Popcorn, meatballs, and cookie dough balls

Not sure if that title will have anything to do with what I might say on here, but it would adequately answer the question, "what's cooking?".  We are having meatballs (and some kind of pasta) for supper and they have been cooking most of the day in the crock pot.  I made cookie dough balls for the first time in a while today and they are nestled nicely in the freezer, but I keep finding myself over there grabbing one or three.  I hear Jake popping his second round of popcorn as I type this.  After 4 plus years of having braces (yes seriously, he wasn't even 8 when he got them), he got them off yesterday.  Yes he ate popcorn frequently with braces, but now he can do it guilt free. 

I'm tired.  Madi was in a car accident Sunday and it's aged me ten years.  She is fine, her car, not so much.  Mike's in contact with all the appropriate insurance people etc to figure out what happens next. 

Jake, Madi, and some friends performed at a local elementary school this morning.  It is one of the few local schools that they've never performed at before.  It went really well and they had a little Q and A afterwards.  The first question a little girl asked was, "How can all of you sing so beautifully?"  Later a little boy asked Kirk (a 14 year old boy who had sung the love song that Jake also sang in Dear Edwina) if he always has trouble getting the girl.  It was so funny!  Kirk responded that breaking into song doesn't always work to get the girl, but it's worth a try.  A group of little boys with autism sat in front of me and one little boy who sat quietly and kept to himself the whole time moved his arms (as if directing) all through Jake's solo (Naughty from Mathilda).  Good thing it was such a good morning because I feel like we've not really accomplished anything else since then.

Madi is currently at rehearsal for the Florida Theatre Conference which is this weekend.  Jake went to band (and is now eating popcorn and watching Back to the Future 2...if pressed I could come of with some educational points to that movie), I am teaching 9th grade religious education tonight, so all those things should count for something.  Madi and Jake are also eagerly awaiting parts for Once on this Island, auditions were Monday and Tuesday.  It is pretty much our whole family's favorite musical.  It will be Madi's third time doing it and Jake's second. 

Could this post be more boring?  Probably not. 

Madi, Jake, and I are on a pretty big Duggar kick right now.  We eagerly watched Jill and Derrick's wedding (and I cried) and last night was Ben and Jessa's engagement (cried again!).  We know that in real life Ben and Jessa actually got married on Saturday and we mentioned it a few times throughout the day.  Yes, a little obsessed.  The other night when I couldn't sleep (due to Dear Edwina songs shouting in my head) after prayers didn't work, I resorted to try to recite all the Duggar kids in order.  I can mostly do it, but like the presidents, I get a little jumbled up in the middle.

Jonathan is at school right now taking an astronomy test.  He currently has a 4.0 college GPA (with 30 credits).  He's got 15 more credits this semester, but is feeling like it will be the end of the 4.0.  He has been invited into Phi Theta Kappa a collegiate honor society with special benefits and scholarship opportunities so that's pretty cool.

I keep leaving this blog to check facebook and see if parts have been posted yet.  I know it is very unlikely since Amanda is actually directing the rehearsal that Madi is at, she will most likely not be posting parts at the same time, but I can help it, I have to keep checking.  Madi was the lead when they did this show 6 years ago, but she really really wants it again, and I really really want it for her.  Jake would be happy with either one of two "Gods".  Actually, they'll both be happy eventually with whatever they get, but they'll be happier (and happy faster) if they get what they want.

Jake's band class is back to the afternoon (but will change back to the morning shortly).  I often sit in my car in the car line (that has already formed before 6th period starts) listening to the Busted Halo show on the Catholic Channel.  I might be as obsessed with those people as I am with the Duggars.  When I was little I thought Sonny and Cher were my parents' friends and Chastity was my BFF so this kind of thing is nothing new for me.  When I was middle school age I was genuinely obsessed with The Guiding Light, so as you can see my taste has gotten considerably more innocent and humble.  Actually in 3rd grade I distinctly remember writing sentences for my spelling words that were about the Guiding Light... "Vanessa and Ross are friends" for example.  These days when I give Jake a spelling test I often use Seinfeld references.  "George asked, 'is she socially awkward?' "  Actually last week one of his words was 'maul' and my sentence was, "Don't maul the deer you jaguar."  which made us both laugh a lot.  Too bad the humor probably won't transfer so well on here ;). 

I think it is officially time to get the pasta cooking, I've wasted enough time today, and parts are still not up yet.