a may

i've finally had time to sit and write.
i realized that i haven't been on here
for the WHOLE month of may.
so here is what i have been up to...
formed some new good habits,
visited devin at uni for a long weekend,
helped dawson register and choose classes for uni in the fall,
watched koen play at a steel drum festival,
read the '7 habits of a highly effective people' - love it,
discussed the possibility of small business partnership -
with my sweet sissy,
helped teach a high school art class, and
went to the art gallery for a workshop with said class,
planted a garden - and weeded that garden,
organized and planned for our church's vbs,
helped heather (sissy) -
make 170 mother's day sunflower cupcakes -
to raise money for cancer research,
we nursed a very sick, baby goat
for almost 2 weeks -
before he finally died.

june is here-
and it's chilly.
i am waiting -
in anticipation -
for my boy
to come home for the summer.
only one more sleep!

sunflower cupcakes

visit with devin @ wwu

stella putting the love on buddy the goat

a smell

it smells like spring.

 

an apron

i started using this apron
at the art retreat.

i think it helps me to focus -
and keep on task.
it makes me feel
like art
is something that i really do.
it makes me feel all creative-ish.
yes, the apron helps.
the apron
and of course
chocolate.
chocolate helps too.

a retreat

russ's aunt sometimes jokes -
'why are these people always retreating -
shouldn't they be moving forward?'
i spent last weekend
at artfest -
an art retreat.
it was a really good time.
and i feel
like i moved forward.
i learned new techniques,
and i tried new things -
i actually had the most fun,
doing things i didn't think i'd like.
there was quite a lot of people there -
and a little overwhelming
for little introverted me,
but i did manage
to chat up a few others.
i did 3 workshops -
watercolor butterflies,
plexiglass portraits,
& whimsical wings.
here is some of what i created...

(class shot - i did not create these)

a man

who says
you can't
jump on the trampoline
in the snow?

we just got a light dusting
last weekend.
it came hard and fast
and we really thought
it would amount to something.
but no,
it stopped
just as quickly as it started.
he had fun while it lasted.
speaking of him having fun.
this week,
he wanted to walk to the corner store -
by himself.
i was screaming on the inside -
but i let him go.
he ran all the way there -
and all the way back.
he thought he'd seen a man
with a chloroform cloth,
but he was just wiping his nose
in the end.
(too much tin-tin).
he wasn't scared -
he was pumped.
he said so -
"i am so pumped! -
i feel like a man!",
it's so hard to let them go,
but so satisfying.

an anti-bullying day

i am really loving
painting on book pages.
and paper piecing.
here are some
of my new creations.

and here
is the anti-bullying shirt
we made for saige
to wear to school today.

we got our inspiration from here .
koen won't let me
design him a new one -
he just wants to wear this
pink spray painted graffiti type shirt
that devin made - many years ago.

i needed to take it in a bit
for his skinny little frame,
but, it works.

a pair

these two great kids,

cooking cousins -
what a pair.
they went shopping
for supplies,
and -
they made us sushi -
from scratch.

it was yummy.
thanks dawson & alanna.

a cleaning

it's getting all
spring-y feeling again.

though,
they are calling for snow
tomorrow.
i'm getting all  -
'spring cleaning inspired'.
with my closet almost done -
i'm thinking about
tackling the garage.
if i break it down
into smaller sections -
and i keep at it
i'm sure i could get it done
in a couple of weeks.
just in time for
our spring vacation.
then, when i come back
it will be
yard and garden
dreaming.
i like having big projects.
what about you?
what will you do to get ready for spring?

an issue

i've been cleaning out my closet.
trying to be really brutal
with myself.
it's been hard.

that aside -
i found a stack of magazines
in the back of the closet.

people who know me
will say i have a magazine problem.
i really have HEAPS of them.
so this particular stack
is about a foot and a half tall.
not too bad
when you compare...
um - oh - never mind that.

i thought to myself -
'i need to go through these -
there might be something good inside'

then,
i realized -
that most of these particular -
back of the closet magazines
were from 2005!!
why am i so ridiculous??
i quickly went to the recipes section
and ripped some out.
will i ever make any of them?
flipping quickly through
i discovered there is nothing i need
between these pages.
and furthermore -
do any of the other magazines
that i currently am storing -
have anything of value in them?

a love day

today is
love day.
we have spent
the last couple days creating
some fun stuff
for today.
i think i got all of my ideas from
pinterest.
(which is my newest love)
here is what we've been up to...

tonight for supper
we are having yummy
chicken stew.
and for dessert these lovelies.
happy valentines day everyone!