Cornflower Blue

The Marathon

2009-11-14T06:25:00.000-08:00

It is finally here... the big day my Sweet has be training for - RACE DAY... Yep, today is the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon. And my sweet hubbie is running his bootie off right now. Yep, he is running and running and running and we have cheered him at the launch and are now at home and cozily drinking tea and eating pumpkin bread... seems unfair, huh!
Being at the Start line and being a part of this race and this day has just been amazing. I am so very proud of my Josh. And its not just because he is running his first marathon... its so many things... for having the discipline and dedication to train for such a feat day in and day out... to run even when it is freezing cold or blazing hot... to run even if you feel guilty for it... to run even though you might be intimidated or nervous... and to have found something you love to do. It is for all these things and so much more that I am proud... so very proud of my husband.
It's funny watching some one take on something like this is not what you would think it would be... I thought it might be like watching some sort of painful masochism, but it hasn't been like that at all. I mean, yes, there have been the hard things... the blisters, the injuries, the sweat... but mostly, being a witness to training like this just inspiring. Watching Josh train for this marathon just makes me think he can do anything... anything at all he sets his mind to... and maybe, just maybe, I might too.

Way to go, Sweets! So immeasurably proud to be at your side...

Crinkling Leaves

2009-11-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

Today we took a nice hike in the park.. it was gorgeous out... there was a crispness in the air and the sun was trickling through the golden forest leaves.
I think there are just those moments when you look about yourself and realize that there is a perfection right there in that moment. A time when not a negative thought could flitter through your mind and suddenly you see the simple beauty that is present in our world all the time, but I guess we are mostly too busy and distracted to notice it. And even now, as I work away in the studio I still find myself thinking about the sound of crinkling leaves beneath my feet and little Autumn voice asking me to go faster.... "Fasser, Mom! Fasser!"

Life is good... actually even better.

Faufer

2009-09-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

Faufer is the name by which Lavender now goes by, thanks to her sweet little sis... who is constantly trying to say Laughfer. Yes, I know that it is incredibly funny that our littlest has given big sis another nickname because she cannot say the original nickname.

On another note, Miss Lavender totally pulled out all this stops today and about made me crack up into a million pieces! See, we have been going to church on Wed. nights and they conduct a children's class. In this class they learn the "God Basics" (or that is what I call them).... like 'What did God make" etc. etc. - So, tonight Lavender brings home her drawings and class papers and we are looking through them. I noticed that there is this one of a big playground scene depicting kids on slides, swings, running and all sorts of stuff. And some of these kids are playing nicely together, sharing toy trucks and stuff while others are like hitting other kids with sticks and stuff... (I know, right... ) Anyway, at the top of the page it says something like, "point to the children are doing things that please God" and "point to the children who are not". So, I ask Laughfer this stuff and of course, she goes right through the motions pointing to the "correct" kids like the good little child robot. And then I see one more question at the top of the page... So I ask Laughfer "Which children do you want to be like?"

To which she immediately points to the girl who is pushing this other kid to the ground.

Nice, right???

And a little tidbit from our car ride to church for your reading pleasure....

L: Awww, Man! Did you see that bank?

Me: Huh?

L: You know the one with the furniture...You get gas in it...

Me: uhhh

L: You know that one

Me: Yep???

L: Did you see what happened to it?

Me: nope

L: The sky broke off!

Me: It did... huh?

L: Yeah... It's a bummer, man. I don't know where it is... It just, like, broke right off.

Maybe a tree fell on it - Yep... a tree.

What this means I will never know.

Clothesline 09

2009-09-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

So Clothesline has come to a close this fall and now that the dust has settled and all my post it note to do lists have made their way to the trash bin, I look back on all that it was this go around.
I know that there has been a lot of buzz about the show, but I could not resist putting a few pics up and adding my little ol' 2 cents.

I gotta say that this Clothesline really was a success...
There was quite a big turn out for the event both at the opening reception as well as Saturday afternoon and we all have quite a bit to be thankful for with our sales.
But ya know, the thing I always find myself dwelling in around this time of year, is the fact that there is just no other art show quite like this one. There is no other art event I have ever attended that has felt this warm... this welcoming. There is no other art event I have ever been involved in that truly extends hospitality. I just think that there is something so lovely about a beautiful home, like the Krichbaum house, opening its doors to the public and allowing them the freedom to sit down, relax and take in the work for as long as you need. It is just so very different from your typical white walled art gallery and so very refreshing.

I guess I just love Clothesline for all that it is... and all that it isn't.

Thank you all for coming out to support the women of Clothesline. It has been a privilege to share our lives and work with you!
I have placed the works that have not yet found new homes in my online shop... Check it out! www.tumbleweed240.etsy.com

Ljosio

2009-09-09T18:23:00.000-07:00

Ólafur Arnalds - Ljósið (Official Music Video) from Erased Tapes on Vimeo.

The coolest person I know showed this to me and I found myself entranced, even though I am in the middle of full tilt art show prep... amazing!

Summeryness

2009-09-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

So I know its been like ten years since my last ye ol' posty... but, I finally made it back to this little ol' portal into cyber land... that is sounding a heck of a lot more than "little" in my mind right now. And I find myself pouring over the insane amount of things I have neglected to share with you guys... I seem to be a person who gets totally addicted to the technology world or who absolutely rejects even the thought of sitting down in front of the computer screen. It is either one or the other with this girl... I am either updating my silly Facebook status every few hours or I don't even go into our office for days. It is like absolute obsession or complete neglect...Are you guys like this too? I hope so.

I am amazed that it is already Sept. and in my neighborhood I am already seeing the signs that summer is showering us with her last lingering rays and that Mother Fall is right upon her heels. I hear her calling to me at dusk... reminding me of the brilliance of color that will grace her leaves and fall down all around us... teasing me with promises of ripe apples and big beautiful pumpkins! Oh, I do love Fall and I am excited to see her, even if it means that my long summer days that stretch into bright evenings will soon be over.

Oh... I guess I was supposed to be telling you about what has happened, not what will hopefully be, right???
Oh well... I will just say that this last bit of lovely summeryness has been celebrated and joyed in with the onset of our sunflowers blooming, the excitement of little girls enjoying miniature tea time with real porcelain, long wonderous naps, many hours spent in the pool and a very over due and soul filling camping trip with my constant outdoor companion... my dad.

I know I could live on a farm

2009-07-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

this past weekend we found ourselves at Crabtree Farms once again... there seems to be a magnet for this family that pulls us to those pretty fields... picking strawberries, buying Nasturtiums and seeing what's ripe. I have to say that this is by far my most favorite family outing.... the wholesomeness is unbeatable! It's like there should be some sort of soundtrack it is so harmonious! There is just something about being out and about soaking in the sunshine and seeing the wonders of the world of horticulture. And at this age, it really is so brilliant to see the girls learning about the plant world and enjoying it to its fullest... in fact, I think little Autumn Marie weighed a whopping 3 xtra pounds by the time we drove out of the gate! What can I say, the girl has good taste!

The 4th baba!

2009-07-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

So our 4th o July was pretty fun and bustling with activities. Here are the things of our 4th:

Symphony Americana music

Inflatable jumping apparatuses filled to the brim with mobs of kids

one kid peeing in line

the girls first fireworks display

one cinged eyeball from the ashes overhead

free popcicles

Lavender's critique of port o potty facilities

neighbors with lots of fireworks

one yellowjackets nest

one hand swollen to the size of a baseball mit (totally not even jokin' dude!)

one perfect temperature pool

2 patriotic deserts (of course, there were 2!)

Lots of good friends

Amazing food cooked by one loving Mimi

one bean bag toss

one game o golf

a big time badmitten schoolin' for Joshers! yes!

one souveneir American flag made in China

Church

and lots of family time

Lavender serenading me with the Ramones

not too shabby, eh?

Regina Regina

2009-06-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

So there was just no way that I could refrain from posting about Regina Spektor's new album, 'Far'. We have been listening to Regina for some time up in here, but I gotta say, I didn't expect this album to sweep me right off my feet like it has. It is an album filled with tenderness, delight, tragedy and heartbreak. So many of the tunes of this album are delivered in a playfully upbeat songs that weave a magical web right around you. However, there is this extraordinarily great thing about Regina... she wins you immediately with her powerfully rich, coffee like voice and cheerful sound... and then slowly you realize the shadowy, weighted lyrics underneath. And these lyrics seem to say some things you have felt or thought or sensed before, but could never quite put into the right words. It is a lovely little package that steals your heart away.

Perhaps, this captivating hypnosis that Regina can cast over her listeners is some kind of vampy dark magic that comes from the heart of Moscow (her home till the age of 9) or maybe it is just the result of hearing a true artist amongst so much of the clamour of an music industry inundated with "talent" that more the result of crafty studio execs and pr managers.... I don't know, but I do know that she charmed me completely as I listened to her lovely interview on NPR the other day, and I think that is what sent me over the moon for her. She seems to have this playfully friendly magic that springs out of her that is irresistible. That kind of super fan doesn't come out of me too terribly often. So I find myself thinking of the early Bjork era (before the days of Matthew Barry or the attacking of Japanese journalists and such) where everyone simply thought of her as this lovely little Icelandic fairy fluttering to and fro and producing magical off the wall sounds that could only sweep you away to some place with lots of colors.

And yes, Rolling Stone calls often for my album reviews.

Apple core discoveries

2009-06-15T06:16:00.000-07:00

so the past few weeks I have found myself "doing" less and just be ing more... if that makes any sense. I think something in me somewhere was a bit lost... wondering what I am doing... if I purposeful in my days... if I am living my calling or whatever you would like to name that purpose for your life. so, when I find myself in this familiar place I tend to stop... open pages of written word... think more... produce less... and try to listen to the words of my heart and seek the guidance that does not come from places I see and touch and know everyday. I can't express all that this search is yielding just yet, but I will say that I have discovered two things yet again. First, that I am just where I am meant to be... here, at this place I now know for certain is home. And Second, that we will always be homesick for a place we have never known.

And perhaps discoveries like these hold something in common with the drawings and photographs of the remains of various produce I keep finding filling the pages of volumes and volumes of sketchbooks.

Or perhaps I just feel I have something in common with an apple core.

Summer days

2009-06-11T06:25:00.000-07:00

With the onset of the hot weather, we have found ourselves outside with the hose more often than not. Last summer I scored an awesome sprinkler ball (yes, they do make a GIANT beach ball that hooks up to your hose and sprays water everywhere! Awesome!) and have just now started to break it in again... gotta say that there is nothing that draws a neighborhood full of homebound kids in the summer like a simple sprinkler. I'm so glad that it doesn't take much....
Here are a few views of our recent days... I have a wierd knack for photographing my kiddos at unlikely angles.... they will probably hate this as they get older.... but for now I get to savor all those great shots of their tiny hands, rolly polly legs and sweet little toes!

Lavender uncut volume 2,403

2009-06-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

So Lavender's new favorite thing is to lay and I do mean lay all over Chloe (our relatively new dog). Yes, Chloe seems to double as a giant pillow. And Lavender seems to have decided that Chloe is by far the best transportable reading spot. Yep, most days I find them cuddled up together while Lavender is "reading." So funny...

Yesterday we were in the car and this is what Lavender busted out on me...

L: Mom, do you need to be safe?
Me: What?
L: In the car... are you to be safe?
Me: I hope so.
L: Yeah... cause this is a BIG road.
Me: Yes, it is.... and I am being very careful
L: Because of the fast cars, huh
Me: yep
L: yeah, you gotta look out for cheese
Me: Huh?
L: and Poles
Me: sure
L: and houses and cars
Me: a huh
L: and flags too

What tha.....

New Birdies

2009-06-04T05:24:00.000-07:00

these little tweeties flew off to comfort a good friend whose own nest is just about to make room for one more. Grace, I am so excited for you guys and can't wait to meet 'Green'... eh eh eh!!!

On we go

2009-05-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

So here is a collection of randomness... lovely little snippets of our days that somehow never actually made it onto a post. There just don't seem to be the right words to describe the cuteness of leg warmers on a almost 2 year old, the beauty of a wreath of Euonymus framing Lavender's pretty face, the way sun tea seems to taste better than tea from the kettle, how a puppy looks at you with those big sweet eyes or the way paint dries on tiny hands....
so when words fall short, the camera comes out.
And on snipping pics I will go.

At long last

2009-05-17T06:21:00.000-07:00

At very long last these pieces are complete. Now that I have journeyed with these works to a place somewhat resembling completion, I take a step back. I realize that they don't look like too much... in a great way, I think.
What I mean is that throughout history, silhouettes have been used to preserve moments and capture memories. And they always seem to have an unencumbered simplicity about them that communicates nothing but an effortless, humble, everyday kind of beauty. Perhaps this is their nature... they are frank in their intentions, source and purpose... and their very presence is so often a testimony of a familial love. Maybe all these things are why I love them... they are unpretentious and made for a home, the antithesis of a vacant gallery space... and yet they are just as lovely in composition and form as a great work of 'fine art.'

And ya know what the most amusing thing is... hidden behind these simple silhouettes lies hours and hours of studio time, fine paper swatches, beeswax test strips and multiple silhouette sketches. No one will ever know how many 'test runs' were put put to critique and failed before the ones you see made it onto the canvas.
I guess nothing worth doing is ever easy.

Thomas the Train gone wild

2009-05-06T07:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we took little Laughfer Daffer to the Thomas the Train event at the Chattanooga Railroad (thanks townleys!!!). And as you can see, I got a little camera happy. Maybe I was just a bit too giddy about all the free kiddie activities. The place was totally sensory overload ville.... giant bubble wands, train sets, Thomas tattoos (seemingly temporary), a petting zoo, an inflattable jumper and other stuff... I'm sure the is something that I'm leaving out.... like some poor teenage kid trapped in a giant Sir Toppem Hat costume getting toppelled by an onslaught of pre-schoolers! eh eh eh
And as you can imagine, they loved it.... the funny thing was that I think they liked all the free activities more than they got into the actual train ride, which ya gotta have a ticket for! I guess it's the same as those first christmases... when they like the box more than the actual present... don't ya just love that about little people???
So, for all you Chatt town parents out there... this little outing is definitely worth your while... you just can't beat all that activity filled fun for free yo!

And one last thing... you gotta make sure to think of all your old school photos when you check out that last one of Lavender and Matthew in front of Thomas... totally reminds me of my old prom pics!!!! so funny!!!

This makes me want to make BIG art

2009-05-02T06:32:00.000-07:00

'Just her size'

2009-04-30T07:07:00.000-07:00

Since this crew spent our little ol' easta sunday making sick couches and tending to snotty noses, my moms and I decided we still had to put those pretty Easter dresses to good use. So, we girls went out for tea. Yep, yep... you guessed it... The English Rose was the spot for such a grand affair... this is Chatt town, where else would we go??

Anyways... I gotta tell ya, I was a little antsy about this. I had images of tea cups and saucers flying through the air and meany pants looks from stuffy old ladies bouncing around in my head. But, I was delighted to see that all the fears I had built up in my head were fruitless. The ladies in the Rose were happy to have us and my girls just made me proud!
It was so charming to watch Lavender enjoying such finery and being such a little lady. And miss Autumn Marie was so into the little spoonfuls of hot tea we shared. And as I watched my little women soaking up all the lovely little details I re-realized that all those cute dainty things really do communicate such important messages. They say "You are such a very special treasure" and "The everyday does not always have to be so ordinary". I think for me, in the chaos of flying toys and shouts of 'No' and 'Mine' it is just too easy to coast... to be a bit on autopilot.... to just make sure that everyone gets food and is clean (relatively).

And when I hear Lavender tell her Daddy about the "tiny teacup that was just her size" I beam.

My 32 years

2009-04-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

so today is my actual birthday and and I am not one to shy away from spilling the beans on my age... i am exactly 32 years old today and grateful for every moment of it. In fact I don't know why peeps are so into hiding their age... don't they know that every one of those years was not only a glorious gift, but also holds the keys to who you are and why you are... they have the power to reveal the stuff of your life... the achievements, the treasures, the heartbreaks and all the lessons learned in between.

I guess what I love the most about this day of the year coming around are the reflections that this celebration carries with it. There is always a time every birthday where you face yourself... your life... and the stuff of your days over the last year. And somehow I am always surprised surprised by the depth of my joys, how much my kids have grown and all the bittersweetness of that year.

So I guess I'm just here saying... Thank you, god... for my 32 years and for the incredible family I have to share them with.

Boo Ya !!! Got em done!

2009-04-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

so I have been basking in the tiniest rays of accomplishment for the past few days...
You know how there are just some things that are always poking at the back of your brain begging and begging you to complete them???
Well, I finally put my little hands to work on some of those guys and got em done!!! Yes!

I wanted to make something for our mantle that was whimsical, but familial... something about or relating to the people who fill this lovely little home... and I finally got it done! I gotta say that the orange is just right... perfect shade and the the vineyness really works the way I wanted too, but I will say it is a little varsityish for me... Perhaps a little bird or something will have to perch itself on that letter.

And I did promise Lavender I would show off all her lovely works of art that we put up in her new "gallery" - got some talent, eh...

and finally I just wanted to show off this lovely paper (I promise it's the last time!). I thought the big glorious blooms and insects were just too pretty not to look at them everyday.

Why is paper so very addictive??

Full, but not too full

2009-04-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

this weekend some how hit that nice space between being full and too full... somehow we were able to get a lot done and still do so many of the things we had hoped to squeeze in without feeling to pressed. I don't know why that it such a remarkable thing to achieve, but it is.

here are some highlights:

My Josh ran 13 whopping miles!!
We (i.e. Josh) built a lovely raised garden bed
Got inspired by wonderful art
Heard a kickin' country gospel band
Listened to the thunder
Saw an old acquaintance
Got temporary tattoos
Dug up two random plants in our yard
Finally purchased that lovely lovely paper!
watched Autumn discover her shadow for the first time

I know these 'highlights' gotta seem silly to some, but for us they really were joyous little treasures. And for you cats who weren't able to make it out to 4 Bridges this year, you gotta check out these cats:
Chattanooga's own Peter Delong Vaughn... his simple compositions seem to speak volumes with their ample spaciousness and uncluttered easiness on the eyes. (and his work made the 4 Bridges coveted promotion spot too!)
Amanda Blake (http://www.amandablakeart.com/) and her warm familial images that seem to throw winks to Van Gogh and Gauguin and maybe a little Basquiat too.

And the Jurors choice in awarding Aaron Hequembourg (I threw in a pic for ya) the best 2D mixed media award really did hit the mark. His portraits carry the echoes of many many lives well lived and impress upon the viewer this sense of a profoundly purposeful time so very unlike the one in which we find ourselves. I could say so much more about his work and about the whole collective of artists that we visited with and work that we took in, but
there are many things to be done and minutes upon minutes slipping away.

I hope your weekend was fruitful... always feels so affirmative to get one of those, eh...

Giddy and excited

2009-04-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

Apple - Movie Trailers - Where the Wild Things Are

I just can't say enough how excited I am for this flick! From the looks of the trailer, it seems to really capture the magicalness of that book... I loved loved loved reading Where the Wild Things are when I was a kid... scratch that... I just like reading it... then, now... wheneva.

I am so so pleased that Dave Eggers has started a new journey into film writing... (he co-wrote this one with Spike Jonze - spell? - and is working on another flick that looks pretty cool too!) For those of ya who aren't familiar... Eggers wrote 'A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius' and many others.... love love love that guy!

Anyone wanna try and catch this flick together??? gotta wait till Fall... whatta bummer!

Detective Jen

2009-04-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

This morning Lavender walks straight up to me in the kitchen and proudly proclaims "I love the painting with the trees where the animals live!"

It took me about a million years to figure out the great mystery... she was referring to Starry Night, which appears in a Classical Baby episode she had just watched. (in the episode they kinda hide animals in the painting.... wha what?? - Baby stuff is strange) What can I say.... the girl has good taste!

Tee hee hee.....

Easta

2009-04-13T06:37:00.000-07:00

I know some people seem to be satisfied with merely one Easter egg hunt... but not this fam!!! We did a total of 3 hunts! Yes, 3... I know, I know... you're thinkin' "why do they love eggs that much?" right...?
Well, we ended up with so many because of sickness and the on going task of juggling multiple family schedules.
Nevertheless, I think the kiddos had a blast! I included a million pics to prove it too... eh eh. I really just think that they would be happy searching around the yard for any old thing. Yep, even a old sock would do, if you hid it well enough. The sheer glee that comes across their little faces is just so glorious and contagious too! And what a sense of pride and accomplishment they have upon pouring over their overflowing baskets! I just love watching these kids grow and discover and explore... it really is something special to be a part of a little person's world.

On another note... I have to say that it really was nice to see them all helping one another find Easter eggs and being so very kind. I couldn't believe I didn't even witness one argument over an egg... and thankfully the word 'MINE' did not rear its ugly head till later... I felt like a proud Mamma/Auntie Jen...

There are so many things to be said of this very important holiday... and they don't have anything at all to do with eggs, bunnies or chocolates, but the page is only so long and my kids are revolting at my motherly departure due to my bloggie addiction.
We out!

NEWS!!!

2009-04-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

We have news!! We have a new family member... and no, it is not a new baby... it is a new puppy!

We are lucky enough to be blessed with the sweetest pup I have come across in some time. Her name is Chloe and she is a Lab/Shar-pei... Maybe we will start a new trend of Lab-pei and you will all be seeing them all over gossip magazines at the grocery store.

So far... this is what we know... her coat is amber colored and shines like copper in the sunshine. Her eyes are green and seem to speak volumes already. She is cool and calm, but still loves to play and run outside, especially with Lavender beckoning to her at every turn. This little cutie has already snuck into our hearts and made a little home there. We are blessed to be a family of 5.

Thank you Rachel and family... you brought us such a wonderful gift... words seem to fall short again.

Laughfer Daffer uncut

2009-03-24T07:19:00.000-07:00

so my little Laughfer Daffer has been sicky sick the past couple of days and I gotsta say that it is so much easier to be the sick one hanging on by a thread than to watch the sick one hanging on by a thread. I hate seeing my little ones all puny and tired and like little shadows of themselves. It really makes me think about those ones out there who have to live their lives day in and out with a child who is seriously ill. I cannot imagine what kind of strength that would take and how they manage to hold it all together. I guess the world is full of lots of heroes that we will never know.

And finally... for your enjoyment... here are the results of a little questionaire I gave to my little Lavender. Her answers really are quite hilarious and telling too. (thanks, Leah for the fun idea!!)

Mommy according to Lavender 3-09

1. What is something mom always says to you?
That you love me

2. What makes mom happy?
Loving you

3. What makes mom sad?
What is sad????

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Rolling on the floor

5. What was your mom like as a child?
"like me" --- Lavender ust pointed to herself when I asked her this one

6. How old is your mom?
I don't know

7. How tall is your mom?
this tall (hands up)

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Play with me

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Play with my toys

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
For me

11. What is your mom really good at?
Checkers

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Plants

13. What does your mom do for her job?
Paint at school

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Banannas

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
I dont' know

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Herself

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Games

18. How are you and your mom the same?
I don't know

19. How are you and your mom different?
sigh

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
i don't know, mom

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
School

Cleaning is over rated

2009-03-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

so this weekend as the rain came down I found myself holding a little 3 year olds foot and being inundated with cries of "pink... pink... pink... i want the pink poalish!" and as I looked up I awoke to a sight I will treasure for years to come... My sweet husband so intently painting the tiniest of toe nails and one very happy Autumn Marie. It was so funny to see Autumn perched in her little chair watching her sweet Daddy like she had experienced pampering of this level a thousand times before. So funny!
I guess all I wanted to really say today is that I feel so blessed... blessed to have a partner on this journey that loves his girls more than imaginable. And somehow today as I look around my messy little house I see the evidence of this love at every turn. When I go to blog away there is a tiny little polly pocket riding around in a Strawberry Shortcake shoe on Josher's desk... a gift from Lavender that he refuses to put away. At the fridge, his portrait a la Lavender hangs proudly and on top of it the finger painting they did together drying for the 5th straight day. As I look at all of this beautiful mess I realize that I have tried to "clean up" every bit of these things and was stopped by a smitten Daddy. And somehow I don't know how I missed the evidence of his great love for his little women all around me every day. I guess our messy houses can hold the keys to unlocking our hearts and showing us the meaning of our days and the love of the people who fill them... if we let them.

I love you and your big heart Josh Kring.

My window sill

2009-03-12T07:08:00.000-07:00

the amarylis that graces my window sill has finally begun to bloom again. It's brilliance impresses and awes me at every glance. I find myself overtaken with memories of the last time it bloomed... the week our little Autumn Marie came into this world. It seems as though that were a lifetime ago. The only constant thing in our world has been change and I am reminded of this every time these two little faces look up at me.
It always amazes me how far they have come in only a year... how differently they move and express themselves. I can't believe Autumn is walking and can ask for specific things. She has begun to leave behind so many baby signs for sounds trying ever so hard to make those words. When I hear her say "BOB peeezzzs!!" I know she wants me to play Boberanne by the Beach boys (her fav new song). I don't know why it is so sweet, but it just is.... it warms my heart and makes me smile and I feel dorky because I want to cry sometimes. It seems that no matter how much time I spend being with her it is never enough... not for me. I love watching her hobble over with a giant book and plop down in my lap and say PPEEZ. Perhaps being a mom is mostly about being smitten.

The things of Feburary... better late than never, right??

2009-03-03T07:09:00.000-08:00

February was a rather full month for this crew. If you know our family and friends, then you know that there is not a week that goes by in this month that we are not celebrating someone. We loved sharing in the delightful joyousness of this time of year for sure... so many parties, presents and so much fun!
And now that a new month is here and the sugar has finally ceased pulsating through our veins.... I am remembering all that this month has held... new haircuts, new work schedules, play dates, spelling lessons with green beans, visits from friends, paying respects to lost friends, bonfires and school tours. It has been a big month fo sure!
And now that things are slowing just a bit and the sugar has stopped rushing through our veins, I find myself so eager... to finish all the countless art projects in my studio, to finally bring that garden plot in the back yard to life and to enjoy my kidders out in the glorious sunshine and to run through freshly cut grass... Oh Spring... come soon!
In honor of the random collection of content in this post, I thought a random collection of Lavender qoutes would be an appropriate addition...

"Lions and elephants eat eggs and potatoes, right?"
"You put food in your mouth, not in your hair"
"Quesdillas are like napkins because they are white"
"Is this Badonna, mom?" (yes, yes... Madonna is frequent musical presence in our world... Lavender will even belt out a few lines of 'Holiday' for ya if your real sweet!)

The Divine Pause Button

2009-01-26T06:37:00.000-08:00

I find that there is often a love hate relationship with technology running through these veins... sometimes I love love love the connectedness that this computer with its blogs and facebooks and websites yields.... so current, so convenient... so today. And then there are the other times... times when I think that the "connectedness" of the online community doesn't really touch anything of the essence of community and what that truly means. And this feeling that perhaps we would all be better off if we actually went to visit one another instead of sitting down in front of our monitors seeps right in.

Sometimes it is just hard to be okay with connecting with others via these means...

As you have probably guessed I have just gone through one of these "ugh - the computer" spells. I find that this bloggie of mine has two very different effects... it causes either a verbal purge or a unintended vow of silence. Most of the time when I get in front of the computa I only mean to write one or two lines and then find myself rooted to the desk a half hour later. And then there are the other times when I sit down and deciding to write any little thing at all is like trying to pry open an oyster or something.

Now that that is out of the way...

Things have been good here, but seem to be moving both fast and slow if that makes any sense. Art projects keep getting almost finished and put on hold waiting for supplies, or printing processes or for kids to vacate the studio. The search for educational options for the girls has begun, but you just can only do so much research that is truly helpful in one day. There are lots of things that seem to go on and off, starting and stopping... I think once you enter parenthood there is some divine pause button that keeps getting pushed on and off and on and off. But alas, we are trying...

One last thing.

Last week we got in the car and NPR was on again. They were reporting on OBama's plan for immigration and Lavender pipes up and says "Our Pres Dent sure does talk a lot outside!"

I guess the inauguration ceremony made some sort of impact!!!

Walks, Dalmation gear and Frankensteiny moves

2009-01-05T06:31:00.000-08:00

The new year... ours has gotten of to a rather quiet little start. we've been at my favo celebration spot... home. but, I gotsta say that the cabin fever that the rain brings has taken hold.
I find my feet itching to go walking at every step and a longing for bright sun shiny days like no other.

Thank goodness yesterday showers ceased and we got in a seriously desired walk... something that feeds my soul every time without fail. I was ever so suprised to stumble on this lovely statue of a cross on our journey. What a gift on a cloudy sunday - a reminder of God's unconditional love and sacrifice for us.
In other news...
Miss Autumn Marie is now a big walker!!! She only seems to get about 10 steps in till she falls, but it is just adorable and quite Franksteiny!! Soo funny... you cats gotta check it out the next time you're around.
Enjoying the new Dalmation look up in here... thanks, Mimi!!!

a word about the holidayness

2009-01-01T11:22:00.000-08:00

so finally a word of the holidayness of it all. I'm not sure what all to say of this season of celebration... there has been so much... So much to be thankful for, so many incredibly generous gifts, so much fun with our fam and friends and so many things to do...
but, then there has also been the awareness of those we love who no longer walk this beautiful earth who loved this season soo much... how can hearts and minds not linger there and feel that loss again? this season has been beautiful and achy too. and somehow it is not easier to say nothing of these things.

Somehow I think all the holidays would be a little more meaningful and real if we did more talking about not only the shiny brilliant sparkly beauty of our the holiday pomp, but also the parts of our selves that seem to rise to the surface of these times.... the hurt and longing and holes we have inside us. Perhaps these things are so much more universally relevant....

And you know... without them, so many moments would go unsavored... like the quiet simplicity of seeing our children asleep under a Christmas tree, the glory of a bright, clear winter day made for a good walk, or the constant help and support of the one that knows us the most. These are things that make my heart and soul stir and lead me in the right direction this time of year... to the one, constant, unchanging source of rebirth, grace and unconditional love.

My heart is grateful.

a new work of utmost importance

2008-12-28T20:19:00.000-08:00

There are many things to be said of this work... for me it was a great journey into uncharted waters. It was a lesson in taking things to more challenging levels and developing more of a symbolic relationship with my work.
What an honor it was to make a work to commemorate the season of life that brings forth new birth.
Hope you enjoy, dear Leah. I will miss seeing this work in my studio and thinking of you and the babies and the countless memories we share during late creative hours.

the weekender

2008-12-08T06:25:00.000-08:00

I don’t know about you cats out there, but our weekends seem to be just flying away with all the Christmas hub bubb… don’t get me wrong, I love love love Christmas, but I do get a little frazzly about the sooo muchness of it all. There is just so much to do, see and participate in… I do love living in a place with so much to do, but I am finding that you gotsta be a little choosy if you don’t want to loose your head, ya know.

So, after an evening of Christmas parading downtown, I felt like I needed just a little get away. So yesterday I escaped with my sweet sis in law, Lindy to the Hunter Museum for their first free sunday of the month and to see all their beauuutiful Christmas trees.

The trees were really works of art themselves, but I found myself almost more enthralled by all the new architecture. I know it’s not really new, but it’s new to me. I still remember free days at the Hunter with only 4 other people roaming around and empty space everywhere. To say that it was well attended is quite the understatement… I had to park on 4th to even get a spot!!! what tha… anyway… yes, so much has changed, but I am in love with the newness… change is good and keeps your mind and ideas flowing…. thank goodness.

Oh yeah… we also finally got a Christmas tree and I got the house all gussied up for Christmas… makes being home all the lovelier! Hope your weekend was inspirational, kids!

The Big Tree lighting

2008-12-03T06:15:00.001-08:00

So our good friends Shaun, Erin and little Matthew headed out to a little Christmas tree lighting with us last night.
We took a little walk to the grand event that left us all quite a bit chilled... at least those of us who weren't holding hands!

Anyways, it was fun... the kids loved it... especially the hot cocoa and christmas cookies that wrapped up the event. Here are some little snippets...

Hope you cats are enjoying the Christmas season... we sure are!

the glorious exhale

2008-12-02T06:07:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what kind of magic resides in a simple walk, but I can attest to it's power. Probably one of the greatest parts of our little family times are our mini hikes and walks. It doesn't seem to matter if we are exploring a wooded trail or taking in the expanse of fields, the effect is still the same: a giant glorious exhale. And the best part about it is that it is so very simple... you just put one foot in front of the other.

And you can't beat the things kids say when your out there...
In fact, this is what Lavender said she saw in the trees:
a duck
the mountain
a pond
Ghandi
and a sailboat

--- I don't know what trees she was looking at that hold such marvels, but I sure wish I could see the world like she does sometimes.

Chriffmas time

2008-12-01T05:47:00.000-08:00

ok, i know, i know... lots and lots of pictures again! But hey, I guess there are just sometimes when you find your world colored by many picturesque moments and you just know that you'd be a fool not to shudder bug away at them... or you do what I often do and not pull the camera from the depths of a overly stuffed diaper bag and then berrade yourself later for not. Funny

Anyways... if you cats are local, I'm sure you have gathered what these pics are of... The Grand Illumination!! For you out o towners out there, this is a christmas event downtown where there is a lighted boat parade in the TN riva, much song and dance and eventually (brace yourself, kids) Santa parachutes down to Ross's Landing and then makes some sort of festive dramatic display that causes all the buildings downtown to light up and show off their holiday illuminosity... and yes, illuminosity is a word... ;)

Anyway, I know I sound way too sarcastic to have had much fun, but it all was actually really really fun... even for my sweet, crowd a phobic hubbie... but maybe it was our incredible company that made it so great... Milla and Lee.... we just love ya and the girls are stiiiillllll talking all about you. "Lee had a red hat, mom" "Milla said she was getting me a shirt with red letters" "What did Milla say she dream?" "Does Milla have a pink house?" "Lee and Milla live seconds and seconds and far away!!!"

Yes, yes... my dear friends have captured the hearts of my girls... but, of course!!

One last thing... Lavender is already in love with Christmas, which is apparently called "Crifffmas" --- who knew?? funny girl

Thanks

2008-11-29T14:19:00.000-08:00

so I had possibly the most lovely Thanksgiving to date... this has always been by far, my favorite holiday. No exceptionally overcommercialized confusion about why we do what we do... just thanks... for everything we have and are. There are too many things to say about the thankfulness that fills my heart for this blessed life I get to live. And even better to have one day in particular to savor and celebrate it.

Our thanksgiving was filled with so many lovely little things that all equal the greatness of our life...
a beautiful table full of glorious food, so lovingly created
a glorious post bread breaking walk through the brightly colored woods
the sounds of little feet running behind and in front of us
almost being outnumbered by little ones
warm chai after a long, chilly walk
and most of all... family

I love you dear ones... can't imagine my world without you
Thanks for all you are and do.

Autumn and her big birthday!

2008-11-24T06:18:00.000-08:00

So we had a little birthday party for my little tiny one year old girl! can you believe it... one whoppin year old!
geez, it really does happen as fast as they say. Ya know how everyone always says "they grow up sooo fast.... bladdie bladdie blah." Well, all those people are right. It does indeed happen so very fast! And the silly thing is this: It is not like we don't know this is coming... we know, and it STILL surprises the heck out of us... sheesh!

In all of it, I still feel as though Autumn is my little baby. I still feel like I had her just a tiny bit ago. I still feel like she should be in the tiniest baby diapers and be playing only with the "safe toys"... all these things I know, even if I don't want to all the time.

There is something especially about Autumn that makes me want her to stay so small.... perhaps it is because she is simply my youngest girl or maybe it is because there is a good chance that she is my last baby. I don't know what it all is and feel like I shouldn't dwell on these clingings, but I know I would be fooling myself if I didn't just say these things out loud.

But ya know... despite all my attachments to her firsts, I still find myself so happy to see her grow... to watch her learn new signs, new ways to communicate and move her little body.
I am ever joyful to see her big beautiful smile, to see her get so excited about something that she just has to bob up and down to get it all out!
I am priviledged to be such a big part of the growings of this little person.

This weekend we celebrated... celebrated the debut of this little beauty one year ago, and the tremendous blessing she is!

God is good!

The Non Yellow, Non Brick Road

2008-11-21T11:29:00.000-08:00

so it's me and my girls... and one very leafy back yard. Words may never be able to express just how much joy the leaves have brought to our little home. We press leaves, we talk about leaves, we jump in leaves, we make gorgeous leaf impressions with crayons and best of all, today we have raked a gorgeous green path meandering through the back yard. It is kinda like the yellow brick road... just green and made of grass, not bricks. This is what we do...

funny

2008-11-19T06:11:00.000-08:00

so things have been really fun and really funny with these girls...

First off... Lavender now has a posse of stuffed animals... And here are their MOs:
There is a tiny white rabbit named Bunny Ka Cat, a black cat named Bear Tank, and another rabbit called Rabbity Decent and someone equally as strange that I can't remember. So weird, eh... funny too!

I simply cannot tell you how funny it is to hear this little girl asking her mom to find "Rabbity Decent"... eh eh

Second...
Little miss Autumn Marie said her first official, clearly pronounced word this weekend and you will not believe what it was....

It was NO!
loud and clear... NOOOOO!!!
Na na na Nooooooooo! NNOOOOO! No!

Hilarious... and a little tragic too... I don't even want to think about what this means.

And finally here is a little convo I had with Lavender this morning.

L: What is that blue and red thing?
Me: What blue and red thing?
L: The blue and red cone thingy that you don't have.... Daddy has...
ME: Where is it?
L: In the bathroom...Yep... Daddy cuts his hairs with it
Me: You mean the Clippers!!
L: Yeah...Daddy uses it to cut his hairs. Daddy doesn't have a beard.
Me: You're right about the clippers. Daddy trims his beard with them
L: Daddy doesn't have a beard
Me: I think he's growing one
L: No, he doesn't have one. See, he clippered his hairs with it this morning, see... so he doesn't have one... He doesn't, Mom... See?

oh

the perfect weekender

2008-11-17T06:42:00.000-08:00

so I gotsta say that one of my most favorite things about the cold weather is the forced homeness of it all. We spent most of the cold weekend at home... my castle... my favorite place to be.

and we even got to do my favorite thing... we took a nice invigorating walk in the woods. I can't say enough how much the outdoors feeds my soul. It seems to be the perfect antidote for so many of life's ailments.
It is as if a sort of purification or cleansing takes place... and suddenly all the shoulds of your everyday melt away and you can't remember that thing that you thought you needed to own soo very much or all those additional commitments that you thought you needed to make or how you really should be doing a better job at one of your million roles.
Suddenly all the important things... this collection of little people and the amazing person who gave them to you is all you can see.

And somehow it is just easier to see the source and center of all we do behind these faces that smile so widely simply at the acquisition of a simple leaf.
My heart is thankful that I have a God that teaches me so much through the smallest things.

On another note... does anyone know what these wonderful green seed pod thingies are that drop from the trees every Fall?
When my bro and I were little, these made the greatest bombs in countless wars (even though they are remarkably heavy - yikes... er)...

Oh yeah... you gotta check out Autumn's bundled up baby look! so funny! I think Lavender's gloves will be the new hot fashion trend this Fall!

Peace out, yo!

The gems of Lavenderville

2008-11-12T05:40:00.000-08:00

Lavender has come up with some pretty hilarious stuff lately.

Here are a few gems for your enjoyment....

Yesterday she comes to me and says...
L: Mom, I ate a purple one
M: A purple what?
L: Bead (she didn't)
M: What did it taste like?
L: A..... Flashlight!
M: A flashlight??
L: We don't eat flashlights, mom

And in the car...
L: Mom... remember that boy?
M: What boy?
L: The one on the slide that was having some green hair???
(We went to a festival where the kids were running around with painted hair)
M: oh yeah
L: He WAS! Having some green ones...

And then this morning...
L: Mom, I name my girl
M: Your doll?
L: yes
M: What did you name her?
L: Creamy snake
M: oh
L: I'm just being kidding!

Bill Cosby would be proud, eh...

Art history according to Lavender

2008-11-10T06:01:00.000-08:00

Here are a few things Lavender has to say about the great world of art history...

Lavender definately thinks that Mona is smiling. "Yes, she IS smiling... she's not sad." And she also asked if this was a picture of me... Wha What???

Marsden Harltey paintings look like toys...

and this one by MacDonald-Wright she likes - when you ask her why she will say "Because she sees lots of things... yes." - personally I have always been super creeped out by this, but what do I know... eeks.

And the ol' 'Lucky Strike' has lots of shapes. She likes that one too.

But, 'The Blue Clown'... not so much she says. (Smart girl... Walt Kuhn painted all these super creepy clowns - all parents should take a look at these so they don't make the dreaded "clowns are soo fun, let's have one at little Billy's birthday mistake")

More from our art history tours lata, kids!

Finito

2008-11-06T06:52:00.000-08:00

A new work has flown away.

This is a special piece for a special girl and her new baby boy!

congrats, Karen!

Another big day in Autumnville

2008-11-06T06:43:00.000-08:00

SO big news with this little chica...

She is now standing ALONE for several moments!!!

I know, I know... she is getting so very big, eh?! Pulling up on everything and standing too!

Tomorrow she will be going to college, right...

Anyways... I am a proud little momma.

A new day

2008-11-05T06:14:00.000-08:00

So this election is finally concluded and my body sighs with great relief. And I gotta say that as much as I did not ever want to write about anything political on this little ol' blog, I find that rule so ever hard to keep in the midst of such a monumental year. It seems that no matter what I do, I have a constant shadow of awareness of this election and the countless issues that ride on its shoulders. And even when I'm not awake I seem to be thinking about it (Case in point : Last night I dreamt that I met Barrack Obama and when he turned to greet me... It was Al Roker --- what the.....?)
All this to say... I'm happy that this election has reached a swift and generally problem free conclusion. And I feel many things...
Happiness
to see an African American finally reach such a pretigious leadership position
Satisfaction
that this race represented so many seemingly unacknowledged American voices - that of women and so many minorities
Dismay
that the candidates I was most excited about dropped out of the race long ago (as they do every election year)
Pride
to be here and watching our country make big choices
Fear
for the hard work ahead for our President and our country - so many things to work on
and finally Readiness
I am so ready for the proclamations to cease and the work to begin. I'm ready to put aside who we voted for and do the work of making this country a better place to live and work and be for ourselves and most of all for our kids and the generations to come.

All this to say - the results are in --- the election is done... let's do the work kids... pray for our leaders and get our hands dirty.

Halloween 2008

2008-11-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

No little monkey is complete without her "Man in the Yellow Hat" right??? Yes, yes... for Halloween we had one Curious George, one Man in the Yellow Hat and one little Acorn. I can't express how proud I am of my big sweetie for going out with a giant homemade yellow paper hat on it head that was so big that he had to walk in the middle of the road so not to hit the trees!!! What a good daddy!!!

One last thing...

Here is what Lavender said she dressed up as for Halloween.

a mat
a rubber band
a brown cup with pieces of pink paper
a pink pillow
a big movie
a can of air
a white pillow with an elephant coming out
a scary mask
and a hammer (with her bff Matthew-aka Cookie Monster- as the nail)

wha what???

so awesome to have this kid.

Exuberance!

2008-10-31T06:16:00.001-07:00

So the glories of the Aquarium will never loose their charm! Can you believe the exuberance... Wish I could bottle some it up and save it for a grumpy day!

On a another note...

Here is a little tid bit our morning conversation for your enjoyment.
L: Did the Light come up?
Me: Yes, I think so.
L: Is it on it's way?
Me: Yep
L: I will go see.

L: It IS on it's way! It is getting lighter and lighter and LIGHTER!
MOM... ITS LIGHTER!!!!

Perhaps the sun should always be called The Light...

The Hive Works

2008-10-30T05:33:00.000-07:00

So the hive (aka, my studio) has been buzz buzz buzzing with new works...
These works are solely for my little ol' family... yes, yes... I have been unabashedly pursuing exactly what I have been wanting to... my own work... for no one else but me! So selfish, righto??

Anyways, here are the fruits of the labor...
Lavender in silhouette... then her lovely little hand and feet impressions captured forever in sweet sweet beeswax! I just love this incredibly durable medium... perfect for me, especially since Lavender keeps carrying them around the house saying "Look at THIS, Mom!!!"

Now I just gotta get the Autumn works going!

As you may have noticed... I am in preservation mode. I keep finding myself wanting to savor and capture all the wonderful tiny little details of this time in our little family's world. It seems that its fleetingness (is that a word?) has made itself known to me once again. And somehow I just know that these are the golden years, ya know...

Hope you all are savoring yours in your own special way...

Howeva, if you want your own child's tinyness caught on canvas, like these... give me a shout and I might just make one for you!

Now off to enjoy the incredible wonders that live in the waters of the Aquarium!!!

Hope you cats have a good day... looks like it is going to be a pretty one!

This one goes out to our Anna

2008-10-29T06:08:00.000-07:00

so this one goes out to our dear Anna, who is in a beautiful far off land.

Miss Anna gave my sweet girls these really wonderful paint sets before her departure. And the funny thing is that they have started an artistic revolution up in here!

I'm not sure quite what the magical ingredient was in these paints, but whatever they had in them, it sure does work it's magic!

Since we have used them we have begun painting on any and everything... matboard, muffin cup paper, toilet paper rolls, ribbon spools... you name it, we have probably painted on it! And not with just acrylics, but with watercolor, pastels, crayons, and lovely Anna paints (as they are called here)!

Anyways, I'm not sure why out of all the creative projects we have embarked on, why these paints have become the catalyst to creating a new passion, but whatever the spark, I can't express how happy it makes my heart. I know, I know, we should be happy to watch our kids flourish in which ever field they are drawn, but I confess, if it is art, my little ol' heart would melt!

oh yeah, here is Lavender painting... and yes, we consider the hands to be a supa cool canvas!!!

and for Anna, sorry we haven't posted pics of the finished "Anna paint" project... more to come lata!

and one more thing, our little ol' computa is on the frittzers, so if ya don't hear peep from this end for a bit, that may be why. Hopefully we'll get is fixed up supa soon!! peace out, homies!

Have I mentioned....

2008-10-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned my Autumn Marie??? well, I can't remember the last post about this cutie and I just have to say that she is magic!

This momma is falling more and more in love with this little babe every day... even if she is crying all the time with the onset of some new toothies!

This little crawlin' machine has taken up a new hobby I haven't told ya about... She chases! Yep, she will chase you room to room. And she's fast too! Boy, those little hands and feet can really get a move on!
I guess the sweetest thing about this new hobby is that I know it comes straight from her little heart that just can't get enough of you.

This tiny girl just loves people so much she can't get enuff... which you would know if you decide to put her down to do the dishes or somethin' - her favorite place to be is riding around in someone's cozy arms!

So sweet!

Anyways, I'm sure you have read enough of the blatherings of a smitten momma, so here's signing off...

Big Skies

2008-10-23T06:26:00.000-07:00

it's funny... we moved the computa out of the den and made an office out of one of our bedrooms and I gotsta tell ya that it has really changed my techy addiction. I am embarassed to admit that when I have to walk past our computer to do anything I am magnetically pulled to it... it is almost uncontrollable. So it is a new bittersweet development at the K house... nice to be living more and recording it less, but unfortunate to not be up to date on so much.

Nevertheless... life goes on.

On another note...
I keep finding my camera filled to the brim with dozens of "big sky pictures" and tiny detail pictures. I keep finding myself taking pictures of the Autumn sky... something so mesmerizing about that much blue!

Anyways... here are some big skies for you! oh, and tiny details too!

the birthday girl

2008-10-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

this is my sweet Grandma, who celebrated yet another birthday today surrounded by her children, grandchildren and many great grand children.

my heart has many things that it longs to say about this woman who has lived so long and taught me so much. But alas, I find that there is just too much.

all i will say is that today is was lovely to see her happy and enjoying the moment... each tiny littlest moment for what it was.

Dipping Raw Silk in Beeswax

2008-10-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

So for all you cats I haven't seen in a bit here is a little snippet of what I am usually up to... almost all my artwork these days can be identified by the term "encaustic collage"... it just means that every component of the piece is adhered to the canvas with beeswax.

I take big blocks of beeswax and melt it down and basically create a collage utilizing beeswax as the adherent substance through a heating technique.

My little ol' Facebook status about dipping Japapnese raw silk in beeswax was the result of my giddy enthusiasm to see how lovely the fabric took to the wax... Just take a look... you can see all that gorgeous gorgeous texture and even all my hard hours of underpainting and layering shining through!! Yep, I am pretty happy about how this piece is coming along, even though we are nowhere near finished... (funny how it always seems like I am in that stage?!!!)

Anyways, I posted some before the wax pictures of the lovely raw silk and you can see the after the wax pics of the canvas and let me know what ya think!! (sorry for the lousy photo quality guys... I am so wicked tired right now... )
smooches!

Pumpkin Pickin'

2008-10-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

Check out our day at Brush Creek Farms, kids! Yep, we took the fam and Jess and the girls out pumpkin pickin'!

For those of you who know me well, you are well aware that this is just the kind of outing I love love love. The simple goodness of it... the lovely lack of materialism and over entertainment... and of course, the amazing wonders of nature.

All these things make for one stellar fam outing, if I do say so myself!

If you all are ready for any seasonal outings I highly recommend the Pumpkin Pickin'! We went to Brush Creek Farms (http://www.brushcreekfarmstn.com/), which is just past Dayton and they do a great job at making the farm lovely and family friendly. You can check out a bazillion different pumpkin varieties and even take a horse drawn wagon ride out the fields to pick your own! And don't forget to pack a lunch... the picnic tables offer a pretty sweet view that you will not wanna miss...
So supa dupa fun!!!
Hope you guys are able to get out there in this perfect weather!
Smooches!!!

it's been a bit

2008-10-08T06:28:00.000-07:00

hey kids, sorry for the bit o silence... all has been well, but eva so busy it seems. (and I tend to have a bit of an all or nothing relationship with ye ol' computa!)
Anyways, we have been busy busy bees over here...
we moved around most of the furniture in our sweet little house and have been spending all other waking moments in the beautiful fleeting Fall weather... I just can't get enuff, I say!!!

Here are a few snippets of our last few days...
I just gotta say that the last couple of weeks have been so super simple and perfect. The girls have been ever so much fun... especially Autumn who can get around and do so much more these days...

I guess it's just one of those small times where you realize that everything is just how it should be in this momentary bubble right here, right now.

we'll see how long it is till it pops!!!

until then, I am happy to just float!

FREE TREE EVERYBODY!

2008-10-03T04:19:00.000-07:00

Calling all gardners....
Yo! I gotta a super pretty tree that is FREE FREE FREE if you would like it.

These beautiful shots are of the pride of my garden... The Angel Trumpet Tree.
Wow.. whatta looker, eh?

Anyways... It is with some sadness I must say adieu to my little tree. See, we live in a neighborhood rampant with little tiny children, all sorts of dogs and pets, etc. That is what we love about our little ol' neighborhood, but it is actually a drawback when you plant a poisionous plant in your front yard that just beckons to those tiny, curious fingers.

If you would be interested in planting this tree in your yard you are welcome to it. We just need to move it out asap... so let me know if you want it, kiddos!!

a few things to know abut angel trumpets:
Sun loving plant
multiple bloomer
fragrant blooms
fast grower
eats and drinks a lot
is a tropical plant (but most survive winter around here - mulch mulch mulch)
and unfortunately posionous (leaves, blooms, the whole bit of it!)

Da Zoo

2008-10-02T05:59:00.000-07:00

so we went to da zoo yesterday and here is a wittle glimpse of the fun.

We caught up with Laughfer's good bud, Mattdew there and they had the best time running around, holding hands, dancing, chasing one another and the like... just look at all the fun!

Now Autumn is finally getting big enough to see some of the animals and check things out a bit too. She was wavin' wavin' wavin' to the spider monkeys and staring right back at the macaus ( I have absolutely no clue how to spell the name of that dern bird)
anyways... the weather has just been too nice to stay inside as of late... we have been ramblin' from one park to the next and checkin' out the zoo every dollar wed. just so we can be out. Just can't get enuff of this glorious early fallness! So lovely.

Hey... on a funny note... here is Autumn looking totally terrified on the carousel. I guess I'm not supposed to say things like that, but hey... who are we kiddin' - sometimes our kids are funny... and you just gotta laugh it off, right?

and one last thing.. this last pic of Mattdew made the 31photos bloggie. To check out our little project, go here:
http://www.31photos.blogspot.com/
and try not to get too scared of the spooky van cannon pic currently at the top o the page!

hope your week is as lovely as ours has been!

AMK's big day

2008-09-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

yep, yep... this girl had a super big day today...

Little Autumn is officially a crawler now!

daunt da du daaauuuh!!!!!!!!!

Yep, those tiny little legs finally figured out just what they could do and now they simply can't get enough.

She scoots and scoots and crawls all over my dirty floor... it really is just the cutest thing... those tiny little legs move move movin' and that big diaper padded bootie up in tha air!

so cute

now I just have to clean the floor more.

smile smile!

Ode to Josh

2008-09-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

For Josh...

For you...
I would dowse my hair with sticky glue,
I would fry my legs and eat them too,
I would put a spider in my shoooeee....

For yoooouuuuu!

Yep, I am a silly girl who just love love loves this cute boy...

love makes ya do a silly thing or two... like post love songs written by Gonzo on your blog!

check this out!

2008-09-29T06:12:00.001-07:00

So I was sifting through used books yesterday and I totally scored... I found all these old issues of New American Paintings!
For those o you out there that have never checked out an issue, I gotta say I think they have their fingers on the pulse of the upcoming art community in our country. In a nutshell, New American Paintings is a publication that results from the bimonthly Open Studios Art Competitions. These competitions are supa dupa competitive and the winners works are featured in the publications. As far as "in print" goes this is quite an accomplishment.

All that to say, you can always find some of the most innovative artists on its pages.

I bought a few old issues (they are still pretty pricey, even being used... 10 bucks! - not a lot for some, but a lot for me) and was super impressed and delighted to find the beautiful work you see across this post.

These portraits are not oil, as you and I both thought... they are embroidered! Yeah, i know... so crazy and so beautiful and detailed and ahhhh....

Yep, these are embroidered wool on linen!!!

The artist is Cayce Zavaglia and she is represented by Lions Wier Ortt Gallery in NYC... here is a link if you just can't get enough of these awesome portraits! --- I will not tell you all how many times I keep going back to her pages... all I will say is that there is a book mark there!

http://www.lyonswierortt.com/Cayce_Zavaglia/index.html

Tweet, tweet!

2008-09-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

A new work completed just last week.

A special piece for one very very special person.

love you, Mia!
Wishing you the happiest of birthdays... even if it was exactly one week ago!

late is how i roll!

Acorn Day

2008-09-25T04:27:00.000-07:00

So my momsie omsie did her annual Acorn Day event last weekend. Every year it is a super fun time to be with friends and celebrate the onset of Fall and hear a lovely story written by my Momma.
You couldn't ask for weather better suited for the occasion than what we have been blessed with as of late.
And just look at how much the kiddos love it too!

Naked Frisbee throwing

2008-09-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today we were watching a Classical Baby Art show and this guy popped up.
And Lavender said:
"Hey, that guy's naked! .... And throwing a frisbee"

Awesome

The Good things

2008-09-15T06:31:00.000-07:00

hope you cats had a good weekend... I must say mine was incredible... full of things I absolutely love love love to do. I got to go on a little hike with the fam and then the rest of the weekend I spent going to the Clothesline opening and Gallery hopping all over downtown... so lovely!
Most of these pics are from our walkie walk... too bad I didn't get an pics of the Gallery hop and such, but if any of you were outside this weekend you know how stinking hot and steamy it was... gosh!

Despite the heat I found myself so happy to have some quiet little moments full of the good things of life:

the smell of cedar trees

the laughter of little Autumn

good conversation with Lindy and Anna

getting to hold Josh's hand

drinking in lots of artistic inspiration

touching the lovely Shadow Box papers

fun times with friends

Yep, I feel blessed for sure... too bad the weekend always seems to go so fast.

From Duran Duran to Paul Simon

2008-09-11T11:09:00.001-07:00

so today after we got back from the playground we were talking over lunch and listening to 'Hungry Like a Wolf" by Duran Duran and here is what Lavender had to say:
L: DOO DDA DOO DOO DDDDDD DOOO DOOO DOOOO!
Me: Awesome singing, Laughfer!
L: Is this Duran Duran?
Me: Yep
L: I like them... they're big kids
Me: I guess they are... I like them too!
L: And John Denver
Me: you like him?
L: He siiitiiinkgss
Me: He stinks???
L: NO, he sings, Mom
Me: oh yeah... he does.
L: And Paul Simon
Me: I know you like Paul Simon
L: Yes, I DO! He's a boy. I eat Mac n cheese like a Big Girl!

My Favorite time of day re-realized

2008-09-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

so ya know how I went on and on about my new favorite time o day??

well, now I have my little ol' wish realized yet again. I guess God agreed with me and thought that our little afternoons of wholesomeness were pretty cool too cause ye ol' truck went out again.

So now I get our little pond walks back!!

Here are a few snippets of our journey from yesterday.

I think that one of the best parts of my little ol' days are watching Joshers with his girls.
He really is such an amazing Dad... so fun, so steady and dependable and always up for a little play!

I just love watching them... perhaps it shows...

adios for now, kids!

Lavender's Questions

2008-09-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

Today we were driving in the car to the Creative Discovery Museum and Lavender had a couple of questions for me... they went like this:

L: Did you drive a tractor this morning, mom?
Me: uh.... nope
L: Did you drive a bulldozer?
Me: sure didn't
L: oh

Last night

2008-09-09T05:59:00.000-07:00

So last night I was cozied up with my Sweet on the couch. Everything was finally quiet in the house and suddenly I was struck with an awesome idea.
So I said, "Tell me a story, Joshers!"
To which a quiet, somewhat sleepy voice pleaded "No, please no."

HA

ps... doesn't the ol' Joshers have a knack for taking beautiful & super duper serious self portraits?

Lavender's thoughts on Madonna

2008-09-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

so we were listening to old school Madonna at lunch (Holiday to be precise) and here is what Lavender said:

L: Who's singing?
ME: Madonna
L: I like this one
Me: Me too
L: Who say that (holiday)?
Me: Madonna
L: She's a sweeeeethearrrt!
ME: uhhhhh
L: right, mom?

um ?

the close of a weekend

2008-09-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

so after an evening of drawing I have concluded that artist type folks are the most erganomically challenged people you could meet.
Contorted positions and achy muscles seem to follow our crowd from project to project.

hopefully we will eventually learn that taking an extra couple o minutes to set up a more comfortable workspace will not only help us work, but also help our kids like us more the next day... eh eh .

check out these cuties! I took these pics sometime during our weekend... did anyone elses seem to fly by at warp speed???

hmmmm

things of today

2008-09-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

The things of today...

went to a farm

spent some good times with the fam

listened to a poem by Mao Zedong

tied balloons to unmoving objects

listened to a couple of good friends

ate breakfast at an unbreakfasty hour

realized how much I love Josh

enjoyed the sky

thought about God a bit

wonder what comes next....

readin time with the girls

2008-09-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

So we have been reading a bit before bed with the girls. Joshers asked what we wanted to read and I shouted "The Giving Tree"!!! (much to his dismay!)

-- the ol' Joshers seriously does not like this book. He has to really try to refrain from adding little descriptions like "the incredibly selfish boy" or "the boy who thinks of nothing but himself" --- so funny. I guess he will not be getting a giving tree tattoo like this one anytime soon!! (I found this pic on Google images - pretty awesome, eh??)

Anyways, here is a little snippet of our awesome parenting skills...

Josh: Hey Laughfer... go get that green giving tree book, kay??
L: This one?
Josh: No, not that one. It's over to the left.
Lavender moves to the right
Josh: Move your hand toward the computer.
Me: The other way... it's the green one...
Josh: That one - YES - The one with the scary man on the back..
L: He scares me... that man!
Josh & I: Oh, he's not scary!
Josh: Nothing to be afraid of...

---- No confusion there, eh!!! HA
We're Awesome!!

Thank you, broken truck!

2008-09-04T06:36:00.000-07:00

so ye ol' truckie has been on the blitzers for the past week... ergh.
the funny thing is that I have a broken truck to thank for my new favorite time of the day.
The late afternoons have quickly become the highlight of my past week... not only do I get to pick up my Sweet love from workie, but we have begun this ritual of taking a walk around the big lovely lake at Joshers work.
I know to most people this would not sound like much, but to me it is the best part of my day.
I guess its because it is an uncluttered time that seems to gently bring the days joys and disappointments right to the surface.

Of course, these convos are intermingled with proclamations of "watch this mom!" and "look at that goosie, dad!" --- yep, i know it sounds so Beaver Cleaver, but hey... this is the wholesomest (is that a word??) time in my life and I am content to soak it in as long as it lasts.

Who knew a simple walk could be such a source of happiness???

Thank you, broken truck!

My Brown Eyed Girls

2008-08-27T17:55:00.000-07:00

i love love love these pics... what a very happy baby and very grumpy 2 year old I had today!
I am amazed at just how much Autumn is coming into her little self! She is just wanting to move all about and laugh and play play play.

Today she learned how to wave. I know! - so nuts to see this little itty bitty person waving and communicating after so long with nothing but squeaks, squeals and motor boat sounds!

I am a proud little mamma!

Butta fly

2008-08-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

today I shared a moment with a butterfly.

it was all misty from the rain and a gentle warm thickness seemed to be hanging in the air as I got into my little ol' car in the back woods of Flintystone. And much to my surprise, this little fella just perched his little self on my window.

I peered at him through the rain speckled glass
He seemed to look back at me with his big glassy buggie eyes
and adjusted his beautiful wings...

I wondered if he was reading me like the terminator or if he was just as curious as I was... perhaps he was playing a little chicken with me...

he clung to the window for a good 5 houses....
but I think I won...

maybe he is flitting around some other flintystone homes right now.

We're off to see the Aquarium

2008-08-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

we checked out the ol' Aquarium today (thank you, Mimi!!) and had such a lovely cha chilled out kinda day. If any of you cats have ever hit the Aquarium on a day that when ol' Chatty vegas is over run with tourists or school groups then you will know what a battle such a venture can be.
Today was lovely... drizzly, misty and somehow humid and cool at the same time. If any one out there saw the mountain this morning, I'm sure you fell in love with our little town all over again.... so beautiful!
On the way there I had a funny little car conversation with Lavender. It went like this:
Me: Hey, Laughfer... do you know where we're going?
L: Where?
Me: To the Aquarium!!!
L: ------
Me: Do you remember the Aquarium?
L: Who's there?
Me: FISHES! Lots and lots of fishes.... and turtles, and penguins, and butterflies and big fishes and little tiny fishes, and fishes that swim fast and fishes that swim really really slow!
L: All kinds of that stuff!!
Me: Yep
L: And cows?
Me: Huh?
L: Cows and itty, bitty, little, duckies!
Me: I don't know about the cows.
L: And BIG duckies too!
Me: Yes, big ducks too.
----- We go over through a bumpy constructiony part o town ----
L: It's hard to go...
Me: What?
L: It's hard to go
Me: Go where?
L: To the AQUARIUM, mom!

drrrrh.

Anyways... some how we made it to the Aquarium with vertually no one there. We were 6 people out of a total of 20 or so! Very sweet to have such a luxurious stroll through all the exhibits.
And yes, you should thank me that I did not post all the jelly fish pictures I took. I am in love with these glorious suckers.... that is unless I were actually swimming with them. They are really overwhelmingly pretty to watch.

Olympic withdrawals

2008-08-25T04:57:00.000-07:00

so alas, the sweet sweet 2008 Olympics have come to a close and I guess we must say goodbye. It is not with some quiet reluctance that I push the power button on my remote.
I have enjoyed every little morsel of these games. Every evening I would find myself looking forward to pressing a button and suddenly being present in a world where overwhelming achievements are the norm and incredible feats of strength and stamina are on display at every turn.

I know, I know... it sounds obsessive, right? well, I just might be a little Olympic crazy, but I gotta say... there is no other place where you can absorb not only the collision of a plethora of cultures, but also witness the making of world records and the display of human emotion in such a raw form. I mean, there it is... ultimate joy, satisfaction, despair and disappointment right there on the faces of people who have sacrificed so much for their goals.

Yep, I just love the Olympics...
and I'm sure that tonight when I walk toward my remote at 8 pm I will find a bit o quiet disappointment as I re-realize that there is just no longer a good reason to push that button.

but also...
there is so much good sleep to be had (that I have been missin) and a very happy husband who I'm sure will be ever so pleased not to have to move my drawing boards from in front of the tv or be serenaded with the shouts from the living room.

--- 2012, you got some big beijing shoes to fill --- adios

Miroslav Tichy

2008-08-22T05:59:00.000-07:00

yo, cats... I found this guy, Miroslav Tichy, on gizmodo... just look at what gothically beautiful photos are coming from this hodge podgy camera made of trash!

Here is a little excerpt from the article.

it's Miroslav Tichy, posing with one of his amazing trash cams, which he fabricated from paper towel tubes, thread spools, rubber bands and other bits of detritus and has used since the 1950s. Now in his 80s, Tichy and his works have only recently (as far as the art world goes) been discovered. And like all good photographers, he trained his intentionally imperfect camera rigs on the considerably more refined female form.

Here's a link to the article on Gizmodo... enjoy!

Currently creating...

2008-08-20T06:11:00.000-07:00

Here are a few little hints about what my hands have been up to...
lovely maps and many references to BlueClara's lovely silhouettes on etsy.

I'll post the final product lata.... smooches, kiddos!

my smart little snooka

2008-08-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

Fair warning: this is a proud mamma post...
yep, yep... our little Autumn Marie is using her first baby sign!

She has conquered the baby sign for more and is using it like a pro!

I guess I just can't believe she is getting it so early on. and that she caught onto the whole idea so supa dupa quick!

We taught her big sis all sorts of sign language and were very pleased with how much easier it made life with a little non verbal person... I just can't believe how quickly Autumn has picked it up. and for those cats out there that say "i don't really get into that... seems a bit strange".... well, i thought so too until we gave a whirl and had amazing results... fewer tantrums, better understanding and quicker verbal skills... blahblah blah

ya know, I think the pride thing that wells up in you about your kids is kinda funny... it seems a little unreasonable when you really take a moment to think about it. Here we are so happy about something that we really had nothing to do with... and yet that doesn't seem to deminish the sentiment. so weird...
nevertheless, I am so proud of my Autumn Marie... what a smart little snooka you are!

The Christening

2008-08-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

Today was Autumn Marie's Christening...
Such a beautiful celebration of the covenant.

And this day full of wonderful significance equals one tired baby.

Oh yeah... Lavender said "I want some water too!" in the midst of the dedication... so funny!

kickin it

2008-08-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

hey kids... here are a few pics from today that didn't make it onto ye ol' 31photos.

If you cats haven't checked out our little project you should take a peek...

www.31photos.blogspot.com

I'm out to kick it with some good ol' Blue Moon!
peace.

the roller overer

2008-08-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

My sweet Autumn Marie is coming into her own little person...
She is growing so big and moving into that toddler creepy crawling stage so quickly.

Keeping her stimulated enough during the day is becoming quite a challenge, but at least her big sis is always eager to help out.

The only thing we really gotta watch out for is all that little itty bitty polly pocket gear that covers the floor. She just wants to grab, grab, grab and touch and mouth all over everything. So, if you're around, watch out for those little hands... they might get ya or they might have 5 tiny polly shoes or something hidden inside!

Oh and one more thing...
Autumn is officially a roller overer... and yes, that is a word!

Summer nights

2008-08-13T19:01:00.000-07:00

There is just something so effortlessly wonderful about summer nights with the songs of crickets and secadas floating through that golden light that only happens at dawn and dusk... intoxicating!
I took these pics tonight in the midst of swinging, ball chasing and frisbee throwing...
Too cute not to share...

Did I mention...
I just love love love this girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lovely Swatch town

2008-08-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

check out these lovely, oh so lovely paper swatches!!!
These little beauties are on their way to a super cool new home... my studio!!!

I am itchin' to get my little hands on these guys... and ya know what...

they are all for me!
I am actually making some little somethings for my wall. yep... my wall... mine, mine, mine...
hee hee.

I was in this strange creative space that would not allow me to fully complete a work until I got these works (which have been rompin' around my head for about 4 months now) out of my system.

This strange little urgent desire to work on one specific project has only really happened to me one other time... wonder why...

the unattended 2 year old

2008-08-11T11:42:00.000-07:00

so this is what happens when a little Laughfer is left to her own demise...

markers and unattended 2 year olds don't mix.

the Olympics

2008-08-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

yo... i hope you cats were able to catch at least some of the Opening Ceremonies from the Olympics.

May I just say WOW... and WOW!

I just love love love the Olympics... doesn't matter whether it's Summer or Winter... I just love the Olympics. There is something about the sheer magnitude of it all... the grandeur and the uniting of so many people groups. I find myself thinking about nations that I probably would not take even a moments notice of all year except for the fleeting camera pan that lets you know that they are present at such a global event. I think about what a typical day must be like there and try to imagine what they are thinking walking into such an alternate, unreal experience.

I love to feast my eyes on the crazy opening ceremony performances and the wonderful costume and artistry of it all.

I love to see what kind of get up the athletes have to wear in their walk o glory... and i like to think about all these diplomats in suits sitting in a board room tossing ideas back and forth like "I think this time around they should all wear bowling hats... no, no... berets!!"

There are many odd things that cross this mind when watching such a phenomenon.

Hope you can catch the Olympic bug too!!!

these pics came from the Boston Globe on a site called The Big Picture - you should check out the whole set if ya can... so cool!

sunny sunflowers

2008-08-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

i hope you cats got to go be outside at some point today... and if you did you know that it was unbelievably gorgeous!!!

We spent our morning at Crabtree Farms.... just look at these amazing flowers!!! ahhhh....

There is just something about sun flowers, isn't there... they just make me smile. Their boldness and brilliance just seems to shout to the world "look what God has made this earth to do!!" Amazing.... wish I were so bold.

I must say that our little trips to the Farmer's Market and Crabtree Farms have really made an impression on Laughfer (and hopefully Autumn too, even though we stayed till she cried... oops). Lavender has taken to exclaming every time we cut up some veggies, chomp some yummy melon or even sink our teeth into some incredible pumpkin bread that "We got this at the Farmer's Market"... or the latest "We got this from that farmer I laugh to"... (explanation - she had a funny little convo about tomatos with Farmer Mike and it all ended in reasonless giggling)

Nevertheless, every trip seems to be an education... learning where tomatos, pumkins and flowers come from... learning about bees (speaking of which... I have a killer birds and the bees story comin' your way soon enuff) and all sorts of other parts of God's creation. Gotta tell ya, the farm holds quite a key to education and info mation.

oh one last funny thing.... on the way to Crabtree (which is kinda in the Rossville gettooo) Lavender kept saying "We see the men with the umbrellas!!! The men with the umbrellas!!!!" over and over and over again... I had absolutely nooo idea what the heck she was talking about and couldn't seem to get images of men dancing with umbrellas across Rossville Blvd. out of my head. Then we past that giant civil war monument and Laughfer went bizzerk...

so now I know... "men with umbrellas"
equals Civil war monument with men holding rifles!!!

she is so cool

my Mary Cassatt girl

2008-08-08T06:01:00.000-07:00

so yesterday i was watching this Classical Baby video with the girls... it has this strange little baby crawling through an art museum (or MUUU ismmmm, as Lavender says) looking at fine art masterpieces and such.

and in the middle of it, this Mary Cassatt painting came up. Then there was a close up of the little girl and Lavender turned to me and asked "Is that me?"

At first I just laughed and said nope... then, I looked a little more and then rewound it and looked a little more. This little Cassatt girl really does look a lot like the Laughfer Dafer!!!

What da ya'll think?

Draw the people, mamma!

2008-08-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

so you're probably looking at this first pic thinking "what a sad (maybe mean even?) little face the Laughfer is wearing... I can't help but love this pic... she soo did not want her picture taken. (It is just like a mom to do it anyway right?)
I think I like it so much because it just is the face of having a hard day, ya know. and because i feel like it is a picture of heat... that kind of inescapable late summer heat that just sticks.
It really has been so very sticky and hot the past few days... ergh. We have been making it through with sprinklers and sidewalk chalk and all sorts of other distractions.
Little Lavender got to take in a pretty cool distraction yesterday... I enrolled her in a Play Gym class at the ol' CDM. And I have to say that it was incredibly fun, for both her and I. Her best little friend, Matthew, is in the class and they just have sooo much fun bouncing on balls, chasing bubbles and singing songs and so much more. I will come right out and admit that the first time I took Lavender to the free trial class they offer I had one of those "oh my
little girl loves this sooo much! sniff sniff" times... you know, those times when you can actually see them learning and more excited than you ever would have imagined they could be.
And then there is that inevitable (for me, anyways) feeling that I should have been making more of an effort to provide her with stimulating, participatory type learning activities. (erhhh - why do moms always do that guilt trip thing to ourselves??)
So all that to say, I don't know how long we will be able to afford play gym, but we are taking full & joyous advantage of the time we have there.

And if any of you cats out there are interested... the CDM offers one free trial class to anyone who is interested (I think they go from 4months to 3yrs olds). But, I will warn you that it requires parental participation, so you would have to have some one watch your other kiddos (if you have em)... anyways... always more info about class times and descriptions on their webby site, you know the drill.

oh and one last thing... this last little city scape is soo funny to me b/c Laughfer insisted on me drawing the little people to the left o the buildings. I know, I know... you're thinking "how cute! Their little family!" - nope! that is (form left to right) Autumn being pushed in the stroller by Cat and Mary holding Lavenders hand!!!! Yep, no family wholesomeness here.... it is a outting just for the girls!!!

the dark knight

2008-08-05T06:02:00.000-07:00

so i got to go see not one, but 2 - yes, 2 movies this past weekender!! woah...

and i gotta say that i have been mulling over what I took in for some time now. i have been reluctant to post about it all, but felt compelled to say something...

See, me and the Joshers watched The Dark Knight.
And let me just say that it is undeniably a great film... good action, awesome new characters, surprising and exhiliarating. however, there are things about this flick that just disturbed me. And it's not that this film was the darkest, most depressing thing ever... not even close... especially when you've been watching David Lynch for a few years! But, I guess maybe it was just that I didn't expect a little ol' Batty man flick to be so dark. There were some scenes that seemed to follow you outta the theatre... and these weren't the thoughts you would want to bring home and sleep on, ya know.

I guess maybe things I watch will always feel different to me now that I am a mom. I feel so brady sayin' that, but I just can't seem to seperate myself from the changes that it has brought me. I don't think I can sit and watch a family cowering under a madman's knife and think "oh well, this will be a great character building device!" - nope! things are different ---

I guess I just need to try to check it at the door, but I don't think that is what the filmmaker wants of the viewer. Perhaps it would be a little easier if people would not bring a 10 year olds to watch such depravity soaked entertainment. It's just a little distracting when you hear tiny little pre-pubescent voices asking "Is that going to explode, Dad?" - argh!

all this to say, if you check out this flick, don't expect big POW! and BANG!s to come across the screen... expect to jump a time or two... and make sure you don't sit near a little kid.

Laugher Dafer

2008-07-31T05:20:00.000-07:00

it really is so amazing to watch your kids grow...
Laughfer is truly becoming her own little person. It is so funny to listen to her reason things out and even cooler to just take a bit to talk about what she's thinkin'.

yet, in the midst of all this individuality springing up, she still cracks me up by sporting some very Josh or Jen quirks.... like the way she has begun to quote her favorite movies just like her dad. The funny thing is... is how she asks me "who say that?" after every little quote... so funny!

my girls

2008-07-28T05:08:00.000-07:00

i know some you cats out there have already seen one or two of these pics off of my hubbie's bloggie, but I just had to do a follow up...
I mean... c'mon, aren't these just the coolest pics you have seen in awhile???
don't answer that...

I know I am lost in the cuteness of my girls and all, but I have to say that I wish I could take credit for these shots b/c I really think they are something special.

They remind me of some movie...
and ya know, I think it is actually Josher's last short film project, Rowboat. In Rowboat, there are these supa blown out, white light shots that are just these little beauties that haunt your mind.

All this to say, nice work, babe... on the babies and their pics too!!!!!

Pickin'

2008-07-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

so on Friday we went a pickin' - yep, blueberries mostly and few of the fattest blackberry stragglers you have eva seen! I must say, it was definiately one of those oh so wholesome fam outings... and what made it even better was sharing the harvesting with our good friends, Shawn, Erin and Matthew. We ate berries until our stomachs pooched out and I thought all our hairs would turn blue...
I think the ones who had the most fun were, of course, little Laughfer and Matthew. They like the picking and all, but I think the most fun they had was simply chasing one another across fields covered in melons and bushes.... it really takes soo much, right???
Anyways, I will tell ya that the closure of our little wholesome adventure was pretty hilarious... we stayed much later at the farm than we had intented to and found ourselves with some pretty whiny kiddos... hungry for something other than bluedees (that is what Laughfer calls them!) --- all that to say the car ride got kinda crazy.

This is the exchange I had with Laughfer on the way home.

L: hungry, Mamma! Can we have fries?
Me: Nope
L: Can we have mac n cheese?
Me: I dunno, hun... we will have to see what we have at home.
L: Auwwwhhhh.....
--- much whining and crying, so I said this
Me: Laughfer look at the sky!!! Aren't those clouds beautiful?!!!

--- and here is what she said!
L: NO... They're Gross!!!!!!!!!!

nice, eh???
Love that wackadoo girlie!!!

In the works....

2008-07-25T05:16:00.000-07:00

a new work... in the works.

I don't have too terribly much to say about this one yet... I think its b/c I know that something new is a brewin'... what that will look like I have no idea... all I really know is that I am just soo in love with pattern right now...

and these too!

Thank goodness the artistic vocation does not often require a project proposal or letter of intent!

Mercantino's Celebration

2008-07-24T04:48:00.000-07:00

Here are a few little pics of Lisa's little showerish gathering last night. sorry about the quality of the views... I must admit that I am definately not the best group photographer.
What a cute model we have here, eh? Little Ester was good enough to sport the lovely little bonnets Mary McCampbell's mom made for the new little Farmer. So sweet, huh???

Anyways, we had a super fun time at Mercantino's... which is is an amazing little coffee house/delicatessean - lovely...

And one last thing... I just had to show off the lastest little bird piece I made for Lisa... it is made with some of my most favorite paper & ribbon. I think it came out pretty cool.

All these things to say... we will have a new little Farmer Jr. here soon and we all are so excited! Lisa, we are honored and overjoyed to be a part of this new little person's life and help out a wonderful new mommie any way we can... Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!

The Ladies

2008-07-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

so we are all finally well again... thus we had the green light to go and see my sweet grandma at her new place... which is pretty nice btw...

I know these pics are a little funny... the bottom one looks like I'm pushing Laughfer onto my Grandma, when the truth is that it was really hard to get Laughfer off her... She just couldn't seem to get enough of her and really wanted to climb all over her. She couldn't quite get that Grandma is not quite as jungle gymish as mom and dad. But, it really was sweet to see my girl giving my little grandma big hugs and caressing her face like she does when she plays mamma to her little dolls.... really precious...
Anyways, today was one of my Grandma's good days and it really was so nice to see her and have some good visiting... no matter how funny the convos got...

On another note...
I do think you can see some family resemblance amongst us ladies, wha da y'all think???

Plants, God and planes

2008-07-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

today I was talkin with Laughfer over lunch and here's what she said:

L: Whas wrong with dat plant?
Me: The one outside?
L: MMMM hmmm... What's wrong with dat plant?
Me: He's sick
L: Whats that mean?
Me: He drank too much water and it made him sick.
L:He's gone?
Me: Yep... sometimes when plants get really sick they die.
L: He's with God?
ME: Yes! When plants die they get to be with God.
L: And fly a plane...
Me: What??
-----
L: Is this my leg?
ME: Yes
L: What's it do?
Me: It walks and runs and holds you up.
L: Outside?
Me: Yep... and inside too!
L: I like that... I like that leg.

--- Funny, eh?