Quotes of the Day

Mom, I'll still hug you when I'm five."
William, the almost 5 year old.

"This applesauce tastes like beer."
Claudia making an accurate statement.

Here's One For Viola

Thought you might enjoy this one Mom!

(Side Note: My dad was a Hamm's Beer distributor in Chicago for many years)

From the Land of Sky Blue Waters,
From the land of pines' lofty balsams,
Comes the beer refreshing,
Hamm's the beer refreshing.
Brewed where nature works her wonders,
Aged for many moons, gently mellowed,
Hamm's the beer refreshing,
Hamm's the beer refreshing.
From across the rippling water,
Through the whisp'ring pines and birches,
Comes the beer refreshing,
Hamm's the beer refreshing.
Comes a call to cool enchantment,
Comes a call to cool refreshment,
Hamm's the beer refreshing,
Hamm's the beer refreshing.
Hints of lakes and sunset breezes,
Dance and sparkle in each glassful,
Hamm's the beer refreshing,
Hamm's the beer refreshing.
From the Land of Sky Blue Waters,
From the land of pines' lofty balsams,
Comes the beer refreshing,
Hamm's the beer refreshing.
Brewed where nature works her wonders,
Aged for many moons, gently mellowed,
Hamm's the beer refreshing,
Hamm's the beer refreshing.
From across the rippling water,
Through the whisp'ring pines and birches,
Comes the beer refreshing,
Hamm's the beer refreshing.
Comes a call to cool enchantment,
Comes a call to cool refreshment,
Hamm's the beer refreshing,
Hamm's the beer refreshing.
Hints of lakes and sunset breezes,
Dance and sparkle in each glassful,
Hamm's the beer refreshing,
Hamm's the beer refreshing.

Hot Fun In The Summertime

Enjoying summer here at the Stage house. We went to Michigan for a week with Brian's extended family. The weather was cold but we had a good time and the kids had a ball. Both William and Claudia caught their first fish!!! A bunch of fish actually. Papa couldn't keep the worms coming fast enough! We also took the kids around the lake on a boat ride, which they both enjoyed. William enjoyed the whole boat ride.......Claudia enjoyed it until she fell asleep!

The kids are enjoying their outdoor time. They have been playing with their next door neighbor friend Ellie almost every day. It's so much fun to watch them play. I love the sound of the bikes and big wheels riding up and down the driveway. They have been having loads of fun playing on the swing set (all 3 kids now know how to pump...I told them they have all joined the "swingers' club"!!!). They also enjoy making sand "guacamole" (the girls like Mexican), playing ball, swimming in Elllie's pool and just being kids. This summer is so much different than last year when they played side by side, but not together.

William was stung by his first bumblebee this past weekend. He was stung twice.... once on his upper lip and once on the bridge of his nose. Both areas swelled up, but he survived after a few necessary tears.

Claudia has been sleeping without guardrails on her bed. She's so excited to finally have a "big girl" bed. The first night she fell off the bed twice. Normally this would not be such a big deal, but it was for her. She is still wearing leg braces every night. She CAN'T walk in the braces.
I woke up to some commotion in the hall, assuming it was the cat, but it was really Claudia, army crawling into my bedroom!
"I fell out of bed", she moaned, "I'm okay".
Then it happened again and she once again army crawled into my room.
Poor Claudia. I can't wait for her to be done with those silly braces! Since that first night, she has remained in bed without any falls.

On a sad note, my dad's brother passed away. He lived a long and happy life and always had a smile on his face. We will miss him, but he is reunited with his wife that he lost 18 years ago and I am positive that he is happy to be with her again.

William's 5th birthday is coming up. His birthday party is this Saturday. He's going with a pirate theme this year. Aarrrrr matey! Should be a fun time!

A STAR IS BORN !!!!!!

Randy and Brian

Brian wearing his Papa's vintage suit and fedora

Filming in Joliet

Last night we had the opportunity to attend Crown Point, Indiana's movie premiere of "Public Enemies" starring Brian Stage and other lessor known actors such as Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. To make the evening even more special, we were joined by my beautiful sister and her handsome husband.

Our evening began with a ride on a trolley to the Hall of Justice in Crown Point. At the Hall of Justice, we checked in and then walked the red carpet with my movie star husband. Then we headed next door to the Old Sheriff's House and Jail, where scenes from the movie were filmed. We were taken on a guided tour of the jail and had the opportunity to see all the areas where the movie was filmed as well as the four bunk cell from the 1928 section of the jail where Dillinger was actually housed (this was not in the film).

Hall of Justice

Side note: prior to the filming of the movie, the jail was not open to the public except for sporadic tours. The local teenagers (Brian and his brother included) often broke into the jail late at night to explore.

Old Sheriff's House and Jail

After the tour, we headed back to the Hall of Justice for a few hours of wining and dining at the VIP party. Many people were dressed in 1930's dresses and suits. Brian wore his Papa's vintage 3 piece suit and fedora. During the party there were comments from the mayor of Crown Point, the sheriff's of both Lake & Porter Counties, and representatives from the Old Sheriff's House and Jail Foundation (to whom the party's proceeds went) and Film Indiana, along with raffles and an auction of an authentic Thompson submachine gun ("Tommy gun") used during the Dillinger incidents in 1934.

After the party, we all drove to the theatre for the premiere. We had great center seats and were loaded down with popcorn and drinks, our eyes fixed on the screen, trying not to blink in case there was a slim chance we might see Brian. And then a star was born.......

BRIAN WAS IN THE FILM!!!!!!

The very first scene is prisoners marching at the Michigan City State Penitentiary (it was actually filmed at Joliet's Stateville Prison). Brian is 6th in line. You can't see his face, but we knew it was him because of his height (he is the shortest ;-).

The second scene takes place in the Shirt Shop of the prison. The prisoners walk into the shop and sit down at their sewing machines to begin work.

BRIAN IS IN THE CENTER OF THE SCREEN!!!!!

Sandy brown hair...scar on his face, which the make-up crew made even more pronounced for the film. We are guessing he had about five seconds of screen time!!

Brian also made the local newspaper. Check it out!