Mob Mentality

Oh, hey world....what's up?

Just kickin it here on the chair at 12:49 a.m., head swirling with at least 4 posts, none of which are anything exciting; and thinking about the presents I need to wrap, the cookies I need to frost, the kitchen I need to clean up and the sleep I SHOULD be getting.

Our adorable friends Chad and Erin (hi Erin, how are you?) just left after they surprised us with a visit.  It was a fantastical and lovely evening just chatting, laughing and hanging out.  I loved every minute of it, even if I got NOTHING accomplished.  See, I'm lazy like that anyway...I probably wouldn't have done anything anyway.  At least this way, I was having enjoyable conversation.

But, what I'm really here to talk about is how my plans for the day were thrown off rather early, all because of a little random excursion we took today.

You've all seen the youtube video of the people doing the Halleluia Chorus flash mob at that mall foodcourt right?  It was great.  Random people just stood up out of nowhere and began singing, while unsuspecting patrons looked on in bemusement.  It was quiet, sedate, lovely.

Well, someone here in AZ decided that a flashmob was in order at the Scottsdale Fashion Square.  Unfortunately, they thought telling every single person in the Tri-State area (which I know doesn't apply to us in Az, but I loved the reference, so just DEAL) was a good idea.  Which, I am inclined to DISAGREE with.  If by flashmob they meant frighteningly overfilling a small space with anxious sopranos and creating a literal MOB of egos...then yes, they succeeded.

Jere thought it would be fun to go.  Get our halleluia on, if you will.  So, because I'm me, we were rushing around trying to get out the door.  Max was a vision of put togetherness.  Maggie looked like we picked her up out of a dumpster (though still cute) and I just looked puffy.  BUT, we headed for the land of the rich and snooty.  The traffic was horrible, because as I mentioned, apparently everyone on the PLANET was trying to get there to participate.  We finally got into a parking garage, NO PARKING.  Jere was getting stressed, he was ready to give up and go home.  But hells to the NO.  We did NOT just make all this effort, waste this gas to NOT get in there and sing us a song.  So, Julie offered to pay for valet, she let us out and we hustled our booties up the "alligator" (which is totally what Max calls the escalators) and into the mall.  As we neared the foodcourt the decibal levels increased exponentially.  I don't quite know HOW to explain the sight.  There were people standing shoulder to shoulder on all three levels, along the railings, squished throughout the entire food court, etc.  It was LOUD and INSANE!!  And yet, in spite of the sheer VOLUME of people, we still totally ran into a family we know really well, a girl I hadn't seen in at least 10 years, my music director for Oliver, a friend from shows, AND my highschool choir director.

So, Noon hits and there is no blare of the organ, the music doesn't start.  APPARENTLY the jackholes pre-empted the stated time and sang at 11:45.  WTF?  There were A LOT of people none to pleased with this.  Have I mentioned a MOB?  And after a few minutes of wondering and confusion....the foodcourt erupted again in song.  Which is a good thing, because I'm fairly sure there would have been a revolt of epic proportions and Paradise Bakery would have been taken down in the stampede.

There we stood with 2000 of our "closest friends" singing the Halleluia Chorus from the Messiah.  I won't lie....it was really cool.

I'm glad we went.  And I especially love that after it was over, I was carrying Maggie and she was fully humming the chorus (she's never heard it before).  I'm realizing more and more...she's a SHARP tac that one.  She learns music REALLY quickly.  I WISH you all could hear her rousing rendition of Angels We Have heard on High.  She belts that bad boy out with all the moving vocal parts on teh Gloria, and she' on pitch too.  Unfortunately, she saves her vocal skills for mostly US.  Though, Chad and Erin DID get to hear her best rendition of it ever tonight.

Us crazy kids, out to sing with the masses.

What's with my crazy eyes?  I don't know.

These pics so do NOT do justice to the volume of people that were crowded in there.

Our grand adventure culminated in a lunch out at the Olive Garden, in which many breadsticks were consumed, soup was eaten, stomachs were filled, AND  Maggie wrote her name for the first time.  No really, WROTE her name.  You know she's THREE right?  I might have shed a wee tear, which is a little embarassing, but I just couldn't believe she did it.

Maggie figured out how to write an A the other day.  So, I asked her to draw one for her Daddy.  Then, I asked her to draw an M, which she totally did. I was intrigued now, so I asked her to draw an I...she did.  So finally I cautiously asked for an E.  She drew them all and they were right, well the E was backwards and had an extra arm, but she knew the gist.  So, I asked her if she wanted to write her whole name.  I wrote it out for her and Jere worked with her on tracing it first and then writing it out herself.

I think this shall forever be one of my FAVORITE pictures ever.  She worked diligently on it and then totally and cmopletely, on her own wrote out her name, followed by Max's.  You guys, I seriously had NO IDEA the things she can do.  Since I've mentioned I'm a lazy parent and don't sit and work with her on this stuff.  It was awesome.  And you had better believe that I TOTALLY saved that menu and it's going in her baby book.

After we were all sufficiently full, we rolled ourselves home and got absolutely NOTHING accomplished.

All in all, a GREAT day!

Now, for your viewing pleasure, a look at the MOB we sang in today.  Just know the crowd went out on all sides.  And, we sound pretty dang GREAT!

Halleluia forever and ever,

Allyson

It's a little bit ridiculous.....

A few weeks ago there was an e-mail from my sis in law Lana.  She wanted all the "ladies" of the family to get together for a day.  She was giddy, but it was a secret.  Well, we prevailed and insisted she tell us just what her big idea was.  She had the grand and wild idea that she wanted all of us "sisters" and my Mom to get together for a real life photo shoot.  Random...yes.  Fun, OF COURSE!

So today was our big shoot.  We got to use an amazing photographer and take some awesome pics.  I'm DYING to see the finished product.  And trust me, when we have some finished product, I will totally be sharing them with you.

But for now, you'll have to settle for a couple of little shots from my lame-o point and click.  Just so you can get the idea of what was going on, and see how "hot" the ladies in my life are.

My little sis and mom watching while the great Allison Jones photographer does her thing.

Dixies shot.  We each took individual shots as well as group shots.

Jodie my sis in law.  She IS a model in real life.

We're a smoosh washed out, due to lighting issues with my lil' camera

But how cute is my Mom with her little pose.

Lighting or not, we do like to have FUN!

But you do have to admit.  It's a little bit ridiculous....

To have this much "hot" in one place.

I'm only a little sad that there weren't any fans to blow our lucious locs around.

After having a blast taking pics and laughing a lot, we headed to lunch.

Jenny and I with Dixie hijacking our shot in the background.

We had a delicious lunch at "Crackers", good conversation and just an overall fantastic day.

Today was exactly what this girl needed.

I LOVE my family so much.

I love to spend time with them, to talk to them to laugh with them, and now to "model" with them.

Thanks so much to Lana for having this great idea and for orchestrating it.  It'll be a fond memory for many years to come.

Having a family like mine.....

It's a little bit ridiculous!

Flash bulbs and lip gloss,

Allyson

GREER!

About 4 years ago, my parents started renting a couple of cabins up in Greer, AZ for all of us to get together and enjoy a week together. The first year was fairly low key, but in subsequent years it has become a MUST DO thing. A "we'll die if we don't get to go" kind of thing. Greer is what we look forward to ALL year long. It's a week of glorious views, cool/cold weather, playing game after game after game, visiting with family and doing NOTHING. In one word, it is HEAVEN. We leave tomorrow morning for another glorious week. We're staying in new/different cabins this year, a little before you get into actual Greer. It will be interesting to see how we like them. Last year, I had a one week old baby, and my Greer was literally spent sitting on the bed trying to figure out nursing 90% of the time. Maggie was a really great baby from the start, but it was still not the funnest Greer trip. I'm so looking forward to this year, with a sweet one year old. I'm looking forward to the laughter, discussions, naps and adventures. The in-laws, plus Jenny have banded together to create an activities committee, which I think is adorable. They've come up with all kinds of plans and activities, should be fun. I'm most looking forward to "The Amazing Race' (which for the record is the single greatest reality tv show EVER created!). So, as it's nearly 12:45 a.m. and I have to be up soon enough with Maggie, and packing still isn't finished (waiting for clothes to dry) I thought I'd leave you with a few pics of last years Greer trip. When I get home next weekend, I'll be sure to update with this years pics.

By the way, Happy 4th. Hope it was a good one for all. Took some pictures of Maggie in her super cute 4th outfit. Will have to post those later. Had a lovely afternoon at Porter and Lanas, eating, swimming and hanging out. Too bad only Jenny's family and mine were there. Oh well, everyone elses loss!!

Here we are, the entire Tony Shumway fam in all our glory. There sure are a lot of us.

L-R. Eric, Dad (Tony), Porter
The mens of the family.

L-R: Dana, Jenny, Dixie, Mom (Dian) and Me Allyson

The ladies...apparently my Mom I totally missed the memo on the black shirt. Tragically, though I had JUST had a baby, I think I look better there than I do right now. Today I wore the same outfit I wore last July 4th, except last year I was 9 months pregnant, and this year I'm only 6. What is WRONG with this picture?

L-R: Adam (Dana), Jody (Eric), Jere(me), Troy (Jenny), Lana (Porter)

The infamous in-laws of Shumway land. They're a seriously funny bunch of people. They INSIST on having their own picture taken every year. And this year, they felt they'd be clever and give us their bums. So fun! We have a new in-law this year, Dixie's Shane. Hope he's amenable to the idea of butt grabbing. hehe

The grandkids galore. Don't you love how you can never get ALL of them to smile at one time. Tatum was having some sort of drama that day and pretty much cried through all the pictures. She's quite dramatical that one.

L-R: Olivia, Maya, Tatum

These are who we affectionately refer to as the three princesses. See, Breckyn was the first granddaughter, and the ONLY granddaughter for 14 lonely years. She swam amongst a sea of boys. Then in one year, along came these three ladies. All were born while my parents were on their mission. It was such an exciting time to FINALLY have girls born into the family. So, they are Olivia (belonging to Dixie and oldest of the three), Maya (belonging to Eric and youngest of the three) and Tatum (belonging to Porter). They're all such different girls, and so funny in their own right. We're glad that since them, three more princesses have joined the family.

Anyway, the hour is late, I must be off to bed. I'll try to update while we're there, when Jere comes up on Wed. and brings the computer. Until then, have a wonderful week, wherever you are.