grand Opening tomorrow.

What I may not have control over tomorrow, however, is the shorter child. I've recently decided she is, indeed, a Muppet. Spend a few hours with her, and it will make perfect sense. Anyhow, we've been listening to Muppet Hits in the car lately. Lex loves the song "Upidee," which is utter nonsense. But it's the Muppets, so it's cool. The title of this blog is a line from the song that Lex loves to sing ad nauseam--in an obnoxious, affected voice, just like the song, and with ostentatious gesticulation. If she repeats that to our President/CEO at the Grand Opening, I may very well faint on the spot. I will keep you posted, but pray for us all.

It's a day full of "underwear with ham on rye" (and ketchup) at the Roussel Roost.

If she ruled the world...

...everyday would be both winter and spring.
Instead of talking, we would all have to sing,
And we'd sing of the joy that a pony can bring.

Okay, I don't feel clever enough this morning to reword an entire song. I need to save some creative energy for work, I suppose.

Anyway, last weekend, we journeyed a whole 40 minutes to Alexandria, where we lunched at the Warehouse Bar and Grill, strolled around old town and then took in a movie (Up) with our friend Caroline. Now I'm sure you're all wondering what is the proper attire for all of these activities, and Lexa would be happy to respond:

"A princess costume is a lovely choice for a weekend outing. It doesn't matter if it's too hot for polyester and long sleeves; it's more important to be fashionable. And your shoes should have sparkles, lots and lots of sparkles--I mean, like, 1 million sparkles. And yell if people tell you you're Snow White or any other person than yourself because you are yourself in a costume. Like, 'I am Lexa in a Snow White costume, understand?'"


See, I just know Alexa would use triple quotation marks at the end of a sentence because she's all about more.


Back to the post topic of "if Lexa ruled the world."


It would look something like this.








It was a frightening weekend at the Roussel Roost!