I'm Mollie.

My SuperTool

2012-02-08T22:00:00.002-06:00

Here's my SuperTool.

The assignment was to create a SuperTool from a minimum of 3 tools.

I wanted to use Words as a tool so I taped a piece of cardboard around a paint roller and cut out foam letters to make stamps

Then I inked the stamps and rolled the words on a piece of newsprint for practice. Then I drew that.

I replaced the handle of the paint roller with a pair of pliers that had screwdriver bits at the end and a joint that doubled as a socket wrench. I made the handles into a pencil and an end with an eraser. The wood grain before the eraser end is original to the paint roller handle.

I chose four phrases to repeat and then I read in a book that we make Art out of the things we most need to understand. I guess these phrases are really resonating with me right now.

Why do you stay in prison when the door is so wide open? -Rumi

Perhaps you were made...for such a time as this. -Esther 4:14

From here what you see you become. -Patanjali

If you can cease all restless activity, your integral nature will appear. -Lao Tzu

I'm not sure how many 18 year olds rolled their eyes at me that morning of the Critique.
Seven tools melded into one with a spiritual discipline bent is not what they like to think about at 8am. I'm not sure they were thinking at all.

I hesitate to write about the critique because I would never want to hurt any of my classmates' feelings. I will say that I was shocked and appalled into fits of giggles at who felt compelled to comment on whatever work was being presented. Joe structures these critiques by letting the artist offer an explanation, then he requires 3-4 comments more in depth than, "I like it," and then he chimes in.

One guy, Chazz who wears huge padded earphones all the time, felt the need to walk up to EVERY drawing and stand 4 inches from it (that is, so no one else could see it) and then offer a phrase like, "I get a sense of UNEASE from this composition." Or he would say, "I see a heavy reliance on line and not value."

Chazz was the last one to put up his drawing and HE DID NOT EVEN FINISH IT. I was speechless.

One woman (an adult student) forgot the rules of the critique and totally bashed one girl's (a young 18yo) drawing. Joe let her bash, and then let the artist retort, then let us all hold silence. Then he gently, kindly and knowledgeably argued both sides.

It was a beautiful act of true teaching.

I hope a few fellow classmates woke up to witness his diplomacy and stopped thinking about their hangover, their newest tattoo, or the fact that they remembered the cigarette but not the lighter.

Oh - that reminds me - one dude's tool was a combination of a lighter, a bottle opener and a corkscrew. The ultimate weekend companion.

Rock on, dude.

Days 5-8

2012-02-08T21:22:00.003-06:00

Day 5: Henry's New "Office":

Day 6: Curried Carrots in Amber's dish:

Day 7: Henry's End-of-Season Basketball Party at Sno-Biz:

Day 8: I Made the Wall in the Art Building! (mine's the paint roller on the left)

The Nude In The Vase

2012-02-06T21:43:00.002-06:00

My mom just finished the book the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. She worked through the 12-week study with a group that met weekly, which can be a powerful experience, depending on the group and the facilitator. It is a LOT of work. That works.

So Mom decided to start a new oil painting the other day. She and her friend Mimi were having some Creative Time and Mom painted a vase with some flowers in it. Her words were, “That’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen.”

So she took her palette knife and scraped off everything she had done, wiping the knife on another blank canvas for a future painting project.

Then she took a deep breath, found her Artist’s Way Zen, disconnected her Mind from her Brush, and painted. She just painted.

She took off her glasses.

She took off her expectations, her criticisms, negativities, others’ needs, her own needs, the clock, the calendar, her friend's presence in the room, her iPhone, her iMac, her i-Whatever – she took it all off and just PAINTED.

In the end, a beautiful female nude appeared.

If you are not interested in art and giggle when you see a unclothed bum, then you are missing the point. And that’s okay. Just skip this blog post.

But if you can, if you will allow yourself to feel this, it is amazing and it is beautiful.

The painting is still in process, as many are, but it is a testament to the magical mystery in letting art and creativity and life flow through your Mind and Hand and Brush…or whatever medium you use to engage with life.

Maybe you write, or talk, or sing, or care for others, or enjoy looking at different fonts, or draw comics, or sharpie marker over images in magazines – whatever – it is beautiful.

Let it flow.

I’m so glad my mom did.

This Yoga Joke Really Had Me ROTFL

2012-02-05T21:30:00.004-06:00

Thank you Healthy Tipping Point!!!

Days 1-4...of February

2012-02-05T21:21:00.004-06:00

The photo-a-day for 365 continues...and as February begins, I just want to say that you never know when your 7-year-old is going to get off the bus and immediately say, "I want to write a book about a real Mexican cat."

So he sits down at the typewriter and got this far:

It is only February and he DOES have his whole life to develop the plot. In the meantime, his youngest sister found the hand-me-down harem pants:

And she looks mighty fine.

Here is Day 3 (of Feb.)...our little sleepy head...hanging over the edge:

And Day 4: The Corner of The Waiting Room:

Days 26 - 31

2012-01-31T21:02:00.004-06:00

A Picture a Day for the Year continues!

Slide Shadows:

Dinner:

Spreading mulch in high heels because my name is Svea:

Little Helper:

Let. The. Season. End. Please. For. The. Love. We. Lost. 28 - 0.

We Must Sit Together:

Shoreh's Outfit:

Parenting: A Work in Gestures

2012-01-27T22:00:00.004-06:00

Last semester in Drawing I, Joe taught us about Gesture Drawing.

I dug up my old drafts the other day because I couldn’t get some of the lessons out of my head.

The thing about Gesture Drawing is that it is quick, it is practice, and very often it is ugly.

It’s a practice in letting yourself practice. And getting over the ugly results.

That’s hard to do as a beginning art student: let yourself draw something quick and ugly on purpose. Is that what I’m paying for?

I quickly learned that the lessons are paramount.

As I revisit the lessons, I am struck with how parallel they are for parenting.

Let me explain.

Joe said:

Start the drawing from the inside of the form, not on the contour edge. Draw from the middle to the outside edge.

As I spend my days with children, it is so much easier to try and understand them from the inside to the outside. If you agree that the basic needs are inside, then I can ask: Have you eaten? Have you slept? Have you pooped? Yes? Then we shall get dressed and begin this day.

Is your heart happy? Are you frustrated inside because you can’t tell me what you want? Then let me hold you and reassure your heart, and then we will walk around the room until we find what you need.

Joe also said:

Don’t draw the contour of the form; instead, draw across the planes of the form to establish relationships.

The “contour” is the outer edge of anything. By drawing across the planes, you connect shape and form and sometimes value (that is, light and dark shading) from the inside to the outside.

What is parenting if it is not a daily blessing and struggle to establish relationships?

I draw across the planes, and some days it is quick and ugly. It is a gesture. Because I am practicing.

Joe:

Look at the subject as much as possible and at the paper as little as possible.

This one got me in the gut. If the “subject” is a child and the “paper” is “how I think I’m doing at this parenting gig,” then I truly need to be aware of my focus.

Sometimes I do parent as if others were watching. However, parenting is hard enough without an audience.

But if I focus on my subject(s) and not on my own self-consciousness or productivity or how we look at the end of the day, then I'll be a better parent.

Joe again:

Don’t pick up your pencil.

Translation: Never give up. Even on the hardest days. Even on the easy days that still feel hard. Don’t pick up that pencil.

And finally, Joe said:

Don’t think too much.

Indeed!

Why am I thinking so much when I could read Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? AGAIN? Why think when I could sing to High School Musical? Why think when I could shoot some hoops in the driveway? Or do Math Facts flash cards or cut up a hot dog to add to the scrambled eggs because it is Special Order Dinner night and that is always top pick?

When I think too much, I get bored while I parent and I question the value of my college degree.

When I think too much, I get in chronos time and disregard kairos time.

When I think too much, I miss when Corinne learns a new word, fake sneezes for fun and then drips slobber down my neck because she wants to hug while those molars are coming in.

When I think too much, I miss that Svea faked a stomach ache at school and that Henry wants me to play Truth or Dare and only pick Dare.

So for a little while for a tiny bit each day, I’m going to practice not thinking too much.

Ahhhh, a life in gestures….a life that is full of practice and ugly results for the sake of practice…ahhh, a life that allows such things…

I want to learn to like these gestures. Thank you, Joe, for the reminders.

Super Super Powers

2012-01-25T22:56:00.002-06:00

Y'all can pick a super power in the poll on the left side of your screen. Let me know. You can even choose more than one. Because that's how we roll.

Day 25: Aum

2012-01-25T22:50:00.002-06:00

Aunt Amber gave me this pendant at Christmas:

It's the Tibetan symbol for the primordial sound, the inner vibration, the ultimate connection point: Om. Most accurately pronounced, "Aum."

(How weirded out are you now?)

So I wore it and got so many compliments.

I did not recite the above sentences, and just said, "THANK YOU. My sister-in-law gave it to me." I'm not sure Alabaster is ready for vibration-energy talk yet?

I loved wearing it all day. It has a weight to it, which is different - and significant - to me. And when I would reach for things or move around as needed, the pendant would shift. It has a slight concave option on the back and it would plant itself like a stethoscope, listening to my heart.

It was a beautiful way to remind me to slooooooooooow down. Listen to my heart. Aum.

Thank you, Amber!

Day 24: Jewelry?

2012-01-25T22:47:00.002-06:00

I found this thinga-ma-jing at the Thrift Store and thought Svea could paint it and hang her growing collection of necklaces and bracelets on it.

When I got home I couldn't find the acrylic paints.

That's worse than saying I couldn't find milk, bread, eggs, or oxygen.

So we went with stickers and Sharpie markers.

Ta-daaaaaaa!

Day 23: She Looks Like A Teen Already

2012-01-25T22:46:00.002-06:00

Day 22: Urine

2012-01-25T22:44:00.001-06:00

'Round Here...

2012-01-22T21:03:00.004-06:00

Dinner conversation 'round here usually goes something like this:

Henry: If Wolverine and Superman were to get in a fight, who would win?

Me: You've already asked us that.

Henry: I KNOW but what do you think now?

Svea: And what if Scott? On the X-men? What if he DIDN'T HAVE HIS GLASSES ON? hahahahahahhhhahahaha.

Brian: Svea, you're going to fall out of your seat. Again.

Corinne: AAA. UOOOUUU. (throws fork off tray) UH-OH! Juice? Ren-ry (pointing at Henry). hahahahahahhahahahaha!

Me: Let's NOT feed the dog under the table, Corinne.

Henry: Seriously, who would WIN? You want to know what MY super powers would be? Do you?

Svea: Can I be all done? And still get a special treat? (after eating just half of her dinner, falls out of her chair for no apparent reason but is fine and not hurt.)

Henry: SSSSuuuuuuuuhhhhhh-vvvveeeeaaaaaaaaah. You are SO annoying.

Corinne: Out! (pointing to the dog. She calls Sugar "Out" because she hears us say that so often to her...)

Henry: Mom? I have nothing to do.

Brian: Do you mind if I go downstairs to my workshop for awhile?

Svea: I'm going to take a bath in your bath and turn on the JETS.

Corinne: (rubbing banana in her eyebrows)

'Night, y'all. I'm done.

Days 18-21 in 2012

2012-01-21T20:30:00.003-06:00

Day 18:

Svea had a Daisy Girl Scout Meeting the other day (need cookies, anyone?) and she was supposed to wear her "uniform" which is khakis and a white shirt with her blue tunic over it that shouts I'M A DAISY.

So she went to her room and got dressed in her "uniform" and spent so much time getting each individual toe in its proper toe sock space, we didn't have time for me to ask her to change before the meeting started. And thank goodness she remembered to buckle her stuffed bunny into the cushioned car seat before bringing her to do crafts.

That girl...

Day 19:

Day 20:

A Zentangle Box:

Day 17: Svea's Secret Hideout

2012-01-20T22:55:00.003-06:00

I took this picture in the total darkness of my room.

That's her sleeping blankets at the foot of our bed with her princess tent over her head.

When she's in there, she totally cannot hear Corinne cutting the two molars coming in down the hallway.

Something So Beautiful, Beautiful

2012-01-20T22:09:00.008-06:00

A friend recommended this song to me months ago (thank you, Stephanie!!) and it quickly became my favorite...and Svea's favorite.

Seriously though, play this song in the background (or back browser window?) while you continue reading if you want the full experience of this moment I'm in. It's beautiful.

I've embedded it twice - shall I do it again? Yes, it's beautiful.

On the whole, this week has had so much good and so much bad that I am feeling very balanced.

The "bad" of the week includes watching loved ones suffer...more than usual. It seems that we learned of multiple friends divorcing, multiple cancer diagnoses, the pain of chemo treatments, child abuse, other abuses, and lots of poverty this week. It has my head spinning.

I tried to make a list of all that I was worried about, but instead I had to draw bubbles and write in them...and then connect the bubbles.

The "good" of the week rejoices in good health, children learning and growing, beautiful art, learning to sing new songs, a successful recipe, clean water and plenty of food, many smiling faces at the table, and good talks with dear friends.

Something so beautiful.

I don't know how to reconcile the good experiences with the bad to fit them all into my one life experience.

And tonight I'm stuck on the poor.

I'm stuck on how to define that word. Here are the three sections I'm worrying over:

In general, the majority of our current society, on a regular day - or even a bad day - can look at the poor and not care about their Story.

The majority don't realize that sometimes the difference between Us and Them is that They have never experienced Recovery. That is to say, when something terrible happens (a tree on your house, cancer, car accident you survive and are injured, car accident you don't survive - I'm referring to CRISIS) to the poor, there is no Recovering (that is, distant family with money and a place to stay, a savings account, a church family, proximity to shelter and compassion and non-judgement, a deep freeze in the basement, having a basement...).

One more thing about the majority, they never love an Addict. By addict I am including addiction to sugar, fast food, money, gambling, sex, drugs, shopping, Facebook, the Internet in general, alcohol, exercising, the illusion of control, etc.

But loving a poor addict? The mere suggestion that someone suffering has had a role in his or her current condition is a sure fire way to begin judgement, and cease compassion.

My conflict?

The poor have a Story. So does everyone.

We are all in some form of Recovery. All of us.

And it's possible, depending on your definition, we may all be Addicts. Of some sort.

Many times this week, the words of Evan Milligan have been ringing in my head, "We need to watch our Us-ing and Them-ing."

Evan used to also say, "Now that's BEAUT-iful" all the time. He would say it about people or the stars or someone's order choice at a restaurant - and he was always right.

While my brain is swimming with all of this, daily chores of the week continued, and Corinne and I went to the grocery store to score some BOGO deals. While there, we ran into some friends who just returned from adopting 2 children from China.

They adopted a girl who is not yet 2 years old, and a boy who is 11. The 11 year old was in 5th grade in China, but here...his English is at about a 2-3 year old's level and his math skills are far above our version of 5th grade math.

I tried to ask sensitive, open-ended questions, but the truth is, I didn't know what to say.

Then she said that the 11 year old got off the plane and asked, "When do I start school?"

The day I saw her was his first day of school so she still hadn't heard anything.

She said, "I sent him to school with the first three phrases he had picked up from my husband and me: Stay close to Mommy, Stay close to Daddy, and Amen."

In so many ways, in so many forms, THAT is something we all need to revisit and it is something so beautiful, beautiful.

Cliff Notes for First Grade Girls, 2012

2012-01-20T17:30:00.002-06:00

Here's the best thing you can say or write (preferably a note written in many colors that she can keep FOREVER) to a girl in your class:

Here's the Worst Thing you can say:

"You are NOT my best friend and you are NOT invited to my birthday party."

Luckily there is no written evidence of this dagger filled, heart breaking comment since it's usually spoken very fast and involves one girl walking away quickly and one girl sobbing.

Lauren-Michael's Song

2012-01-20T07:18:00.002-06:00

Lauren-Michael is Svea's new choir teacher and is basically amazing. Patti Griffin meets Sara Groves with a little bit of Lauren-Michael flare thrown in?

Here's her newest song.

"Carpe A Couple Of Kairoses A Day"

2012-01-19T07:04:00.003-06:00

Aunt Beth sent me this article from the Huffington Post. I hope I can carpe more kairos than chronos today, or maybe just one of each will be fine.

The scene described in Target hits a little close to home, so I got more stressed than relieved reading that. And women here most often shake their heads at me and say, "The days are long, but the years are short."

I'm in accord with this author that the sentiment is awesome and I want to BE an advice-giving Mommy someday at the top of the mountain. But her memories of parenting and my coffee-stained, sweaty armpit version of it are not in synch. And her comment is not helping me parent in the moment. There is no way to honor that disconnect without coming across as an angry, ungrateful Mommy. So I smile and wonder why this lady full of advice and encouragement won't just physically help me.

I love my job and I love my life. I have not always been able to say that so I type those words carefully and with gratitude.

And I thank this author for giving voice to the hard part in some of our days and for reminding us to view time and the experience of time differently.

My favorite part of the article was this:

There are two different types of time. Chronos time is what we live in. It's regular time, it's one minute at a time, it's staring down the clock till bedtime time, it's ten excruciating minutes in the Target line time, it's four screaming minutes in time out time, it's two hours till daddy gets home time. Chronos is the hard, slow passing time we parents often live in.

Then there's Kairos time. Kairos is God's time. It's time outside of time. It's metaphysical time. It's those magical moments in which time stands still. I have a few of those moments each day. And I cherish them.

Like when I actually stop what I'm doing and really look at Tish. I notice how perfectly smooth and brownish her skin is. I notice the perfect curves of her teeny elf mouth and her asianish brown eyes, and I breathe in her soft Tishy smell. In these moments, I see that her mouth is moving but I can't hear her because all I can think is -- This is the first time I've really seen Tish all day, and my God -- she is sobeautiful. Kairos.

Like when I'm stuck in chronos time in the grocery line and I'm haggard and annoyed and angry at the slow check-out clerk. And then I look at my cart and I'm transported out of chronos. And suddenly I notice the piles and piles of healthy food I'll feed my children to grow their bodies and minds and I remember that most of the world's mamas would kill for this opportunity. This chance to stand in a grocery line with enough money to pay. And I just stare at my cart. At the abundance. The bounty. Thank you, God. Kairos.

Or when I curl up in my cozy bed with Theo asleep at my feet and Craig asleep by my side and I listen to them both breathing. And for a moment, I think- how did a girl like me get so lucky? To go to bed each night surrounded by this breath, this love, this peace, this warmth? Kairos.

These kairos moments leave as fast as they come- but I mark them. I say the word kairos in my head each time I leave chronos. And at the end of the day, I don't remember exactly what my kairos moments were, but I remember I had them. And that makes the pain of the daily parenting climb worth it.

If I had a couple Kairos moments during the day, I call it a success.

Carpe a couple of Kairoses a day.

Good enough for me.

The Cabbage on Day 16

2012-01-14T20:39:00.003-06:00

I just cannot cut into a red cabbage and not take a picture of it.

(In a moment of self-awareness, I look at the sentence I typed above and wonder, "Who says that?" Twenty years ago if you had told me I would type that sentence I would have definitely asked, "What's a red cabbage?")

Grooming on Day 15

2012-01-14T20:38:00.003-06:00

Picture for Day 14

2012-01-13T20:08:00.003-06:00

Future journalist.

Or unemployed letter writer.

Or pianist in training.

Or spelling bee champion.

Picture a Day, 11-13

2012-01-13T20:04:00.004-06:00

Day 11:

Crooked smiles in the driveway with a dirty tennis ball.

Day 12:

Morning reading with Daddy.

Day 13:

Random heart in the driveway. Love is all around, people.

Drawing, Detached

2012-01-13T07:57:00.004-06:00

Drawing class began this week! Woo hoo!

We did our first drawing exercise yesterday. Pulled out the 18" x 24" drawing pad and sharpened all our pencils. Got the various charcoal sticks and nubs ready along with vinyl and kneadable erasers. We were poised and ready.

Then Joe (the prof) began to call out things to draw:

Start with a 1970's ranch style home! I want to see at least two sides of it! Add a garage!

Then he gave us a few minutes.

Add a roof! With shingles! And a chimney!

Another few minutes pass.

Wood siding on the house! And a front door! Add a doorbell!

Few more minutes pass.

Add an apple tree in the background! Give the tree huge oversized apples! Now give me birds or bees or something flying in the air!

More minutes pass...

Now I need a spaceship type of object flying into the picture. And smoke! Add smoke coming out of the chimney. Now make the smoke turn into a dinosaur!

Furious drawing and hatching and cross-hatching continue.

More minutes pass.

Then Joe says STOP. Stop drawing everyone.

We all stop. We all have charcoal somewhere it shouldn't be. We all have graphite smudges up the sides of our hands. One person might have been out of breath.

Joe says to take some charcoal and draw a big X over your drawing. Mark it out. Destroy it.

Since it was 8:30 in the morning, most people were like, Whatever.

But some groaned. Some resisted. Some refused.

Then Joe says the Important Thing:

Never become so attached to your work that you are afraid to try something new.

And I was free.

If You Came To My House...

2012-01-11T21:38:00.003-06:00

...you might get frustrated.

Or irritated. Or annoyed.

Or it might bother you that Henry wore black dress socks with his basketball uniform tonight for his game.

Or it MIGHT bother you that when Svea makes her sandwich for her school lunch, she gets two knives: one for the peanut butter and one for the jelly. And there is still a glob of peanut butter on the outside of the jelly jar and jelly INSIDE the peanut butter jar.

Or it MIGHT bother you that you have to sit still for twenty FULL minutes and watch Corinne crawl in and out of the rocking chair over and over because THAT, my friends, is an accomplishment.

It also might bother you that when you try to feed Corinne in her high chair, she won't eat. But if you let her out of her chair and put her bowl on the floor, she'll eat all of it. Girl's just gotta be FREE.

If fact, you might be REALLY irritated that there are 4 pairs of shoes under the couch, a handful of dust bunnies, and some dog food within reach. From everywhere.

Or it might not.

If it does bother you, you need to know that when Henry wore those black socks, he also played the best game of his life tonight.

And Svea? She loves to make her own snack and school lunch. And then she reads her homework out loud. I listen from the living room and try to memorize her voice.

Corinne is so loud. How can she be so loud? And she is finally so happy. I will sit for however many minutes she needs me to as long as she is happy.

What I am also realizing is that you (one) can be irritated and happy at the same time. I'm happy irritated. Hope you are too.

Picture a Day

2012-01-10T20:20:00.007-06:00

Merpha and I decided we would pay witness to this year, 2012, by taking one picture every day. As it is January 10 now, I have 10 pictures to share.

These pictures tell the story of a trip to the library...the bare reflection of the dining room floor, free from pine needles and Christmas decorations at last...the back porch when Henry moved out of his room to live in his hammock on the screened-in porch - in January (thank you Uncle Johnnie and Aunt Amber)...Henry's former bedroom converted into a Ninja Training Room...Corinne's favorite time of day...pictures of a Ninjago lego (roughly the size of your pinkie fingernail) that Henry took...Svea and Corinne having a sister moment at Svea's desk...Corinne's headband trying to mask her growing mullet...Children of the World choir...Svea in rose-colored glasses.

I must say, the first 10 days of 2012 have been pretty awesome.

Hello, World. Meet Princess Pinkalicious...

2012-01-09T22:36:00.003-06:00

Books and Lunches

2012-01-05T20:42:00.004-06:00

Corinne loves glasses.

And shoes.

And one page of every board book.

So we lay out all the open board books and go from one to the other...she pretends to brush teeth with the Silly Monkeys before they Jump on the Bed...then she shushes you with her finger as the Quiet Old Lady Whispering Hush...and then she growls as if eating hot sauce on the page that explains that Chocolate Sauce Is Yummy, Hot Sauce Is Yucky.

She's definitely Ivy League bound.

Svea has become a right-brained challenge for me. I have to come up with a new way to communicate with her. Like now. By the morning. By 5 minutes ago.

She is circular and loopy, clutzy and happy, distracted by loving so much, and will sing with joy spontaneously.

We've been working on her packing her own lunch. And I'm trying to give BIG categories so she can experiment and not crumple to the floor in tears at all the rules.

I found her stuffing pieces of an old biscuit into an empty spice container last night, for her to take as her snack to school. (In my defense here, I had JUST been to the store and there were SO MANY delicious and healthy options...yet she chose the stale biscuit. Crushed into a barbeque butt rub tub.)

Then tonight she made her sandwich for tomorrow's lunch and she wanted me to come see it because she made it look like George Washington.

Whaaa?

So I went to see and she had spread grape jelly on bread and arranged yogurt covered pretzels over the bread to look like GW's face, hair and beard.

When she's all about carbs and creativity, what do I do? Seriously, I'm asking.

Henry's lunch making skills involve a lot of sneaking. He wants to see if he can get by with bread smeared with cream cheese and about 5 snack packs of cookies and chex mix. Did you tell him you ate junk everyday for lunch in high school, KB? Thanks a lot. I think he tried to sneak a can of Coke in there too.

He also thinks I can't tell when he doesn't brush his teeth.

No foolin' though, there are way more laughs than tears around here, some spotty nutrition with great intentions, lots of hugs and messes, and for that, I am grateful.

Christmas Miracles 2011

2011-12-31T23:36:00.003-06:00

Svea: Mom, I wrapped your present, but it's kinda stuck to the floor because I used that double stick tape.

Me: Oooooh! Look at those Christmas decorations!

Svea: Oh, WOW! Those are beautiful!!!

Henry: Oh, Mom. They are going to have to clean all that up.

Henry: Mom, can Santa see you...even in the bathroom?

Me: Svea, what kind of gift would you like from Grandaddy this year?

Svea: I KNOW! How about we get the whole family together and have fun?

Me: (verklempt) YES. Absolutely. In addition...is there anything you would like to have wrapped up under the tree?

Svea: YES! Let's have everyone get together!

Fourteen

2011-12-23T22:38:00.002-06:00

Corinne is fourteen months old.

And that girl can communicate.

She and I got a few hours this afternoon alone, just like old times (that is, like 5 days ago when Henry and Svea were in school and it was just Corinne, Sugar and me in the house).

She wanted to dance.

And dance...

...and dance. Hooray for Christmas music, y'all.

If you want to talk about hot shoes juice bye-bye, she is your girl. She is talking and signing like crazy. In addition to dancing, she loves shoes. Anybody's shoes. They totally do not have to fit.

And if she wants to put on socks and black Mary Jane shoes before bed, who am I to stop her, right? I'm just the Mom.

She is also climbing on everything. Like a monkey.

Which is right in sync with her loving the book "No More Monkeys Jumping On The Bed."

So when she climbed on the bench and the kitchen chair and the porch chair on her own and I called her a monkey, she might have shook her finger at me like Eminem rapping, just like we do when we say, "Mama called the doctor and the doctor said, NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED."

Shake your finger, sister. It's almost Christmas...

Night 7

2011-12-23T22:36:00.001-06:00

And on the seventh night, Henry and Svea spent the night with Mimi and Papa.

Blake was distressed.

Night Six. Game On.

2011-12-22T21:20:00.002-06:00

The Boys:

The Girls:

The Game:

Night Five with the Elf

2011-12-22T07:06:00.003-06:00

As requested...

Blake, the Elf on the Fourth Night

2011-12-21T23:29:00.002-06:00

Johnnie and Amber Stateside

2011-12-21T23:21:00.004-06:00

My mom takes good pictures.

And she has an awesome camera. And some pretty hilarious grandchildren. Thank goodness that all comes together when we are in town.

And The Nutcrackers Win!!!

2011-12-20T07:27:00.001-06:00

Staff vs. SPRC Charades Showdown!!!

Second and Third Night

2011-12-20T07:15:00.004-06:00

The second night, Blake the Elf strung toilet paper all over Henry's room. I think Blake had SO MUCH FUN doing it that Blake needs to get out more often.

There are no pictures of this escapade because Henry sensed with his spidey senses that his room may be untidy, so he woke up in the middle of the night and CLEANED IT ALL UP.

Then he went back to sleep.

When Brian and I went to wake him up for school the next morning, he explained that, logically, he had cleaned it up and just what were we doing in his room right then?

That kid.

The third night, Blake the Elf left this note:

And did this:

After Henry got over being so pleased, there was a little stress around how to get all the flour off the elf.

Dude. Relax kid.

Our Elf, Blake

2011-12-20T07:03:00.003-06:00

Henry got one of these:

So we have joined the MANY who house and entertain a mischievous elf each night before Christmas. I have watched groups of parents hovering their smart phones in each other's faces to show the recent pictures of what their elf was up too.

Now I get it. I love this.

The first night, Blake the Elf left this note:

And Henry found him here:

Hahahahahaaha.

Henry saved the box.

I Won Bingo In Drawing Class

2011-12-14T20:54:00.008-06:00

My final exam in Drawing class was to choose three objects, preferably shiny and colorful, and create a still life to draw in chalk pastels.

I had never worked with pastels before. I thought after graphite and charcoal that it would be somewhat similar...but it was not. Graphite you can kind of erase and reform, sometimes smear and shade. Different pencils go darker and shade more freely. Charcoal comes in about 18 different forms. Who knew?

The amazing thing about chalk pastels is that the expensive brand truly draws differently, and the white chalk fixes everything. Also, working with pastels is about layering. Kinda like Svea's dress code.

We had two class sessions (that's a total of 5 hours) to get started on our still life, plus time to work on our own. In the second session, I was adding layer after layer trying to get control of the edges of my objects (how's that for a metaphor?) without ruining the tooth of my paper (I love saying that: the tooth of my paper).

I was wearing a t-shirt that day last week, because it's December in Montevallo, adding layers to my Still Life in Pastels and my right arm bat wing started to shake like crazy.

So I say to Alyssa next to me, "Man, my bat wing is really taking off with these pastels."

She glances at me because she's 20 and I'm 35 and she's all Whatever most of the time when I talk. Then she says, "Oh, you mean your Bingo wings?"

So I'm all, "Whatever...what are Bingo wings?"

She goes, "You know how the old ladies in the nursing homes go when they win Bingo?" She raises her hands in the air and waves her hands so her bat wings fly and yells high-pitched, "Bingo! Bingo! I won!"

I'm on the floor. ROTFL.

My flapping tricep muscles are no longer for bats, and are all for me winning Bingo.

Here is Alyssa's Still Life of her marbles:

Good thing she didn't lose them...like some of those old ladies playing Bingo.

HA.

The Ones That Didn't Make The Christmas Card Cut

2011-12-11T22:49:00.000-06:00

Thx Shout Out

2011-12-11T21:33:00.005-06:00

In this season of gratitude, I am addicted to this web site.

I promise that if you spend 2 minutes reading this site, it will change your brain. These thank you notes are so contagious - just like haikus. You think you aren't thinking about them, then you realize you are tapping out 5:7:5 syllables on your steering wheel at a red light.

I have been collecting (and sometimes writing down) various 3-sentence expressions of gratitude lately. KB did it too over here. Y'all should totally try it. Your brain will say thx, thx, thx.

10 Years Ago

2011-12-08T22:54:00.003-06:00

Ten years ago today, I ate a Whopper from Burger King. Right after I got my hair did up with pearls.

Somehow I knew that it would be my very last Whopper ever. I'm not sure if it was a Last Supper to my life as a bachelorette, or if I was figuratively and literally leaving one life behind me at that moment and moving towards a life of Better In Every Way.

Regardless, I'm glad I ate it, savored it, and left it.

Then I got married. At 3:30 pm on a warm December 8th in a beautiful church, surrounded by beautiful people.

My memory recalls that everything was A LOT that day: a lot of people, food, excitement, love, things, stuff, gifts, happiness, love, smiles, conversations, clothes, time, words, hope, love, fake snow for throwing as confetti, fatigue, planning, laughter music - did I mention love?

Thank you, most of all dearest Brian, but ALL of you who continue to surround us.

(I totally stole this picture from Brian's Facebook post...he took the picture with his phone this morning from our wedding album which we read over breakfast - awww so sentimental, yawl - and the kids were definitely not into it. So Brian read me Kimberly's homily out loud while I packed lunches and wrapped cakes and the message was better 10 years later...just like our marriage...and fine wine.)

Daisy Troop Takes the Christmas Parade!

2011-12-03T22:09:00.003-06:00

Today was the day Svea got to march in the Christmas Parade with her Girl Scout troop (Cookies go on sale December 30th!!!!)

Svea and MM not looking at the camera:

Waiting for our turn to enter the parade:

Corinne waving to the parade...and loving her shadow:

Entertaining the Daisies, Brownies and Girl Scouts with her silly hat and groovy dance moves:

Handing out candy en route:

She marched so importantly...

And Corinne napped...during the WHOLE thing...

...as did the rest of us when we got home. Whew.

Henry's First Basketball Game This Season 2011

2011-11-28T22:34:00.004-06:00

Tonight was Henry's first basketball game of the season.

He had a great time. I had a lot of issues.

I just wish I had understood basketball back in high school the way I understand it now. I wish so much of parenting wasn't working out "your own stuff."

(Notice the height differences)

I couldn't figure out why these 7-8 year old boys couldn't understand a basic 2:1:2 defense or the simple concept of TRAVELING or maybe just sometimes SHOOT THE BALL?

Am I going to be THAT MOM in the stands???

Yes, I think so.

I can't help it.

It's called LOVE in all its goofy, loud buzzers, irritated siblings, cameras, horrible basketball skills ways.

It's LOVE, y'all.

Snaggle-tooth Svea

2011-11-28T22:27:00.003-06:00

Sweet Svea finally lost her first tooth (after the permanent tooth came in behind the baby tooth):

And here's the note she left the Tooth Fairy...since there was about 37 seconds between losing the tooth from her gums and losing the tooth from our possession.

"Dear Tooth Fairy,

I lost my tooth this morning. It was so small. I am looking so different"

Dude, she still got a quarter from that fairy.

But she doesn't know it yet. It's been three days and she STILL hasn't checked the Tooth Fairy Pillow Pocket to see what she got.

Thassmahgurl.

Christmas Tree Farm 2011

2011-11-25T21:55:00.004-06:00

We tried to have us a Rockwell Family Moment and go cut down a Christmas tree.

First we got lost. Then Corinne decided to take her opera up an octave. Then Henry and Svea got hungry. Then we found the farm. And we were the only ones there. Then we couldn't agree on a tree. And Svea is a magnet for ants. And Henry is a magnet for complaining. And Corinne squawked while Brian sawed and I pushed the new tree over.

Done.

But the lanes of trees were endless...

...and the clouds beautiful...

...and the shadows were long...

...and fun for hiding...

...and watching Daddy saw...

...and trying to "help."

In the end, we got a few ant bites, have a beautiful tree, supported a local farm, forced a family moment, and enjoyed dinner at Moe's. (Welcome to Moe's!)

On a side note, Svea asked me the other day WHY people put up Christmas decorations before THANKSGIVING?

The only thing I could think of to say was that maybe people were so excited about Christmas, they couldn't help themselves.

She said, "But Thanksgiving is about being THANKFUL and Christmas is about GIVING."

How can she have it all figured out at 6 years old?

I have so much to learn from this child. I'm thankful for that.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-25T21:41:00.003-06:00

I am covered up with thanksgivings today.

From big Thanksgiving lunches and birthday cards for Pops (that illustrate his favorite tea party poem):

To Brian getting to watch football while Henry and Corinne work out on the Pilates machine:

I think Corinne's aura is white.

And unfortunate pictures from a VERY fortunate dinner at the in-laws:

And, of course, eating enough to earn a Savage's turkey cookie:

Just makes the day.

We are so very blessed, most of all to have each other. The food is just an added bonus. Thank you family and friends for Thanksgiving 2011.

Beth and Tucker Moon's Wedding

2011-11-23T23:11:00.006-06:00

I am taking a hiatus from the photo challenge to post about Aunt Beth's wedding.

Which was last weekend.

It was truly an event, I tell you.

Some pictures are up on Facebook already (friend me and you'll see) and there are many more photos to come.

Svea was a flower girl and got her hair "did" the morning of.

She is, indeed, a Princess in Training (thank you, Beth, for the footage):

Andrew was her stylist at Adorn and he was fabulous. I can't really understand every single thing she is telling him, but I did hear them talking about animals, monkeys, lemurs, Netflix, Power Rangers, computers, remote controls, and princesses. He deserves a Great. Big. Tip.

Before we left for the wedding, we were doing some Christmas shopping and Svea picked out these glasses for KB and Brad:

Corinne eventually pulled the eyeballs off the glasses Svea is wearing in the photo...but luckily we know where to get more.

Beth was an exquisite bride:

And Henry, Svea and new cousin Kamdyn were excellent attendants:

More to come, as it was, like I said, an EVENT.

Veteran's Day 2011

2011-11-13T21:08:00.007-06:00

On the way to Elmwood Cemetery yesterday, I asked Svea if she knew what a cemetery was. She said No.

So I pointed out of the window at the cemetery and she said OH YEAH I know what that is.

She and Henry used to call cemeteries "die on earth" places.

I explained we were going to visit Papa J's grave, that there would be a marker there that Uncle Johnnie made marking where he was buried.

She said WHY?

So I said sometimes people want a place to go to remember someone even though that person won't be there.

She asked, logically, so are we going to dig up Papa J?

It was windy (curvy roads and air blowing on you) but Mama J finally led us to Block 30 (she told Scott that it was around some trees...and that there were a lot more graves out here than there used to be...two lines that she will never live down since she said them to Scott Matthews).

Lydia and Corinne checked out some head stones...

Corinne stood at her great-great-grandfather's marker.

Dad called him Pie (maybe from playing Pee-Pie - that is, Peek-a-Boo, as a child?) but he was Mama J's dad and a dentist named Loran Lane.

Mama J looked and looked and told us stories.

It was hard to get a cousin picture with the sun in our eyes and the wind and leg warmers and Corinne can walk so why should she sit?

But we tried...

Here's Papa J's marker that John Stewart made. I had never seen it.

We did two rubbings of it...one for Lydia and Miriam to take home and one for us.

Another treasure for our family, a story-starter on many levels.

This is a shifting iron name plate that connects us through family alive and dead, offers the images of a sun rising or setting and the Methodist flame and cross - two images that never stay, cast in iron that will never fade. The irony is not lost.

Nor is my experience with my own Henry and his idiosyncrasies that remind me of Papa J.

Thank you, Veterans Day, for making me take the time to connect what is important in our growing family.

Day 30: With Flaws

2011-11-10T21:19:00.003-06:00

I had a project due for my drawing class.

And Somebody wanted to contribute.

So I turned in a drawing...with flaws.

It is SO worth it.

Day 29: Style

2011-11-10T21:18:00.012-06:00

Svea's sticker press-on fingernails...that I keep finding all over the house...and the washing machine.

Day 28: Air

2011-11-10T21:18:00.010-06:00

Day 27: Pain

2011-11-10T21:18:00.007-06:00

There is so much pain in this world. Too much.

That is why I am going to stay "on the surface" here and touch on the "mild to moderate discomfort" that comes before pain.

It almost hurts me that the dictionary is upside down on the book shelf.

There is so much in this life we have no control over, and much of that involves pain. But I can control how the books on my shelf are arranged. And that, in itself, brings comfort.

That dictionary was also the first birthday present Brian gave me when we were dating (that whole 20 minutes before we got engaged) and if you know me, it was the most romantic gift he could have given.

You go, hubby.

Now flip that big honking dictionary over, already...

Day 26: A Color

2011-11-10T21:17:00.011-06:00

Practicing walking in these shoes...and loving the color on my toes...though I'm thinking a burnt orange for the upcoming wedding...

Day 25: Shadows

2011-11-10T21:17:00.009-06:00

Working with charcoal pencils on Mi-Tientes gray paper...thinking about shadows.

Day 24: Studying

2011-11-10T21:17:00.007-06:00

I SO want to be one of those Couponing Queens...so I study...

Day 23: Big vs. Tiny

2011-11-10T21:16:00.006-06:00

My new kicks for the wedding this weekend...and the tiny blue Polly Pocket shoe I keep digging out of Corinne's mouth...

Day 22: Equal

2011-11-10T21:10:00.003-06:00

I've been thinking about abacuses a lot lately.

Then we got some small stones to line the labyrinth yesterday and Svea immediately grabbed a handful of stones so she could do math games.

Hooray for math games! With small stones! It was a very Montessori moment from a public-school-educated child. Hooray for Meadow View!

So Svea lined up stones to play adding games and my heart multiplied.

Day 21: Fragile

2011-11-10T21:04:00.002-06:00

Svea's sweet little ego is a little fragile.

She keeps setting up these "shops" that offer different "lessons" such as drawing or painting or spinning tops. Seriously.

Tonight she made another drawing shop and when no one ran to buy her drawings, she kept reminding us that her shop was OPEN. So I bought a "pumpkin perspectives" drawing she did and I "paid" $5. Which she then gave back to me as my change. Sweet deal for me.

After I bought my drawing, she continued to repeat herself until other family members visited her shop...and Henry told her to be quiet (but not that nicely).

Maybe her ego isn't all that fragile considering all her repetition...maybe I just fear the moment she does feel fragile...

Day 20: Hope

2011-11-10T21:00:00.003-06:00

Henry ran, Svea danced, and Corinne rolled through this labyrinth we made with masking tape on the floor of Restore last night.

The labyrinth, the children, the joy, the gift of contemplative practice give us HOPE.

Day 19: Pressure

2011-11-10T20:55:00.002-06:00

This is a painting my brother did.

Somehow it ended up in my grandmother's basement (instead of on MY WALL in MY HOUSE) when he and Amber moved to Singapore.

Then one day, a friend of my grandmother's was going down her steep driveway, coming for a visit, and mistook the gas pedal for the break pedal and ran his car into the side of her house. He left the front end of the car in the basement.

Something hit something that fell on something and ruined a bunch of stuff.

In the process, this canvas ripped under the pressure of shifting objects.

It's not ruined though.

I have plans for it.

Day 18: Weather

2011-11-10T20:53:00.002-06:00

Still not cold enough for sweet Corinne to wear this...but I can't wait. Thanks for the hand-me-down, Katie Jane!

Day 17: Time

2011-11-10T20:48:00.002-06:00

This is under my kitchen sink. In time, there in the bottom container, I will have collected enough Capri-Sun pouches to mail into Terra Cycle.

The top two containers will decompose into yummy compost and feed the worms in the backyard. It'll take longer now that it's getting colder...but in the end, all we got is time.

Day 16: Soundless

2011-11-10T20:47:00.000-06:00

Day 15: Warmth

2011-11-10T20:46:00.001-06:00

Every night. On my floor. Until Corinne decides to sleep.

Day 14: Denial

2011-11-07T15:12:00.002-06:00

I am in denial that time is all about perception, that I can fit more activities into actual minutes, that I don't care that my watch stopped working when I tried to "fall" back an hour last weekend, and that this current state ain't just a river in Egypt.

Chipotle sweet potato soup

2011-11-06T21:53:00.000-06:00

Um. Yessssss.

Chipotle sweet potato soup

Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T22:19:00.002-05:00

Please meet the most distinguished Misses Captain America:

And fear the Supah Ninja (again):

This holiday could not be over soon enough...

Can I get a shout out?

Day 13: You Choose

2011-11-02T22:15:00.003-05:00

Day 12: Art

2011-11-02T22:14:00.004-05:00

my unfinished drawing project that is due tomorrow:

from one of my classmates sketchbooks:

Day 11: Glittery

2011-11-02T22:12:00.002-05:00

Day 10: Nature

2011-11-01T23:38:00.002-05:00

"Nature" all up under his nails while he is catching bugs...and he doesn't even care.

I LOVE it...on some level.

Day 9: Interview

2011-10-31T21:12:00.005-05:00

Interview with a 2nd grader:

Me: Hey, how was your day?

H: The girls were mean on the bus.

Me: Really? How?

H: They said a mean rhyme.

Me: What was it?

H: "Girls go to college to get more knowledge; Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider."

Me: Really? "More stupider"? The irony...

H: Whatever...

Interview with a 1st grader:

Me: Svea, how was the playdate?

S: Henry was mean to us when we were playing.

Me: What did you say when he was mean?

S: I said, "Be nice, Henry! God! Is! Watching! You!"

Me: Okay. Enough said.

Interview with a one-year-old:

Me: Corinne, what do you think?

C: Ahhh. AHHHH. UMmm.

Me: Hmmmmmmm.

C: Is this thing on? Is it a phone?

Me: hug

Trunk or Treating with the Rock Star, Bumblebee, and Supah Ninja

2011-10-30T19:48:00.001-05:00

Meet Cori-nja...

2011-10-30T19:46:00.001-05:00

Skills. Nun-chuck skills.

Next, she's going to eat some tots.

Day 8: Newspaper

2011-10-25T21:59:00.001-05:00

Yeah...

Day 7: Scattered

2011-10-25T21:57:00.003-05:00

This is more of my process lately:

When I prefer to be more like this:

I know! "What the whaaah?" is what you were thinking!

This is my new painter's caddy that dear Annette sent me. So perfectly perfect and inspiring - I loaded it immediately and can't wait for the kids and I to venture out and USE it.

Now I won't be so scattered when I want to start painting!

Day 6: Treasure

2011-10-25T21:51:00.002-05:00

One woman's trash is...you know...

which is why I love the United Methodist Women's Annual Bazarre!!

Trail mix with candy corn, clothes, kitchen items, an embroidery hoop, an old suitcase I'll reline with Super Hero pictures with Henry (did you know that Marvel has a web site where you can create your own super hero pages????? I need to find who to write my Thank You note to...), and some old airline goodie bags with eye pillows and chap stick and comfort socks.

How could I NOT buy these treasures???? (though in Alabaster, we say "tray-zure).

Day 5: Sweet Dreams

2011-10-22T21:00:00.003-05:00

Favorite lotion, fave lip balm, eye cover if needed.

Eye pillow full of rice for the morning easing awake time. Zonk.

Day 4: Jewelry

2011-10-22T20:58:00.001-05:00

In a nesting frenzy last year, I took an old cigar box and cut cardboard pieces to make these dividers to organize my necklaces.

Time well spent, y'all.

Day 3: Fly

2011-10-20T23:16:00.005-05:00

Fly.

Some bright morning when this life is over...I'll fly away...

That song was all I could think of when I saw "Fly" for this challenge.

After my oldest child was born, of course THINGS changed, but the Quirky Things are what I like to think about about.

With Henry, I watched the movie "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" every day and listened to Norah Jones.

After Svea, I stopped wearing dangly earrings (a BIG wardrobe shift) and wore clothes that didn't match. I also taught myself to quilt and listened to Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

After Corinne, I memorized "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" and ate the #4 from the Chick-fil-A drive thru.

Regardless, I want to learn to play the violin. So I paid $15 a month for 2 years to buy this old one and can't wait to start fiddlin' away. I hope the kids want to too.

Fly, kids, in whatever way you choose...

Day 2: Something I Love

2011-10-20T23:09:00.003-05:00

Something I love...right now I am really loving being in a Small Group with thought-provoking women on Wednesday nights.

Last night we discussed the concept of Wabi Sabi. And read this book together.

I visited this feeling and concept years ago. Then a dear friend in Evansville (Dianne) gave me this book without knowing how often I would read it.

Thank you, Dianne.

I hope for experiences of Wabi Sabi for all of you this week.

Send me a haiku about it if you are so moved.

New 30 Day Challenge!

2011-10-18T22:26:00.003-05:00

We (some cronies and anyone else interested) are starting a new photo challenge:

And as today is Day 1, here is my open door:

About as big as your pinky finger, this door swings open in the front of Svea's doll house.

I have this vision of having a Studio or Creativity Room or Sewing Place in our house. Recently we moved Svea's doll house out of her bedroom (so she could have room for her vanity table to fix her hair in the mornings. Because you need 8 bows for first grade) to downstairs in the evolving Creativity Room.

I want the kids to play and create and feel comfortable in that room...and give me equal space to play and create and feel comfortable. We are getting there...

For now, this tiny door opening symbolizes a lot of progress for our family. I'd like to concentrate on the fact that it is OPEN, no matter how big the door.

Hooray for that.

Corinne's Little Pumpkin Party

2011-10-12T22:18:00.004-05:00

We had a little family pumpkin-themed party last Saturday for Corinne. The party flowed and was a great time, but I didn't get one picture! Thanks to Bobbie for sending these.

Thanks to Mimi for this cute pumpkin dress!

Thanks to Henry and Svea (in full cat face for no particular reason) for helping blow out the candle!

Thanks to Daddy for the Superwoman Flying Position!

These bloomies were for you, Aunt Brooke. We missed you!!

Thank you cousins for posing together....best you could....

And thank you great-grandparents for coming to the party!

A good time was had by all...

Happy Birthday, Corinne!

2011-10-12T22:16:00.003-05:00

Corinne is one today!

Hooray for a beautiful, amazing, long, crazy, hopeful, frustrating, wonderful 365 days!

We love you Corinne Elizabeth!

Corinne In The Great Outdoors

2011-10-01T19:37:00.001-05:00

Drawing Project #3

2011-09-30T22:06:00.005-05:00

So I'm back in school and am taking a Drawing class.

It's so awesome that there are some days I can't stop smiling the whole time and I worry what the other tragic art students think of me. I can't help it.

First we did contour drawings of fruit, then we did a shoe (I did my Ugg boot from my right foot since I forgot to bring a shoe that day), then we did a complicated still life. Our next project was to pick three objects and draw them. Then make stencils of the drawings. Then put the stencils together in a pattern that moved across the page.

The Short Story is, here's my drawing:

The Long Story is this (no need to read if the Short Story was enough. I'm way too into metaphors):

My sister-in-law Amber lives overseas.

There is always more to Amber than you see or think or analyze. Seriously, she's already thought what you are thinking and is kindly, non-judgmentally, waiting for you to join her.

She studies everything that comes near her, whether it's breathing or not.

She is constantly teaching. Sometimes with words.

She travels to India a good bit and brings back jewelry and clothes that have meaning.

I try to wear a piece of jewelry everyday that she has passed along.

In my drawing assignment, I chose 2 earrings and a necklace that Amber gave me.

I arranged them into a strange labyrinth.

The goal was to have the positive space (the space the actual jewelry occupied) outline the path of the labyrinth so the negative space (the empty space between the jewelry) was the path you took in moving into and out of the labyrinth.

I drew and arranged and flubbed and erased and inked it in and tried to make sense of it all.

So I took a picture of it and printed out 2 copies, 8"x11".

On one I colored in the positive space with a sharpie. On the other I blacked in the negative space.

Here's where I get metaphorical.

You can't get out of the labyrinth if you follow the negative space. You are trapped in the loops every time.

But if you follow the actual jewelry, the positive space, it will lead you all over the page, in continual loops and curves, and deliver you safely to where you began. And you will be different.

Someone in Drawing II might have seen this coming, but I didn't down here in Drawing I and I am grateful for the lesson.

Take the Positive Space, y'all. It will wind you around, love on you a little bit, and then spit you out where you began...just a little different.

Praises be.

Chillin' on the Porch

2011-09-30T22:05:00.001-05:00

Flyin' at Sno Biz on Fridays

2011-09-30T22:00:00.003-05:00

Every Friday, while Svea has dance, we go to Sno Biz.

To pay money for ice.

With syrup poured on top.

Whoever came up with that idea is a genius and has no car payments.

Henry loves the flavored ice, Corinne not so much.

But they have fans that blow your hair (which Corinne loves) and Looney Tunes (which Henry loves).

And when Daddy is with us, Corinne loves to fly around the place...

Feels like Friday for everyone!

Emily Loves Ice Cream, by Svea

2011-09-26T21:08:00.003-05:00

Come On Ride That Train...

2011-09-25T13:41:00.002-05:00

Perk #59 To Pulling Up That Carpet:

Sibling choo-choo trains.

(Though the picture does not capture it, Corinne was giggling like crazy to be the caboose)

2011-09-19T22:50:00.003-05:00

HAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!

Or if I were cool and up with it and all, I would say LOL LOL LOL! Or maybe you just say one LOL?

Henry's conversation with Brad and KB sums it up...

Kid Update

2011-09-19T21:31:00.002-05:00

Henry got a new wallet. He's very proud of its flat presence in the back pocket of his skinny jeans. In it is one dollar and a picture of himself. He wanted to have a "passport" just in case we went out of the country. Or if someone needed to know who he was.

This is the picture he posed for so he could cut it out and tape it to a piece of paper and then write his name on it.

Svea loves Hello Kitty. Just wait until you see her school picture; it's impossible to look at and not grin. Svea used a pantagraph our friend Vicki gave us to work the outline of this Hello Kitty.

Then she gave her teeth.

And made her love Jesus. And Jessus.

Svea has also learned to snap her fingers. She can't do it without pushing one hip out and moving her head like a bobble head. It drives Henry crazy. So she does it about every 17 minutes. Even if Henry is in the other room, you can hear him yell, "STOP snapping at ME!"

And Corinne.

Sweet, loud, aggressive Corinne. She loves pizza: to eat and to wear.

And she likes bananas in her hair, to hold my earrings as we walk around, for the wind to blow in her bangs, to munch on a piece of celery for 20 minutes, to throw her sippy cup, to ring a bell, and to sneak in Henry's room and knock over his guitar.

Everyday.

This is the life.

Fort Morgan in August

2011-09-16T19:16:00.006-05:00

A few weeks ago, we got the chance to go down to Fort Morgan for a few nights.

The house we were borrowing was 4 blocks from the beach, which was manageable. Once we got to the beach, we found out that August is Biting Flies Month. I'm not kidding - that's what a local told us later. Biting flies. For real.

So we got in the water to get away from the flies, and we kept seeing these fish jump out of the water around us. They were big fish, and flat...like sting rays. I didn't know sting rays would fly out of the water. They do.

So that freaked me out to go back to the shore with the biting flies.

Then a bunch of beautiful dolphins began to glide on the surface which is my favorite thing to watch at the beach, but the flies were biting again, so we left.

And went to buy a baby pool to play in underneath the house in the carport where the breeze helped move the biting flies.

And we got a couple hundred water ballons, blue for Henry and purple for Svea.

It was the perfect solution.

So we swam and splashed and pegged each other with tiny water balloons. And Brian read comic books (research, you know).

Then it was time to play Dodge Balloon (not my idea).

I think that was their favorite by far.

After cleaning up all the tiny balloon pieces, apologizing to the environment, riding bikes, swimming in another pool, and eating a fine mahi sandwich, we came home.

I think maybe we'll come back in September next year, and leave August to the flies. Regardless, hooray for the beach!

Knock-knock...

2011-09-15T18:37:00.002-05:00

Me: Knock-knock.

You: Who's there?

Me: Interrupting second grader.

You: Interrupting sec-----

My experience today: Interrupting second grader is ME! What's your name? Are you Henry's mom? Watch me shake my milk like THIS because this makes it taste better and it also makes lots of bubbles (lick, lick). What's your address? I don't know my address. You see that boy over there? He doesn't know his address and he doesn't even HAVE to know his address because he has DIABETES did you even know that? Look at all this ketchup on my burger but I'm not even going to eat it but I ate all my pickles but maybe I'll eat my burger. I'm going to be a policeman when I grow up and when my mom was PREGNANT I got the FLU and I had to stay in my room for a week and two days until my fever went away. Do you like this picture of my FAMILY? Yeah, it's all in a day's work.

I came home from having lunch at the kids' school and had to take a nap. Interrupting second grader(s), indeed.

Day 30: In Motion

2011-09-05T21:16:00.007-05:00

Dunh-duh-duh-duh-dunh, DUNH-duh duh. Dunh-duh-duh-duh-dunh - DUNH-TA-DUH!!!!!

(That's the Superman Theme song, just in case you didn't sound it out).

Corinne loves her hair to blow. And she loves to fly. She's all about being In Motion.

Thank goodness her dad loves Superman and singing the theme song from 5:31am and on.

Dunh-duh-duh-duh-dunh, DUNH-duh duh...

(can you tell that I haven't wanted these 30 days to end? I must have made this my 44 day challenge...)

Day 29: Purchased

2011-09-05T21:16:00.005-05:00

I purchased this fleece for its irony:

It is the most UNdangerous thing in this house and is so soft. I can't figure out why it is softer than other fleece I have purchased. I love it.

I used it on the back of the Mariner's Compass quilt I pieced last year. I added a border...took it out, added some to the skull-and-crossbones fleece and then took it out, did some other things, and waited. I thought it was for one baby, but it wasn't. So I waited.

Then Max got born! At the end of July! And I knew what I had been waiting for!

So it's for him. Welcome to the world, Max! We love you already!

Day 28: Daily Routine

2011-09-02T19:37:00.006-05:00

About 4pm, I start looking forward to my morning cup of coffee for the NEXT day. That's normal right? It doesn't have to be coffee, but I like something to drink that is super hot and kinda bitter. Black tea is nice, but black coffee is the best.

My newest favorite mug is getting a lot of use...thanks, KB!

Day 27: After Dark

2011-09-02T19:37:00.004-05:00

There is this awesome frog that sits on our front stoop at night and I've been waiting the past 3 nights for him to show up so I could take his picture.

Alas, since I needed him, he has not shown.

Instead of waiting around longer, I finished these crayon aprons after the sun went down and the kids were asleep or reading or whatever they do when I "clock out."

I made four of them for the Kids Table at Aunt Beth's wedding...though I can't remember how many little girls will be there...

After seeing Carroll Lane's post about the rainbows, now I want to take those crayons and melt them! CL - how did you attach the crayons to the top of the canvas? SUCH a great idea.

Day 26: Something Old

2011-09-01T19:11:00.006-05:00

The cake itself is not old. I just made it. But the memories attached are a little over 35 years old.

My grandmother makes a perfect pound cake. I aspire to every time, but something always comes out different - even with the same old recipe.

I remember the smell of pound cake when walking in the door as a child.

I remember waiting a few days after it came out of the oven to let the moisture settle and then cutting the perfect piece; after that piece the rest of the cake would dry out and it was time to make pound cake toast in the morning with more butter on top (something I definitely allow for breakfast in our house. Even on school days. You're welcome, teachers.)

I remember trying to make one stirring by hand and then another using a stand-up mixer and finally calling my grandmother frustrated and her telling me she uses a hand-held mixer, but not so much anymore due to the arthritis in her hands. I remember right then and there wanting to make her a pound cake every day.

I remember the perfect pound cake she made after our son was born, despite her arthritis. My husband is still talking about that cake, 7.5 years later.

I remember 3 weeks ago on Svea's 6th birthday, her made-to-order breakfast request was pound cake for breakfast.

I remember yesterday letting Corinne crawl around the dining room floor after lunch and letting her eat the big crumbs of pound cake off the floor, and not telling her to stop.

Thank you, new cake and old memories. I look forward to much, much more of you.