growing...whiskers

That's right.   I am growing whiskers.

Do you ever have one of those days where you may as well be the hamster on the wheel.  Ever so endlessly, go round and round?  Gosh, I hope you do (sorry) because then I am not so alone in this.    As a full time Mom I sometimes miss the days I went off to work.   At least then, while I may have been totally frustrated and miserable because I want'ed to be with my kids, I would have at least helped a student, intervened in a crisis situation, just been a stellar social worker.  (not saying I want to go back....that is another post).

Yesterday was just one of those unavoidable days where you feel like you got absolutely nothing accomplished.  It didn't help that there were 2 sick kids home and major puke clean-up.  Thank you Lord for my wet vac....if you don't have one, why not?  They are a god-send.  Anyway, I felt frustrated by the pillows on the floor, blankets strewn here and there, extra laundry from pukers, Bob peed in the house because he hates the cold ( welcome to winter for Bob the Bulldog)....I could go on.

So, I feel the compulsion to put "out there" what I accomplished.  Just for myself if nothing else.  And perhaps it will keep me from growing whiskers if I validate myself!

Took good care of little pukers.  
Pick up and dropped off Jack from school...he remained well and even got a cat nap in on the couch- which is more his accomplishment.   Filled the "L" letter box for tomorrow.
Worked on a puzzle with the boys.     Read to Tessa.  Read to Jack.   Made a pot roast in my crock put (how I love thee).   Made cookies (from a tub) and ate too much dough.
Disinfected many, many surfaces.
After the kids were in bed I did escape to the art studio and started Margo's painting for her yoga studio "Vessel Yoga".  I am pretty geeked up about it...it is going to be A W E S O M E.  Maybe I will be able to accomplish that tomorrow.
Notice got dressed is not on my list.  Why bother.  I looked like hell...or perhaps a hamster- all. day.
There was a long hot shower at the end of the day....and then we watched Dexter.  Oh yeah- that show is crazy good.
 I think I had better go "pluck" some whiskers and hope for a better day today.

born...

The moment a child is born,
the mother is also born.
She never existed before.
The woman existed, but the mother, never.
A mother is something absolutely new.
~Rajneesh

Eleanor Leona

Born November 28, 2010

7 lbs, 4 oz.

Every child begins the world again.... ~Henry David Thoreau

Welcome to the world sweet Eleanor Leona.  

Congratulations Krissy and Steve!  You have entered the wonderous world of parenthood....your heart will never be the same for now it will only grow and grow with your sweet girl.  love you all.

Over due!

This is my beautifully pregnant sister, Krissy.  

She is overdue....I thought for sure her little bundle would be here for her Auntie to snuggle with for the  Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  To Krissy's dismay, this did not happen.  If you have never been "over due", let me just tell you the anticipation is emotionally exhausting and your body is so uncomfortable that you just want to get that baby OUT, OUT, OUT.  Well, it was like that for me anyway....and my sister is no different.  The selfish bonus for me is that now I am in MN while she is about to have her first baby!  The other bonus is I was able to see her at full-term and twisted her arm to get these beautiful photos of her in full blossom.  I love them and know someday she will too.  But as I type this she is in the hospital working on bring this precious new life into the world....she really is.   She is about to be a mother.   Isn't that so incredibly amazing and beautiful!?  

Thanks

my goodness....do I have so very much to be thankful for....

the kid table, which was right next to

the grown up table, where everyone was too busy eating and talking to look at me and my camera.  Seems about right! 

This is my nephew....seriously adorable.

gobble, gobble.

Last Thanksgiving I was so thankful for our sweet girl's referral.  

This Thanksgiving I give thanks for so many blessing in our lives, 

and being able to hold her in our arms is one of the greatest of all.

Hope your heart is full of thanks...and your belly too.

ET girl meets MN snow

After a 5 hour drive we arrive to Minnesota to be greeted with winter....and snow for Thanksgiving.  Here, our little Ethiopian girl meets Minnesota snow.  Though for now, it is through Nana and Pops' big window.  Actually getting bundled up and getting out there and experiencing snow photos to come.

i heart faces- paper!

My entry:

Paper....the i heart faces challenge! 

I love paper....my love of paper started with the letters from my grandfather with "fivers for fun" aka...$5. bill.  As I think about it I love books ( I want to write a children's book desperately), printed photos, stationery, the hand written note, magazines, card board boxes....paper is wonderful isn't it?  And so I share my paper moment with the boys.

 I have been waiting for the perfect challenge to enter this photo in of my cardboard-loving boys.  Last summer they tackled an ever-so-large box, where they played all day. ..all day... yep, all day!  Paper can just be so blissful! Of course, I speak for all of us. Notice the windows and the mailbox in their new paper home.  To further support the paper theme, the boys declared this box was made into a paper store where neighbors were subjected to their paper "sales".    I used picnik's "reverse process"to create this vintage feel....I just love that effect.


I am entering the photo up top....the one below is just for fun.  It was a hard choice because I love the glow on the boys in the box below (did I make the right choice? hmm).
Enjoy more great entries at i heart faces!




Just for fun....not my entry

Full circle moment

Tessa caught me off guard yesterday while we were in the art studio.  I was working on a new piece specifically for a silent auction benefiting Seeds of Africa (whom work in Ethiopia!).  There she was....admiring the "Message from Swaziland" series.  The paintings are right at her level (because of the angle of my studio wall space), which really seems perfect now that I think about it.  

There she was looking into the eyes of the children that had touched me so deeply in Swaziland.  I can remember clearly while in Swaziland that when I looked into the eyes of those beautiful children that I was thinking of our daughter who was on her way to us.  I had so many questions...had she even been conceived?  Was her birth family living in similar circumstances to what I was seeing?  I thought about her and asked myself questions that were unanswered around every corner.  I looked into those eyes and wondered....  and now I have the answers.  full circle.  And here I was creating a new piece of art specifically with images of those very eyes I had looked into 2 years ago and at the same time our sweet girl was looking back with wonder and curiosity.  full circle moment.

Here is the piece 

 "See" 

It is loaded with symbols....the postage stamps are a literal symbol of sending you a message "postcard" from Africa.  "See Hope" is scratched in by the butterflies, which have fiddleheads painted on them....my favorite symbol of hope.  (As fiddleheads bloom early in the spring after the winter...I also named my website fiddlehead art for this reason).  Then "see us" is scratched into the boys forehead....and "see Africa" is scratched in next to the antique map of Africa. This piece is all acrylic and mixed media with paper, clay imprints (in the corner) and photo image transfers of the eyes.   

I am so incredibly grateful to be able to create art I love and be able to give back through it.  

Heres hoping it generates some $$$ for Seeds of Africa this weekend!