Derek and I went to the Vodka Rocks concert at Snoqualmie Casino on Saturday night. I was feeling brave last night (could have been the vodka) and decided it was time to accomplish something on my bucket list - getting autographs and pictures with someone famous. So, I became the band stalker for the night. =] The Verve Pipe went on first and they were accompanied by one of the most AMAZING harmonica players I have ever heard (Griff). After their set, I asked one of the security guards if it was possible to get autographs. He asked his supervisor who went back, found Griff, and brought him out. He was so cool and funny... he signed my ticket, took a couple pictures with me, kissed me on the cheek and told me he was only doing all this because I asked so nice and was gorgeous (lol), and then hung out with Derek and I for a bit in between sets. We bought a kids CD that the band made from him and I can't wait for Addison to hear it!! The rest of the band was eating and relaxing and were not going to do autographs but I kept stalking the doors just in case. I asked my supervisor friend if they had already left for the airport and he set off to find them for me (that guy was awesome!!). While I was waiting, the lead singer of the Verve Pipe walked right by me so I jumped at the chance and asked for his autograph and a picture. He is REALLY TALL (and cute)!!
Toad the Wet Sprocket was up next and since they really only have two songs we wanted to hear, we took that time to find some more drinks and get something to eat. We got good spots up front for Candlebox and when they took the stage it was awesome!! =] They played some of my favorites - Cover Me and Far Behind being my two favorites. They also played some tributes to other rock bands which was really cool. The lead guitarist threw his pics out into the crowd after every song and I was determined to get one... but since I'm elbow height for the rest of the crowd I didn't really stand a chance. He threw one toward the end of the concert and it his a drunk guy in the chest and fell to the ground... so I made a bee-line for it and snagged it. Not exactly the same as having one thrown to me, but I'll take what I can get. After they finished their encore performance (Far Behind) the drummer chucked his drum sticks out into the crowd and the guy in front of me caught one. He knew I'd been trying to catch something all through the show, so he gave it to me!
As we were leaving the concert, I saw my security supervisor friend by one of the doors and showed him my drum stick, he grinned and let us in the door he was guarding - we got to go backstage!! We got to meet all the band members, get autographs, and take a few pictures! It was the most AWESOME concert experience ever!!
My dad and I took Addison on her first hike up to Boulder Cave. We had lunch by the stream and even hiked all the way through the cave, something I've never been brave enough to do before. It was so much fun and Addison loved every minute of it!! She and 'Opa' Jeff are going to have lots of fun together in the great outdoors!!
I have been away from the blog for weeks... but I've had good reason. Next week, I return to the world of the working - no more lazy days, playing with my baby girl and soaking up her sweet little smiles and silly dance moves. In the last week, we've made two trips to Seattle. First, Addison and I went to visit friends that I haven't seen in years and that Addison has never met. We got to catch up, have fun, and reconnect - which was really special for me. Then, after being home for two days, Derek and I packed up again and the three of us spent the weekend at my parents beach house. The weather couldn't have been more perfect and it was a great little family getaway before the new school year kicks off...
Here are some of the pictures and videos from our adventure to the island...
No, I'm not referring to THAT 9/11... I'm referring to my 9/11, my birthday. I told Derek a while back that I really wanted to go to a concert at the Gorge again - I have only been twice and not since college and it is such a beautiful place to see a live performance. (If you have no idea what or where the Gorge is, go here... then be jealous that it's only a hour from my house =]) Anyway, Derek gave me two choices for concerts for my birthday present - Dave Mathews Band or Kings of Leon. Now, had it been between ANY other two choices, I would have picked DMB, no doubt in my mind, but I have been dying to see KOL and this was my chance!! So, he booked tickets as close as we could get - row 17, which was just about perfect.
Saturday morning Derek came in and asked if I wanted to make a day of our outing and go see a movie in Ellensburg and go get Pita Pit (my FAVORITE lunch spot) and of course I said yes... This was the first time I'd be away from Addison overnight (gulp!) but since we didn't expect to be home until after 1am, it was easier for her to go stay with Derek's parents. We dropped her off around 11am, said our goodbye's (mine tearfully), and then headed north. The movie theater wasn't open when we got there so to kill 20 minutes, we wandered around Bi-Mart (oh the joys) and bought some random things for the house (and a polka dotted lunch box for me!). We had decided to see Inception and it was so worth it! I really liked it, even though I was super confused for the first ten minutes or so... but it ended up being a great movie. After the movie we had lunch at the Pit and then headed for the Gorge.
The weather was perfect for a concert - sunny, about 90 degrees, and enough wind to keep you from over-heating.
I think that buying drinks at concerts rivals Las Vegas as far as price is concerned but I did get a very tasty margarita in a fancy schmancy guitar glass... and it was HUGE. Don't worry - I drank the whole thing so it was worth the money ;)
Me and my trusty drink in front of the stage...
The place was packed... and as is the case with any concert we saw all sorts of interesting things... a whole group of guys dressed in neon green and black spandex wrapped in Canadian flags, freaks and geeks of every make and model, the fake boobs on the girl behind us when she pulled them out to let some guys snap a picture, more tattoos than I can count, someone getting dragged out by four security guards, and loads of other fun stuff... See that guy in the plaid shirt in the picture below... he was paying the girls in front of him to flash him... good time. :)
The view from our seats during the first two performances. The opening acts were The Features and Built to Spill. They were alright but they were nothing compared to KOL!
Kings of Leon on stage!!!!
(All of my pics were taken with my phone, so sorry that they aren't the best quality. I recorded a couple of video clips too, but they sound pretty awful with everyone screaming. Here is a video from YouTube of one of my favorite songs of the night...)
I had so much fun last night and I am so thankful that we got to do something special and fun for my birthday this year... last year was a bugger because I was in Labor and Delivery on my birthday and it wasn't a very fun party. I'm not gonna lie though... getting up this morning and getting over to pick Addison up was the highlight - I missed her so much! I even slept with one of her stuffed animals so I could smell her all night. This was the first time that I have gone to sleep without holding her and cuddling her since she was born and it was tough. However, we all survived and it showed me that I can leave her overnight without exploding or having a meltdown. That being said, I rocked her to sleep tonight and breathed in that sweet baby shampoo scent and loved every second of it... going out once in a while is fun - but every thing I want and love is right here at home. =]
