The Amazing Adventures of Us

2006-06-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

I'm moving - I'm still working out the bugs, but I've decided to leave blogger for more expensive pastures - here's the address -

www.amazingus.typepad.com

2006-06-14T05:59:00.000-07:00

Oh man.

I have a cold and I have allergies. That means my inner ears itch and hurt. I'm sneezing and I have snot. My throat iches and is sore.

Bleh.

Today we start cooking and baking for the music festival trip. Chocolate chip cookies, hazelnut biscotti, curried chicken, bbq'd chicken, bagels, and a few other things that I just can't remember right now. It's all yummy.

My unschooled kids are loving day camp. They've tye dyed t-shirts and aprons, they've gone hiking everyday, played like it's going out of style, slid down mountains of dirt, traded lunches with other kids, and there's more to come! I'm loving the peace and quiet of my free afternoons. I've been to the gym, out for lunch, shopping for camping gear, and napping. Life is sweet.

2006-06-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

The kids and I have been very busy the past few days.

The kids have been busy playing. They are so good at that. Stu has been playing with friends, the piano, painting, reading, making cookies, and hiking. Robin has been playing with friends, reading, video games, hiking, and building his fort. Busy busy. I love it.

I've been busy cleaning. I've cleaning the living room, studio, dining room, kitchen and front entry - all top to bottom and they sparkle now. I'm very happy to have that all done.

Now I have to tackle the bathrooms, the garage and the backyard patio.

Jeff is helping by the way. He's the one who will be cleaning the patio and helping with the garage. Even though we'll miss the money, it's so nice to have him around. He was gone for so long working and going to school.

I've been able to find a little bit of time to work on my new shadowbox, it's coming along nicely. And as I'm sure I say about all of them while I'm making them, this one is my favorite so far.

Next week my mom and I will be getting us ready to go to the music festival. This is our family vacation and we look forward to it all year. It means music and the whole family and friends. It means almost total freedom for the kids and a lot of watergun fights. I means catching up on reading, hand sewing, drinking lovely coffees, and hanging out with my sisters. It also means taking a lot of photos with my wonderful new camera.

The week after we get back I'll be out and about photographing local wineries for a client. I'm a little nervous about that, only because it's been forever since I was hired to take specific photos and I'd hate it if I screwed it up. I guess that's what digital cameras are for.

This photo (on top) is of my garage sale silver bowl filled with the crystals off my chandelier, fake pearls and sea shells that we've collected. I think it's just beautiful. It looks like a pirate's loot.

2006-06-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peak at what I'm working on now -

I'm working hard on getting it finished.

Today is Jeff's last day at his weekend job. This runs from good to bad. Bad cause we need the money. Good cause we miss him like crazy. Middling cause next Saturday he'll be in class all day. And that's every Saturday for the next 10 weeks. Boo.

Not much new here. Just creating art and raising kids.

2006-05-30T10:06:00.000-07:00

After a pretty crappy weekend (Jeff at work again, the kids out playing, me alone and loney), Monday turned out to be one of the best days ever!

The kids had a Camp Fire sleep over so Jeff and I woke up alone in the house. It was quiet and wonderful. We decided that a picnic and a trip to the beach would be a great way to spend the day. So we started in the kitchen. I baked an apple pie, marinated some chicken and made some pasta salad. Jeff bbq-ed the chicken and cleaned the kitchen.

Then we picked the kids up, finished what we had to to get us ready and we were off!

The first thing we did was eat and drink (ok, the kids had rootbeer, we really one had small glasses and no driving).

Then there was a lot of lying around.

Followed by some rock climbing.

Then we hit the beach.

Finally we ended up a the hot tubs, a perfect end to a perfect day.

2006-05-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here she is -

She is wearing a gold tulle skirt (although you really can't see it unless you look into the tower), pearls, and her hair is braided mohair. She's gorgeous.

And here's a sneak preview of the next one -

I'll post it as soon as it's finished.

2006-05-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

I was going to rephotograph all the shadowboxes today, but himself has taken the new camera to his classroom for his last week. So I'll get them up as soon as I can. Let me just reassure you though, Rapunzel has her hair, and she's lovely. It's not the hair I had ordered though, that still hasn't shown up. I improvised and I think it's better than the hair she was going to have.

Once again, we're busy. After a very non productive weekend (massive allergy attack. My fuzzy head and I sat of the sofa all weekend like a zombie.), we are back to feeling better and on the go again.

We've had some upsetting for moment, but we're ok now, news. We won't be getting a new car anytime soon. The extra monthly money we thought we'd have we won't have and we have decided to save for a new used car instead. So it'll just take longer, but we're ok. We would rather be here in this house with a crappy car, than out of it with a new one.

I've started another shadowbox. It's on a circus theme. But you'll have to wait for more because I'm still figuring it out.

Since I have no new shadowbox photos for you, here's a photo of the bookcase in our home library. Picture it stuffed with more books piled on the floor cause there's no room on the shelves. I love it!

2006-05-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, she's got no hair yet, but it'll be here soon and I'll re-post then.

In the mean time, I'm finally ready for the show, despite the fact that I've started yet another shadowbox -

AND -

2 people are already interested in buying. I'm SO excited about that. I've told them to choose and I'll mark them as "Not For Sale" during the show. It kills me that people are liking these as much as I am!

Busy few days ahead - chess club, meeting with a client, Walk for Life relay, protest for peace this weekend, etc... Busy busy.

New camera!

2006-05-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

piano
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Got my new camera and here are some quick shots to prove it!

Stu decorated my cell. I love it.

I'm starting a new shadowbox. A theater.

A hairless Rapunzel. Hopefully her hair will arrive sometime today and I can finish and photograph her.

2006-05-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

Mother's day was just another day. I mean, it was a good one, but there was nothing special about it. I mean, the kids played with friends and a bit with me (dolls mostly), I played at my studio desk painting, I cleaned a bit, talked on the phone with friends, and wished all day that my husband was home with us (he's working weekends through the summer).

The newest shadowbox is almost done. Seriously. I'm just waiting on the hair. When it comes I'll slap it on and call it finished. bwg

I've been doing some changing both in my house and personally. Some of it has been easy, like rearranging the library to accommodate 2 desks, a huge bookcase, and a comfy chair. Some of it has just been fun, like getting my hair cut and getting new glasses. Some of it has been hard, like losing weight and incorporating excercise into my daily routine (that's easy now, btw). Some of it has been gut wrenching and years in the making, like realizing that I'm an atheist.

So things look different around here than they did, say five years ago. I look different, my house looks different, and my kids obviously look different.

I'm still basically the same person. I still believe that we should make a smaller impact on the planet, leave a smaller footprint, that we have an obligation to our fellow humans to be the kindest, most honest, caring, and respectful we can be. I just don't believe in a god (or gods) anymore, it feels like mythology. It feels like people might as well be worshiping Zeus and Hera reigning from Mt. Olympus.

I don't deny that people need something to believe in. They need to feel a connectedness to other people and the planet and the universe. I don't feel it spirtually anymore. I feel it biologically. I see myself and all people as absolutely connected to the planet and the universe, inseparable from them, made from the same substances as them.

Here's a good link

Happy Mother's Day

2006-05-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

I think today I'll paint, listen to music, read, mow the lawn, and play with my kids (if they have time - they're awfully busy themselves).

2006-05-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

No photos today.

I'm busy this week putting final touches on all the shadowboxes, ferrying my kids to piano, archery, camp fire, karate, chess club (which has really turned into a free for all game day), the library, lunches out, hiking, and more.

I have hardly anytime to just sit and think. I love being busy. But I'd also love a day off. Heck, I'd also love a housekeeper.

That's what I'm pretending to be today, a housekeeper. I will make the kitchen sparkle, vaccuum up the cobwebs, take the trash out, change the sheets, fold the clothes and on and on.

I may even find time to sit and think.

2006-05-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling guilty these days about not having a job. Like a sit behind the desk job. But I hate hate hate those kinds of jobs. Boring and tedious. I always end up calling in sick more often than I show up.

So I'm trying to make up for it. All the shadowboxes are almost done, which means I'll be re-photographing them and creating a cd slideshow to send to various galleries around here. Hopefully that will generate some interest which in turn will generate some money.

I'm helping a friend with a design proposal, and then the project itself. She's been asked to design the inside of a new high end pizza place in town. So we've been working on that for a few weeks. If he likes the proposal then we'll be making a teeny bit of money. If not, we're just out all that time spent.

I'm getting ready to make a few more dolls for sale. That will generate some money for sure.

Also I've been asked by another friend to create photos and text for a paper mache book. I'm a bit stuck on the text part, but the photos are finshed (I hope they're acceptable).

So I am working! I am!

2006-05-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

I'm switching the name of this blog back to the old one. I just like it better. The address will remain the same, don't worry.

Again, we're busy.

I'm planning a 4 day mini archery camp this summer, that's a lot of work.

I'm working out 4-5 days a week, that takes a lot of time.

I'm still making the next shadowbox, it's got a lot of detail and that's taking a lot of time too. I also have been adding embelishments to some of the older shdowboxes. Which means I'll be re-photographing them soon. You'll see, you'll like it.

Jeff is still in school, still doing his student teaching, and now he's working weekends. We don't see him much these days. He did however take time late last night to fix and clean the dishwasher. YAY! And then he loaded it and ran it. Double YAY!

The kids and I took total advantage of not having to rush out of the house Wednesday morning. We lazed and loved it.

Stu is still doing piano and getting so much better. It's a joy to hear her practice.

Robin is working so hard on his first kata, he's preparing for his belt test. He's getting so strong.

I'm hoping that I'll be getting a new camera soon. It's my very very late xmas present from my dad. When I do I'm sure I'll be posting photo after photo.

I'm busy making strawberry jam today, and running kids to friend's houses to spend the night. It's a good day. I hope yours is good too.

2006-04-29T07:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys. We've been SO busy I've barely had time for morning coffee (which I've taken to drinking in the morning lately, I used to be an afternoon cafe goer). Thanks for the kind comments about the mermaid shadowbox. She's sitting on the piano with the other ones and I'm loving being able to see all of them all the time. They are really wonderful.

We've been doing archery and playing chess, karate and piano lessons (and then there's all the practising), hair cuts, running here and there getting the kids ready for camp, playing at the gym (ok excercising, but it really feels like playing when we're all done), hanging at the library, and the kids went with Jeff to his school the other day for "Take Your Child to Work Day," so much so much.

I've been collapsing into a chair in the evening and just vegging in front of the tv I've been so tired.

The kids enjoyed watching their dad at work. They even participated in some of the stuff the school kids were doing (this is a 4th grade classroom), but mostly they were bored and didn't understand why the kids were made to do some of the things they were made to do. They also really didn't understand why the kids were not paying attention during the out loud reading time, after all their dad was reading one of their favorite books right now - the first book in The Edge Chronicles series.

One of the kids in the class leaned over to Robin and said "you're a fucker." I asked Robin what happened that made the kids say that and his response was "Nothing! I really don't know! He's a weird kid mom." It might have been because the evening before the kids went with Jeff, Robin and Stu both asked to have their hair dyed red. So that's what we did. And it looks shocking and very cool.

I've been researching cars because we should be able to buy a new one (at least new for us) sometime in the next 6 months. I've looked at hybrids but they're either too small or way too expensive. I guess to be green you have to have money. I even checked out suv's, I'm almost ashamed to admit that, but they eat so much fuel and energy I just can't justify buying one.

So I've made my decision, finally. It's a mini suv, it gets great mileage, and it's the funkiest looking car on the road today. Wannna guess? Ok, it's a Honda Element, I'm thinking orange. I even have a friend who sells them, so I've been promised a good deal. Now we just need a job for Jeff!

2006-04-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

mermaid front
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Here she is.

She's been painted with a lot of metalic-like paints. So she shimmers, almost as if she were a real mermaid underwater.

Click on her for more views.

2006-04-18T06:34:00.000-07:00

Hopefully the pictures will get posted today. I did take them yesterday with a digital camera. But for some reason we couldn't get them to my computer. So we'll keep trying and I'll post when I can.

Marilyn - I'll be sending you a link with a bunch of photos soon.

Archery starts this Friday, I know I said it started last week, but sometimes I don't know what the date is - go figure. Anyway, we're all excited about it.

The kids are getting ready to go to Camp Fire camp in 1 1/2 weeks - EEP. I'm not sure I'm ready, but I think they are. They are nervous and excited. I just hope they take care of each other.

Our lives are revolving around video games right now. The kids each have new games (one rented, one purchased - both with their own money) that are really holding their attention. And it's actually pretty cool. It's forcing Robin to work on his reading (which is getting SO good) and Stu to work on her hand eye coordination (which is getting better).

We're also making our way through the thoughest part of Jeff's student teaching - the no money part. We have money coming, but we're not exactly sure when. And until then we have $14 in the bank. So we're spending a lot of time at home or walking/bike riding to the places we need to be. It's a hard road, but we knew it was coming and we were all prepared. Well, maye Jeff wasn't, he's had a few minor panic attacks about money. But in the end it's been ok.

Anyway, wish us luck. This could go on until the middle of next month - man I hope not.

2006-04-17T06:42:00.000-07:00

I've finished my shadowbox. I'll be posting photos later today. Keep watching this space.

2006-04-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

I'm working oh so slowly on the new shadowbox. I've got the thing papermached and most of the base colors are on. Some of the things are entirely painted, like the sun. But this one is almost painful it's going so slow. I'm feeling stuck with the colors though. Part of it is that I'm running out of paints and I have no money to buy any so I'm stuck with the colors I have and the ones I can create with the ones I have. It's a little depressing.

We went for a big walk today, Jeff and the kids and I. We walked and sat by a tadpole filled pond and sweated and visited and had a great time. Jeff and Stu held sweaty hands for a good part of the walk, that was so cute. Jeff and Robin walked way ahead of us for part of the walk while they discussed guy things, that was cute too.

Tomorrow the kids have archery (Jeff's coming to that too) and then they have chess with other homeschoolers. Then Stu and I need to make cupcakes for the Camp Fire sponsered Saturday morning Easter egg hunt open to the whole city. We're talking wheelbarrows full of cupcakes (luckily our pantry is full of flour and sugar)!

Jeff has been using his week off to work in the yard, front and back, fix the bbq, help clean the house, do homework, play and play with the kids, search for a job to get us through the summer (till he starts teaching), and just relax. It's been so nice.

2006-04-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

My kids did the dishes yesterday after dinner. I woke up this morning to a relatively clean kitchen. It was so nice.

The rest of my house looks like a tornado hit it. But turns out that may be partly my fault. Apparently I'm a bit of a slob and I've passed those genes on to my kids. I don't know who my husband has to blame.

I did cut up the boxes that have been sitting on my desk for weeks. They are now in workable pieces and much more compact. But I haven't put the ironing board away for weeks and my son has taken it over as a base for his toys, even though he has a great table that's red (his favorite color) and all his. So now the ironing board is covered in bionicles and various other toys.

The floor under the ironing board is also full. Blankets, an overflowing trash can, magazines, Stu's shadowbox, some clothes that should have been ironed but now probably should go back in the laundry.

I don't like housework. I like living in a clean space, but I don't like the getting there. It's boring. Making messes is so much more fun. When the kids were little I used to keep the house fairly clean. I would pick up in all the rooms but really focus on one room a week. I don't do that anymore. I like to spend my time in other ways. Playing chess with the kids, making art, watching movies, playing cards, drawing, reading, stuff like that. But every once in a while I have to remind myself that we clean so that we have more room to make messes.

I think we may spend an hour today doing some cleaning. Ugh.

2006-04-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

I almost hit a teenage girl with my car this evening.

It wasn't my fault, but I'm still shaking and VERY angry about it.

Her boyfriend pushed her in front of my car and laughed. They were walking in the street, I swerved to avoid them and he pushed her in front of my car.

So I turned the car around, pulled up next to them, rolled my window down and yelled at him. I told him that that was a terrible thing to do to some one you are supposed to care about, that that was an asshole thing to do and he must be a horrible person to think that was funny.

He just said that "it wasn't important" over and over. I'm sure he was just embarrassed, but I'm also pretty sure that some of it was true. He didn't care and it really wasn't important. She wasn't important.

Pimply faced moron. I'm still so angry. What a terrible teenage boy thing to do.

And I'll bet she laughs it off because she's a girl and her self esteem is in the toilet and why should she care that she almost got hit by a car? He's the one that matters after all, not her.

Idiots.

2006-04-05T07:45:00.000-07:00

It's been cold here for almost 6 months now. That may be a slight exaggeration, but I don't think so. And lately it's been raining a lot. And that has turned me into a tv junkie.

Normally (as in when it's not wet and cold) I don't watch much tv. I'm happy to catch a movie now and again and there are 1 or 2 shows I'm interested it, but if I miss them it's ok. But for the past few weeks (or maybe months? I'm losing track of time) I've been tivoing like it's going out of style.

Movies like Supersize Me, Alfie, Harold and Maude (that's my absolute favorite movie ever), Napolean Dynamite, anything with the Marx Brothers, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, or Cary Grant, and tv shows like Top Chef, Project Runway - when it was on, Real Housewives of Orange County, Blow Out, The Sopranos, Big Love, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Moral Oral, and I'm sure there's more.

We have a 5 disc subcription with Netflix so I've either watched them recently or the discs are sitting on my dvd player waiting to watch: Prime, The Squid and the Whale, Everything is Illuminated, Dead Like Me (seasons 1 and 2), Sin City, and there's more coming!

Now I've got a friend burning me dvds, she made me the new Pride and Prejudice, The Usual Suspects, and yesterday she handed me Briget Jones (the first one, not the crappy second one).

I'm inundated with movies and tv shows. Enough to last me through the end of the rainy season when I can move on to other things - like art and cooking.

Speaking of cooking, mine has been sucking lately. I made the absolute worst white lasagna the other night. Ick, it was awful! Maybe I should be watching cooking shows instead.

2006-04-01T20:32:00.000-08:00

We just finished watching Supersize Me. Let me just start by saying that we don't eat in fast food places, heck, we don't eat out very often at all. But fast food we eat maybe 1 or 2 times a year, generally in the car when we're on a road trip. The last time we ate any fast food was when we were coming home from Magic Mountain in September. So not bad.

Here's my review - That movie made me sick. I mean it made me want to throw up. My stomach feels queazy and I just want to eat fruit and veggies for the rest of my life.

So I highly recommend this movie. Just don't watch it right after dinner.

Other news - I haven't worked on my newest shadowbox in a few days and I'm not exactly sure why. I know I'm cold and dipping my fingers into cold wallpaper paste doesn't sound appealing. Also I'm supposed to be photographing it as I go, but I just got some of the photos back from the previous step and they're not good at all. I really need a digital camera. So I'm feeling guilty about that.

I do know that when this box is done it will be really good. Possibly the best one. I just need to do it.

We spent the day working in the front yard. All the rain has caused a massive explosion of weeds. So we spent the day eradicating them (which is a funny word to use in reference to weeds since it means to tear something up by the roots). The kids even helped for a while. We got 90% done and it looks really good. We'll finish tomorrow and then move to the back yard, which needs so much help.

Daylight saving starts tomorrow. I love daylight savings. I love the extra light at the end of the day.

2006-03-28T05:59:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd just share a few photos with you.

This was taken this past xmas. Stu's in her new jammies that she opened that night, her doll Emma is next to her, where she belongs. I don't think Stu could have been happier.

Here's a photo of me the day we went to the snow. I took it in the rear view mirror of the car.

Here's the concrete piece path that my husband built by following the sound of jackhammers around the city a few years ago. This shows the left over hail the day before we went to the snow.

And last, here's a photo of what it looks like on a rainy day just outside our town as we drive around.

So many people I know and love are reading my blog these days (hi!) that I'm editing the previous post. I don't want anyone thinking that I actually hate this person, I don't. I feel bad for her, she makes my life difficult sometimes, but I don't hate her.

Moving on.

2006-03-27T11:15:00.000-08:00

Ok, as much as I'd like to keep the hot air balloon up it's time to move on. So here we go.

I gave the kids a quick geography lesson this morning. Name all 7 continents while showing them to me on the map. Find the Middle East, Sweden, Denmark, India, and Chile. They did so well. I refuse to have children who don't know their way around the globe.

The kids made their own chocolate chip cookies yesterday, they followed the recipe and the cookies were (are) delicious. Today they are helping out by cleaning the kitchen. Yay! I hate doing dishes!

We've decided to make flying things - hot air balloons, flying saucers, planes, etc... out of paper plates, balloons and paper mache and cover the ceiling in the studio with them. I'm excited about it.

I've started the new shadowbox. It's going to be another good one, I love the shape of the box. Photos will follow as soon as I can.

We've cleaned the living room and the studio, there's loads more room now to play and make more messes.

Update - this post has been edited.

2006-03-24T12:50:00.000-08:00

Here it is -

And a close up of the balloon

2006-03-24T07:38:00.000-08:00

The new shadowbox is done! Yay!! This one is my absolute favorite, really. I could keep this one forever and not be unhappy about that decision.

I'll photograph it later today and post the photos.

Picture Post From Our Day in the Snow

2006-03-21T07:41:00.000-08:00

Here's what it looked like, patchy but very cold, wet and a lot of fun.

Lots of snowballs were thrown.

Lots of sliding down the hill, some it was even on purpose!

And then of couse, there was a long walk back up the hill.

And the snow had to be tasted to test for deliciousness (it passed).

It was a good day.

2006-03-19T07:55:00.000-08:00

piano
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Here's the piano covered with the shadowboxes. The new one should be done sometime this week.

Yesterday we celebrated Robin's birthday at a local pizza arcade. It was a lot of fun. Crowded, loud, and very cool. I haven't seen Robin so happy in ages.

Today we are going on a peace march. I'm dragging my mom, sister and niece too. I'm looking forward to it, and I will bring the camera along and post the photos when I can.

2006-03-18T06:43:00.000-08:00

I have nothing new to say. Well, I do, but they are all complaints. Oh well, it's my blog, I'm going to complain.

I got hit in the hand yesterday, pretty hard. And it still hurts. A lot.

I sent out our taxes on the 2nd of February. I just got them back yesterday. They sent me a note saying I should include the EIC and one other form. The problem is that I DID include those forms. I have the copies to prove it. They lost them. We were counting on the refund to help us through the period where Jeff isn't working and now the wait starts all over again. Fuckers.

My shoulder hurts so badly. I saw the dr last week and got an xray, I see him again on Monday so he can tell me what's wrong with it and we can start to heal it. He's thinking it's a damaged/torn rotator cuff.

My house is a fucking mess, the laundry just keeps piling up, I feel like I'm not getting any help. I know that's not true. The kids have been great about sticking to the chore chart. They even cleaned their rooms the other day. Jeff helps out when he can, he's been doing the dishes more lately. I just am feeling overwhelmed. Shadowboxes (which I haven't been working on) laundry, dishes, picking up, vacuming, trying to make it through this rough patch.

We've had $600 for this month, plus $200 that my mom sent to help pay for Robin's party and with groceries while they are here (they'll be here today). I haven't payed rent or bills this month. Money sucks. However, Jeff took a subbing job next Tuesday, that'll be a little bit of money.

Part of the problem, I think, is that there is NO play money. No money for movies, gas, clothes, coffee, anything. Life is hard right now and I hate that. Things will turn around, I know they will.

2006-03-15T07:43:00.000-08:00

So we went to the snow yesterday and had a great time. I took a lot of photos, which is one of my favorite things to do. Jeff and the kids slid down the steep hills and climbed back up and built a snowman and got so freaking wet. Luckily mom came prepared and everyone changed into warm clothes for the ride home.

However. I was calling my dad on my cell phone when Stu came running up with blood all over her hand, crying and crying. I put the phone down (still open) on the roof of the car to help her. Got her all bandaged up, clothes changed, and warmed up with some food and we drove away to a different hill. Yup, phone still on top of the car.

I heard something thud, we backed up to see what it was, couldn't see anything so we drove away.

When we found the new place to play I decided to call my sister to tell her where we were, etc... But I couldn't find the phone. Oh, right, we heard a thud. That must have been what we heard falling off the roof.

Since we were practically the only people on the mountain, we went back for the phone when we were done playing.

Turns out we had run it over when we'd backed up.

My phone is now a muddy and slightly broken mess. It still works, but the front bit that tells you who's calling and shows the time is cracked and doesn't show anything anymore. I'm going to miss that part the most, I don't wear a watch and I use that clock all the time.

Other than that we had a great time, Stu's hand is fine. And I'll post the photos as soon as I get them back.

2006-03-14T06:15:00.000-08:00

Ok, I did make muffins (dried blueberry and yogurt - YUM!) and I did set the crock pot, I also made hot chocolate. But we did not go to the snow on Sunday. It was storming so we stayed home and watched old movies instead. We're going to the snow today instead. Jeff doesn't have to go anywhere, the snow should still be on the mountain - it's cold enough, and it won't be as crowded.

I'm not setting the crock pot this time though. I'm planning on ham and veggie frittatas, salad and crusty bread when when get home instead.

So this morning I'll pack a picnic and get the warm clothes together again and we'll be off. I mustn't forget the camera.

Yesterday I read the kids Romeo and Juliet (the kids version, with many, if not all, of the most famous lines). We talked about geography (I finally hung back up our huge world map that fell down months ago), history, dress and things like that from the time period. Tomorrow we will watch the movie.

Stu is almost done with her shadowbox. It's looking good and I'll photograph it (if she lets me) and show you as soon as I can.

2006-03-12T07:18:00.000-08:00

Chest of Drawers asked me, "I also love the library and the craft books section but it´s quite small here at our local library. So what did you find???"

I ended up hanging out with the kids while they played chess. I answered questions about how the pieces moved, asked the kids to be a little bit quieter, took two of the kids outside to run off some extra energy, and got paper and pencils from the librarian for drawing. The kids were having so much fun. They played not only chess, but chinese checkers, regular checkers, and go fish. It was a great thing to do, one that is evolving into a regular event for us.

After all that we went into the children's section and chose so many new books. Stu kept piling the table with more and more books while Robin sat there reading his one very large book. I chose a few children's books with wonderful stories and gorgeous illustrations. I'm using them to inspire my sketches for new shadowboxes.

Speaking of shadowboxes. I got the new one all paper mached and gessoed last night. It's ready for painting. I love this part.

It has to wait a bit though. We're off to the snow today. It's just a day trip, we'll be home tonight, but we're taking the sled and lots of warm clothes. And the camera.

So this morning I'm setting up the crock pot, gathering all the warm snow clothes together, making coffee and muffins, and picking Stu up at her friend's house where she stayed the night, and then we're off to the snow.

2006-03-10T08:10:00.000-08:00

Robin in hearts 3
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Archery was supposed to start last week, but it rained so it was postponed until today. But its raining. So now it's been put on hold until the middle of next month. Poo. At least it wasn't cancelled altogether.

We were supposed to go on a picnic today and then have our chess club at the park. But again, it's raining. So the picnic has been cancelled. Poo.

Luckily however, we have a library. So the kid's chess club is meeting at the library. Yay! The only problem is that my kids don't play sedate games of chess. They hop up and down, fling pieces off, and scream with delight on good moves (I know, we're still working on sportsmanship). So they're going to have to reign in it for today, it might be difficult.

I am going to scour the library for art books. I'm so excited!

2006-03-07T05:49:00.000-08:00

Mariliyn asked me this - "do you feel “obsessed” to tweak this new project? Does it pull you like an unfinished puzzle? Just asking.... sometimes when I'm half way done with a piece it calls to me, like, I dunno, a half finished sentence that needs to be completed."

I suppose that is how I feel about it. I was done with my newest piece, I was, according to the drawings that I'd made. But it didn't feel right, it felt empty somehow. So it sat there while I stared at it, while I did the dishes, while I asked the members of my family what was missing, while I held up things like seashells and curtains to see if that's what was missing. Jeff and I had a long talk about it, we discussed composition and coloring, things like that.

I really like the way this one I just finished turned out. But only because I obsessed about it. Now I've moved on to my new piece. I'm drawing it out, making the box, figuring out the colors, obsessing, and hoping I haven't left anything out.

At the same time I'm doing that I'm also helping Stu make her own shadowbox. She's made a little person and a painting for the back wall of the box. She says what she doesn't like is the paper mache-ing. She just wants to paint it. Ok. I'll do the paper mache-ing for her. I'll just do two boxes at the same time.

I'll photograph the piano as soon as the light around here gets a bit brighter. We need some sun!

2006-03-05T11:19:00.000-08:00

the sea shadowbox
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Here's the newest shadowbox. I'm happy with it. I think it's peaceful and lovely.

I know I'm not making political statements with my art. That's ok with me. I'm not out to change the world, just to provide my type of beauty.

Click on the photo to see it larger and to see more shadowboxes I've made.

2006-03-04T11:58:00.000-08:00

I thought I was done with the newest shadowbox. But as I sat looking at it last night I realized I wasn't. So I'm going to work as much as I can on it today (of course it's going to require a number of hours of drying time) and I'll post photos as soon as I can, but it probably won't be tomorrow.

Darn it. I was so hoping it would be tomorrow.

Monday's good though. If it's dry.

I've just finished watching The Royal Tenenbaums again. I think Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson are genuises. I've never seen a Wes Anderson movie that wasn't absolutely worth watching.

2006-03-01T19:45:00.000-08:00

blue whale
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

It was last week but here are photos from our trip to the Sea Center.

There are magnifying lenses to get a closer view.

And a smallish tank for just sitting and watching, that's my favorite.

Octopus (plural is either octopus OR octopi, did you know that?)

These are baby sharks. They will be released back into the ocean after they are born.

Stearn's Warf where the Sea Center is.

Afterward we hit the beach for a picnic.

Then we saw this:

It was amazing. By far the best art car I've ever seen in person. This is ten years worth of work. It doesn't travel far anymore, Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara that's it. But it's wonderful. We must have stared at it and talked with it's owner and creator for an hour.

Aren't people amazing?

2006-02-27T20:54:00.000-08:00

I've erased most of what I wrote last night. Because It sounded like I was down, and I'm not. As a matter of fact, I've been feeling so much better these past few months, better than I've felt in years. But the post was a downer. So I've kept a bit of it and I've added more.

Ok, I've been on a diet for a few weeks now. I've offically lost 13 1/2 pounds. That's great you say. Yes it is, but I have a LONG way to go. And I mean a long way. I'm the heaviest I've ever been, even when I was pregnant with my kids.

I'm not complaining. I'm the one who took me here, me and my depression (which is a side effect of many things - motherhood, auto immune diseases, uselessness, etc). Chocolate and fried deliciousness. I got it. I'm eating healthier and I'm working out.

I love excercising. I love the repetitiveness of it and how I can get lost in my book while I'm working out. I love the way my legs feel like rubber when I'm done. I love that I have SO much more energy. I love moving the numbers up on the machines and getting to a new level. I love it all. I'm not that fond of the teenage boys who hang out at the gym and make fun of middle age women who go there (I'm sure they aren't teenagers, just stupid immature 20 somethings). But there is no women's gym in my town, so I'll put up with them to feel the way I feel.

I've been thinking about this stuff.

I've been thinking about other things too. Like what I'm going to work on when all the shadowboxes I have planned are done. I'm thinking about doing some sewing for myself and my kids. I'm thinking that I'd like to try some wire art. I'm thinking about Jeff finding a job soon. I'm thinking that I can't wait until strawberries are in full season because I really need to make more jam. Also about this new site I've found www.pandora.com - it's wonderful.

Things like that.

2006-02-24T09:22:00.000-08:00

Julie asked on my last post how I managed to get free massages. Well, here's the story - My dad gets a massage every week and he's decided that 1 1/2 hours is too much (are you kidding me?) he only wants to use 1 hour of it, so he's donating the rest of his time to me! Yay me! Cherrie (the masseuse) is wonderful and gives, I kid you not, not only the best massages in the world (she incorporates hot jade stones) but she comes to our house and she ALWAYS gives the kids massages too (she's massaged the dog on a few occasions too - lol). Needless to say, we think she's terrific.

So now I have 2 hours for Feb saved. I think I'll save those for my mom when she comes to visit next. And then I'll have 2 hours next month that I'll split with Jeff. Ahhh.

I've made a chore chart for the house. I didn't think I'd ever have to do something like that. I swear I thought if I modeled the behaviour that my kids would follow suite. Well, it's been 11 years of modeling and they aren't helping yet and I'm fed up. So a chore chart. There are 3 things that HAVE to get done everyday - pick up clothes, pick up dishes and pick up toys at the end of the day. Then there are chores to be chosen from on a daily basis. Washing dishes, vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, etc... It's the first day and so far no one has complained. Fingers crossed.

I've been researching cars because we should be able to buy a new one in about 6 months and I want to make sure we get the right one for us. I'm leaning in two directions. Either a Ford Escape Hybrid, which I like and gets great gas mileage, but I can't find any long term information on. Or the Honda Element. I know a lot of people hate the way it looks, I don't. I think it looks funky and I love the colors. I also love that I can get it all rubber on the inside and basically hose it down. I also love Hondas. I've owned at least 2 of them and they just last and last with very few repairs. So money will probably determine which direction we go, if there's not enough money, the Element will win. It's almost $10,000 less.

I hope you have a good weekend. Oh, and please say hi when you drop in, I'm feeling a bit lonely out here in cyberspace.

2006-02-23T09:56:00.000-08:00

The kids and I are hooked on Project Runway and now Project Jay. Which turns out to just be a 1 hour special! That sucks! He's SO funny, there could easily be a whole season of just him!

Oh well.

We walked 3 miles yesterday instead of just me going to the gym. That was a good thing. We all felt great after the walk. We'll do it again next Wednesday. As for today - it's me back at the gym.

I'm so close to being finished with the new shadowbox. But I've run into a snag. I HATE the little person I've designed. Luckily I haven't finished the other 2 yet, so I won't have to rip those apart. But the one I hate? I'm going to re-do the face today. I hate that. But it will look SO much better.

Telling time on an analog clock clicked for the kids yesterday. How cool is that?

Also, I've now got 2 hours of massage coming to me every month. I can keep them or give them away. I think I'll bank some of those hours, cause I can, and share them with my mom.

our valentine's day

2006-02-21T16:26:00.000-08:00

flyers
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

2006-02-21T07:53:00.000-08:00

If you click on the link over there ------> that says "art for housewives" you'll notice that she's included my carousel in her new post. Very cool.

We're off to the Sea Center in Santa Barbara today. I'm taking my camera, so I should be able to put up photos in about a week (sheesh I'm still so slow, someday I'll join the digital bandwagon).

But I should be putting up photos tomorrow of our valentine's day.

2006-02-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

I'm pluggin away on the new piece, it's slow going this one (like the others went so fast - hahaha) cause there are waves to make in this one and the curls take a while.

We were going to go the new sea center in Santa Barbara yesterday but it was raining pretty hard. So we've decided to go next week instead.

Also next week we will be taking a trip to the thrift store to drop stuff off and working on getting the back yard cleaned up and ready for planting. Jeff's out there right now pruning the blackberries.

I also need to get more dirt and new plants for some of my larger pots. Most of the plants have survived the winter, but a few have not and the pots look so weird with dead sticks in them.

55 minutes on the eliptical machine this morning! Yay me! And I've lost a total of 13 pounds so far.

2006-02-16T15:16:00.000-08:00

Peace activists 2
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Here's what we did on Valentine's Day. Click on photo to read it.

2006-02-14T14:37:00.000-08:00

carousel 2
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Here it is. Finally.

2006-02-14T07:19:00.000-08:00

Ok, I will absolutely have photos of the new piece by this afternoon. I promise. I tried to take them yesterday but the digital camera I borrow was on vacation (my dad took it to 29 Palms).

Before I take photos however the kids and I (along with the Peace and Justice Coalition) will be handing out cookies, flowers, peace buttons, and literature about careers in social change/opting out of talking with a military recruiter. We will be on the corner the high school kids walk by on their way to lunch. It's a Happy Valentines message for the kids. Robin, Storey and I are excited to be a part of this.

So I'll see you later.

2006-02-11T14:22:00.000-08:00

I'm still not quite done with the newest piece. I have 1 more animal to make and it's actually kicking my ass. I'm having the hardest time making it. So I'll throw away the crap and start again, again.

I went to the gym this morning for the 4th time this week! Yay me. But I broke the spine of my book there. I had to keep it on the machine and I was trying to get it to lay flat. Poo. I hate breaking books.

That's about it. I'm hoping that I'll have a new photo to post here by Monday at the latest.

Ok, off to make more animals.

2006-02-07T06:24:00.000-08:00

I'm 2/3 of the way done with my new piece. It's a fun one, a little different than the shadowboxes, although I'm going right back to the shadowboxes when I'm finished with this one. I should have it all done and photographed by this weekend.

The kids tried Camp Fire yesterday and it was a huge hit! Even for Robin who is the only boy in this group. Both the kids were happy after the meeting, happy like I haven't seen them in quite a while. It was great.

Stu is planning on finshing up the cookie sales for Girl Scouts then she'll be leaving the troop - I'm so happy about this! It's going to be hard to tell her leader that she's leaving, but it will be so nice to not have to go there anymore.

Oh, and both the kids asked me just to drop them off at Camp Fire next time, "you don't have to come mom, we'll be fine." Um, ok. You mean I'll have 1 1/2 hours all to myself? To do what ever I want? Um, ok. Gym with no guilt. Coffee with a book. Errands with no kids in tow? Whatever will I do with my time?

So now they are doing karate, Camp Fire, and next month starts archery. Stu wants to take voice lessons. As soon as I can afford that, she will. Robin was actually complaining last night about having no free time anymore. I love it!!

Grocery shopping today. Tomorrow the dentist and a trip to the craft store for valentine supplies. We are so busy!

Here's a funny for you - Robin bounded into the room the other day, stopped in a karate stance and said "Don't mess with me, I know origami!" Hahahaha

2006-02-04T13:01:00.000-08:00

I had a weird experience yesterday. It happened in the middle of a good experience.

The good one was that a woman who lives near me saw my shadowboxes on Flickr and realizing that we lived in the same area, contacted me. She spent the afternoon with us yesterday while I showed her how to make her own. We talked and paper mached and it was great.

Ok, two weird experiences.

1. I realized I was dumbing myself down when Susan first came over because that's generally what I do. Most people aren't very smart and I am. I'm not trying to self aggrandize, it's the truth. And I don't mind. But it's SO nice to be able to talk with some one who is on my own level. Who reads the same type of books, watches the same type of movies, and UNDERSTANDS all of them.

2. I saw my daughter through the eyes of a virtual stranger. And what I saw was strange. I saw an intelligent child with some problems. Maybe it's just because she's 8 (Jeff says most 8 year olds are like this, I don't know, I only have knowledge of my son to base this on), but maybe it's a real issue - or would be if she were in school. She's easily frustrated, easily distracted, constantly moving and making noise, and quick to take offense and break down in tears. I'm used to her, but other people aren't, so it was interesting to see her from another perpective.

BTW, Susan, the woman who was here yesterday, did NOT discuss my daughter with me. We did not talk about any of this stuff. It was just me, stepping outside my norms and seeing this.

Anyway, I'm not sure if any of this makes sense. But there you go.

2006-02-01T10:53:00.000-08:00

girl on a swing
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Here's the newest shadowbox. It's already getting rave reviews! The swing swings.

Here's the back, click on it to make it larger:

2006-02-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

I've finished the newest shadowbox and I'll be photographing it later this afternoon. I'll put up a new post then.

I've decided that until I can afford to get the stuff to make a carousel that has a motor or crank and will really turn, I'll make one from paper mache that doesn't turn. So I started last night. So far it's very cool.

I'm off to the destist today for the first of 5 visits over the next 3 months. Yuck, but necessary. I've been bad and neglected my teeth (I swear to you that I didn't realize it had been that long. I'm SO good about getting my kids to the dentist every 6 months and making sure Jeff goes.).

2006-01-30T20:17:00.000-08:00

I have no new photos yet. I'm sick (I'm making a sad face). Nothing major, just a cold. But I feel like crap. Luckily I got my workout in this morning before it really set in.

I'm so close to being finished with the new shadowbox, so close. But I'm not up for it right now. Besides, I'm afraid that my color choices would be hideous if I painted it now. Chartreuse and magenta. Bleh.

So I spent today preparing for being sick. I'm soaking beans for crock pot soup tomorrow, I've made extra loaves of bread and rolls, I'm getting the milk ready for yogurt, and so on. The house is a freakin mess, but hey, you can't have it all.

2006-01-27T16:02:00.000-08:00

I'm spending this week doing these things:

1. visiting with my mom and Emily who are here for a few days
2. dishes
3. reading more Hilary Mantel
4. fixing another warped shadowbox, I think I finally got it right this time and I shouldn't have any more warp-age happening
5. trying to figure out how to make a carousel, how to get it to turn - bearings? cogs?
6. listening to my husband talk about his adventures in second grade
7. going to the gym
8. watching "Project Runway"
9. watching "Fawlty Towers"
10. answering my kids questions (there are so many of them!)
11. vacuuming up sparkles, they are everywhere
12. eating out with my mom and Jeff while the kids have pizza with their papa
13. watching my kids grow, they are amazing
14. Oh, and losing weight. I've lost 10lbs so far, much much to go.

I should have my newest shadowbox done sometime next week! Yay! Then I can move on, I've been gathering so many ideas for new ones. I have enough to last me a year of creating.

2006-01-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

I know I'm going to get the order in which things happened wrong. I don't really care. It all happened at some point during the trip.

An early morning trip in the drizzley rain to find a place for breakfast, not the place I wanted which I couldn't find because I was about 10 blocks off. A visit to the most inexpensive fabric store I've ever been in. A parking ticket in a badly marked area - it will be contested.

A LONG walk around downtown and down Market Street punctuated by clothing stores, bookstores, and picture taking.

Crazy driving, including insane u-turns and no left turn streets.

Chinese New Year celebrations creating more crazy driving and NO parking. Not getting the very expensive SFMOMA tickets to see the amazing Chuck Close exhibit. Walking around Yerba Buena Gardens.

Lattes in North Beach while Aimee knit (not at Cafe Trieste though, the line was out the door).

So much laughing. Crazy people talking about lions and bears. Thai lunch in the Sunset. Too many cell phone calls trying to hook up with people and it not happening when and where it should have. More walking and window shopping. Hamburgers and milkshakes for dinner. And great company ALL DAY. It was almost perfect.

That was only Saturday!

Sunday was breakfast out, more walking (we walked by Craig's List - that was weird, it's a hole in the wall) and then a trip to UCSF Medical School to see the campus and the anatomy lab. You know, where they keep the cadavers that the first years disect. Very cool. I thought I was going to pass out. But once the bag was unzipped it was no problem. It was amazing. Really amazing. The lungs are smaller and heavier than I thought they'd be. The liver is much much larger than I thought. The stomach was empty and just a floppy little bag. I saw the gallbladder, heart, intestines, lungs, liver and stomach. The skin is wild. It's thicker than I thought and more like leather. There were heads swaddled on a side table, I'm not sure I could have handled that. But who knows. The wrapped bodies I thought were freakier than the unwrapped one. It all has to do with my imagination and too many scary movies. After this we made our way out of the maze that is the university and drove home.

I'm blown away by people who donate their bodies to science. What a terrific thing they do. I'm not a medical student and just in the space of a half and hour I learned so much more then I ever did just by looking through a book.

It was a great weekend and I did miss Jeff and my kids so much. It's nice to be home. I took a lot of photos, but none in the anatomy lab, I really wish I had. Maybe next time.

2006-01-19T09:06:00.000-08:00

Still plugging away on the new piece. Its slow going because I'm trying to keep it from warping as I apply the wet paper.

Jeff's started his student teaching on Tuesday. It's hard to tell if he's enjoying it or not. He talks a lot about the fact that there's no room for creativity in the classroom, there virtually no reading, no art, no poetry. Because so much time is spent working on the "No Child Left Behind" crap. Now I'm reading that this "No Child Left Behind" is leaving kids in the dust all over the place.

I can hardly wait till Bush is out of office and we can start to repair the damage that he's caused. The problem is that it takes minutes to cause the damage and YEARS to repair it. That means many many more years of kids falling behind because of his "No Child Left Behind" crap. Shit. Poor kids. Poor us. Poor country.

Stu asked me the other day if she could go to school again. How do I explain to my child (for the millionth time so she finally hears me) that she won't get an education there? She'll be babysat for 8 hours. She'll be bored, she won't go to lunch with us anymore, or the gym, or the new pool, or anywhere. She's not allowed to sing spontaneously, talk when she feels like it, bathe in the middle of the day, watch movies, hang out at the library, walk the dog, wake slowly, eat slowly, learn what she chooses, or just hang around. She'll have hours of mindless schoolwork, followed again by hours of mindless homework. And she won't remember most of it because most of it isn't worth remembering.

I don't know if she'll ever get it. Maybe a year in school is just what she needs. Ugh.

On a happier note. Jeff henna-ed my hair for me last night. It's soft and gorgeous today. I traded him for a haircut. So his looks great too.

I'm heading to San Francisco for the weekend. My dad's got a conference in Berkeley and I'm tagging along. We are going to stay at my youngest sister's place and when she's not studying, visit with her. Saturday, while Teri is studying, I plan on spending the day roaming downtown, checking out the galleries and taking photos. I think my other sister, Aimee, is going to meet me down there. The kids aren't thrilled with me not taking them. But hey, it's only two days and I could really use a teeny vacation. I did promise to miss them very much, and I'm sure I will.

2006-01-15T19:09:00.000-08:00

It's finally occured to me why I have a hard time putting myself, or rather, my art out there to share with the world. Because it feels like a judgement of me. I know it's not, but it feels like it.

That's why when I was in Europe I hung my photographs and then left. I didn't go to the opening. I'm sorry now that I didn't. But I just couldn't. I couldn't bear to see people looking at my work. And I couldn't stomach the idea of people not like my stuff.

I'm just getting to the point where I don't care if someone likes my work or not. I didn't make it for them. I made it for me. Wow that's a hard place to get to.

For this reason and many more, no wonder artists are so fucked up.

So I'm presenting my work to you, in photograph form. It's different than in real life, just like so many other things. Be gentle. But also know that I made it because somehow it touches me and feels necessary to me.

Other news:

I've lost 4 pounds. Yay me!

I need to re-henna my hair.

I didn't work out today and I'm losing my momentum.

A close up

2006-01-14T15:02:00.000-08:00

time out shadowbox
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Click the photo and it will take you to my Flickr site where you can see more photos of my new piece.

I modeled the kids on Robin and Stu. They are both happy with the results. So am I.

I'm working on the newest one already. I'll post when I'm done.

2006-01-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

Here's part of the new piece in progress (headless so far)

Here's the house I'm not using. See it jiggle

Here's the house I am using

It's a long process, waiting for it to dry. But I think it's dry this morning so I'm off to start painting.

And Robin and I are listening to "A Confederacy of Dunces" on cd. We are loving it - Ignatius J. Riley is crazy!

2006-01-08T09:49:00.000-08:00

I was going to draw out the presents I got this year, but I decided to photograph just a few of them instead.

Bowls from my husband. I really needed bowls and he got me some great ones.

Plates. Many plates. All of them are different. Everytime some one eats off them I feel like saying "get your own plate, that's mine."

And another plate. I think this one is my favorite. It's the one I ate my breakfast on this morning. Can you tell?

I'm not sure how I feel about getting plates for xmas. I did ask for some great mugs from Anthropologie that I didn't get. I think somewhere in my husband's head they were the same as plates. Oh well. He did a great job picking them out (as did my sister, who gave me a few too). I love that they are all different and all beautiful.

Click the photo to see it larger

2006-01-03T21:31:00.000-08:00

Ballet Recital
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Here's the latest piece. I'm so proud of it and I really love looking at it. It's gotten rave reviews from everyone who's seen it. YAY!

Now to sell it to some deserving soul. Or maybe I'll hang on to it for a while and build up a collection of similar things and have a show.

That'd be fun. I think I'll do that.

My next piece has been started and it's looking good. Again, I'll photograph and post them when I can.

Here's the backside (click to make it larger)

2006-01-02T10:59:00.000-08:00

I'm almost done with my newest piece of art - I just love it. As soon as I can borrow my dad's digital camera I'll photograph it and show you.

It's raining like crazy here. As it is all over California. Our livingroom roof is dripping and one of our new windows is leaking. The rain is supposed to stop tomorrow, so we'll get it fixed this week - I hope.

I'm off to make bread for dinner and then we're going to watch a movie about Mount Everest.

See ya.

2005-12-29T09:24:00.000-08:00

4 days after xmas and we are still recovering. Still sleeping a lot and lazing around. Still picking up the presents lying around the house.

It was a great xmas. Great company, food (a lot of it), presents, & playing.

I've been reading a lot of homeschooling blogs and I'm having a hard time liking most of them. Most of them are so conservative religious - you know, give yourself up to god/your husband and your life will be just the way the bible says it should be. No thinking for yourself, no making decisions without input from either your pastor, your husband or the bible.

Yuck. Please. It irritates me so much. It makes me never want to claim to be a homeschooler again.

Where have all the liberal free thinking government defying people gone? I miss you so much.

In other news we are working on our goals for the upcoming year. Bhags - big hairy audacious goals. I checked mine from last year and I met almost all of them. Not bad.

My kids are in the kitchen right now "mopping" the floor by dumping water out and skating on it. Craziness. I need to not go in there right now because I'm afraid I'll hit the roof - and they are having so much fun.

2005-12-23T20:13:00.000-08:00

So far this season I've sold 2 dolls and 3 ornaments. I'm a happy camper.

Today we wrapped presents, Stu and Emily went to the next door neighbor's for a birthday party, Aimee and dad ran errands and visited, my sister Teri came over for dinner and visiting, Jeff mopped the kitchen floor, and mom is in the middle of making cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning breakfast. Robin never got dressed this morning, he stayed in his jammies all day, played his video game and wrapped the presents he bought for people. I wandered around the house, ran a few errands, made breakfast, lunch and dinner and visited with everyone.

Tomorrow we will finish the wrapping, make a grocery run, make a rum cake, clean up a bit, lay out a huge feast (cheese fondue, salami, roast beef, turkey, apples, grapes, veggies, brie, cheddar and various other cheeses, breads, crackers, cookies, hot sandwiches, and drinks).

When it gets dark we will pile in the cars with extra blankets and go "christmas hunting." That's what the kids call it when we drive around looking at all the lights. When we get home we'll have hot chocolate (with the marshmallows I made yesterday - yum) and the kids will each open one present (pajamas - lucky them). Then maybe we'll play a game or two (cranuim is a big hit here these days).

Sunday we'll wake up and make coffee, light a fire, and open our stockings. My dad, stepmom and step brother are coming for breakfast, so after we eat we'll open our presents. It will take hours! We take turns opening them, one at a time. It's a lot of fun that way but it takes a long time.

After presents we are planning a big turkey dinner - for 10 people. I hope everyone fits around my dining room table! Then more games and visiting.

The traditions don't change much from year to year, but we get older and wiser and richer and poorer and happier and sadder. Sometimes there are more of us, sometimes less, but it's always just the way it should be and it's always worth it.

I hope your christmas day is a happy one and you can spend it with someone you love - that's the best way.

Merry Christmas

2005-12-20T05:56:00.000-08:00

xmas tree
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

My husband has been a repairing fool lately. He's fixing everything!

He's replaced all the burned out lights in the strings we have outside around the house. He's repaired a few holes in the outside of the house. He's cleaned the garage till it virtually shines. He's scrubbed the bricks of the fireplace hearth. He fixed the vent in the attic that was leaking hot air. He trimmed the false mission pear that hangs over our house and then he cleared out all the gutters.

Oh, and he's loaded up all of our xmas albums to the laptop that he connected to the stereo. So now we can listen to xmas music all day long with no interruptions. Very cool.

And he did the dishes last night.

In short, our house has never been in better shape.

And just in time too! Mom and Em arrived last night. Em tore around the house like a child let loose from her car seat (which she was!). Mom and Jeff unloaded the car and then she collapsed into a heap and we fed her delicious food and the kids talked to her till she just couldn't hear them anymore and then she went to bed.

Em slept inbetween my kids. Piled with down comforters, special blankies, and a bottle of chocolate milk, the kids were so cute. Giggling and getting cozy and listening to me read.

We talked about how special family is, how cousins are like siblings that live in different houses, and how it's too bad xmas is only once a year (is it really too bad?).

Yesterday I helped a very good friend find his long lost son (found him!), searched and searched for a loveseat (didn't find one), and shopped for our neighbor's birthday present (he's 7 on Friday).

Today we are going to see Beauty and the Beast at our local playhouse, I'm so excited!

I hope your xmas is merry. See you soon!

Just so you know what I looked like 10 years ago

2005-12-18T11:09:00.000-08:00

Kate & Robin
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

In the past 3 days I've had 2 gross things happen to me. Ready to hear about them?

Friday afternoon I got a bad case of the runs. Awful. Really awful. And it lasted 24 hours. Yuck. I couldn't eat anything it just made me want to vomit. But by Saturday afternoon the virus was gone and my insides were so clean. It actually felt good. I felt light. Not that I recommend that way of going about it.

Today I got in the car after a big grocery trip and noticed in the rear view mirror that I had a booger hanging from my nose. So how long was that there, that's what what I want to know.

What's more embarrassing, being told you have a booger hanging or leaving it there for the world to see?

I say tell the person! Much less painful to be told than to share the grossness that comes from the inside of your nose!

Just thought I'd share.

2005-12-14T10:59:00.000-08:00

blue doll
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

I'm 40 years old. So you'd think that I'd remember that the universe really does provide. But I forget that constantly.

Yesterday I spent the remainer of my money on silly things like milk and eggs. I seriously have $3 till Jeff gets paid next Monday. So I was a little worried about things like dog food, flour for bread, gas for the car, etc...

And then I found out today that this doll sold. YAY! $125 in cash baby!!! It's in my wallet and I feel like the queen of the world.

Last night when we were on our way to turning off the tv and getting ready for bed, an infomercial came on for Feed The Children. Sad pictures, sad stories, starving children, orphans. It captured my kids attention and they stood there transfixed by the images. Then instead of reading books in bed we talked about why most of the world is like this, how lucky we really are, and what can we do about it. Good, serious talking. I have such smart and generous kids.

But then this morning hell brook loose when a teeny tiny plastic cat toy was discovered missing by one kid and turned up in the other kid's room. The problem is who does it belong to? We own 2 of these, which is which? And why do they even care, no one ever plays with it.

Anger, accusations, tears, yelling. It was terrible.

But then we looked at it in perspective and realized that in the larger scheme of things, it doesn't really matter. The fact that there are toys to lose, toys to play with, warm houses to play in, food in bellies, and people to love and care for you - that's what matters.

And peace reigns again in our house.

2005-12-12T06:56:00.000-08:00

I just hope he learns to read, it's never too late.

LOS ANGELES TIMES

November 24, 2005

SAO GONCALO, Brazil - Carlos Leite can barely read a word, but books revolutionized
his life.

Two years ago, he was doing construction work for a man who was about to toss out
six thick, red encyclopedias. Leite asked if he could have them, and a dream was
born.

Within days, he hit the pavement, knocking on doors, begging people for unwanted
books. No contribution was too small, too big, too arcane. Skeptical members of
his cycling club were dragooned into helping. His texts multiplied, and the original
six volumes turned into 100, then 1,000. Soon, his humble home was bursting with
5,000 books of all types: worn classics, chemistry textbooks, dog-eared thrillers.

To Leite, though, nearly all the books are mysteries. Born into a poor family, he
dropped out of school after third grade and, at 51, is functionally illiterate.
But books, he knows, are the gateway to a life of greater possibility than his own.
It might be too late for him, a working man, he reasoned, but not for others.

So bloomed the passion that has consumed Leite's free time over the past two years:
transforming his home into a public library, free and open to all in this poverty-stricken
neighborhood outside Rio de Janeiro. The streets here are unpaved and unweeded,
daily life is a struggle and even a single book is an enormous luxury, costing up
to half a week's wages.

To visit Leite's house now is to see kids doing homework in what used to be his
bedroom. Adults browse titles in what was the foyer. Rainbows of donated paperbacks
and hardcovers on almost every imaginable subject - some in crisp condition, others
falling apart - cover all available wall space.

Leite's collection now stands at an astonishing 10,000 volumes, many still in boxes.
Space is at such a premium that he and his companion, Maria da Penha, have had to
move into a back alcove with all their belongings, which don't amount to much.

"This is the only space we have to sleep. Please don't mind that it looks so
poor," he told a visitor apologetically as he picked his way past a precariously
leaning wardrobe and a low-slung bed. "The books kicked us out."

The house has been christened the Community Library, 18th Street. On busy afternoons,
it's standing room only.

Da Penha, 54, is the den mother, shushing noisy patrons with the severe expression
mastered by all good librarians. Like Leite, she is basically illiterate - but aware
of the riches crowding her walls, which sometimes invade her sleep.

"I dream that I'm reading them," she said.

What she and Leite have managed to do is all the more remarkable given the challenge
of fostering good reading skills and habits in Brazilians who are handicapped by
lack of access to books. Government officials say nearly a thousand of the country's
5,500 municipalities have no public library.

Buying books is even less an option. A study in 2001 estimated that just 16 percent
of the population owns nearly 75 percent of the books in Brazil, hardly surprising
considering that a standard paperback sells for about $15, or one-eighth of a worker's
minimum monthly salary. Moreover, illiteracy remains high, with 16 million Brazilians
older than 15 who cannot read or write.

Yet that's not the whole story in Brazil.

"There's just not the habit of reading," said Cristina Fernandes Warth,
vice president of the Brazilian Editors League. "And now there's competition
with other things: cell phones, Internet, DVDs."

So when Leite asked members of his small bicycling group to help him collect used
books, "they all thought I was a little crazy," he said. But they humored
him.

The library was inaugurated on March 20, 2004, with just 100 volumes. Many of the
books amassed since then come from rich Brazilians in whose homes the group's members
work as cleaners, handymen and the like.

Leite relies on da Penha and his friends, all of them unpaid, to staff the library.

"There's a lot of demand," Leite said. "We have lawyers, doctors,
teachers, psychologists coming in to do research." Leite continues to do construction
and maintenance work to try to meet the mounting bills.

"What's here is what we've done ourselves," da Penha said. "We've
sacrificed a lot to help the people here. But it's a sacrifice of love."

Copyright (c) 2005, Newsday, Inc.

--------------------

This article originally appeared at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/education/ny-wobook244526258nov24,0,2657256.story?coll=ny-lischools-headlines

Visit Newsday online at http://www.newsday.com

2005-12-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in a while because it's really just same old same old around here.

Robin is very into his collection of video games, computer games, comics, and action figures. He's been spending so much time playing with them lately. He's been a happy boy.

Stu is helping to make cards for her Girl Scout troop. They are visiting a retirement home next week and each retiree is getting a handmade card. It's a lot of work! She's also been spending time memorizing songs for that trip, so there's a lot of xmas singing going on.

We went to Jeff's xmas party at work last night. It was fun, I guess. I really don't like being around lots and lots of people, so I helped the kids get plates of food and I retreated to Jeff's private office for a while, just until the crowd thinned out a bit. I made 2 pumpkin pies (they were only so so) and 2 apple pies (they looked awful but tasted delicious) for the party.

We've had company for the past week, my mom and Em. That was fun. We made lots of cookies and breads, played a bit and enjoyed each other's company. We also got on each other's nerves a bit too, but we napped and everything ended up fine.

None of my ornaments have sold yet. I must just be trying to sell them in the wrong place. I need a larger city with more money. Oh well. I'll keep making them and by next year I'll have hundreds!

That's it. I told you same old same old. More of the same coming up for next week. Stay tuned!

2005-11-29T06:13:00.000-08:00

xmas tree
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Here's a photo of some of the ornaments I've been making. Cute stuff.

Nothing new. Housecleaning, book reading, dish washing, the usual. I sat down yesterday and planned dinners for the week. Lots of crock pot time - turkey soup, bean soup, spaghetti. Lots of bread making. I'm going to boil the turkey carcass down today, Jeff cleaned all meat off the bones yesterday - thanks honey!

Went grocery shopping and spent our last $65 and forgot the sugar. Plenty of organic milk, flour, eggs. But no sugar. Sheesh.

Speaking of spending our last bit of money. I was walking through the store with the kids, telling them that it wasn't possible to buy ice cream right now, sorry we can't afford that cereal, put it back please we don't have the money. And it hit me. Just an overwhelming sadness of not being able to buy what you want only what you need. I hate that, I hate saying no to my kids all the time and I'm really tired of it.

But we still have to get through Jeff's student teaching. 4 months. We will, but I may complain some more about the lack of money.

In the mean time keep your fingers crossed that the ornaments sell. That they all sell. That should bring in a few extra bucks. We could really use it at this time of year.

So here's my xmas list:
1. A new car. Really a NEW one. Not someone's handmedown car that they don't need anymore. I've had those, they don't last. A new one please. That gets excellent gas mileage.
2. I've somehow managed to break all my stacking bowls. I need more. It's hard to make food with no mixing bowls.
3. Gift certificates. For bookstores and art stores and whatever. How fun would that be?
4. Earrings. Because I love earrings.
5. Oh, and a house on the beach in Hawaii.

k, thanks.

That really is my list. And the money thing is temporary. We can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel. Four long years are almost at an end! And having a teacher's salary will feel like winning the lottery.

2005-11-27T11:58:00.000-08:00

santa picture
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

We had a really nice Thanksgiving with my dad, stepmom, sister and stepbrother. We spent the day there, ate a lot, played Cranium, and visited. I cooked a small turkey here before we went to their house so that we would have leftovers too. And then there were the pies, at least 7 of them. So many. But so good, lemon supreme, pumpkin, pecan, apple, cherry - delicious!

Today we walked and it brought everyone's spirits up again. We are really looking forward to xmas. We'll get the tree this week, get the boxes of decorations out, spend one evening out for dinner and then pick out a new ornament for the tree. We're taking all the kids on our annual trip to see a xmas play (this year it's Beauty and the Beast). I've lined up the Netflix queue so that it's filled with xmas movies for a while (The Santa Clause I & II, Bad Santa, Christmas in Connecticut, etc...). Mom and Em will be here this week to start baking (sweet rolls rings, stollen, cookies, cookies and more cookies including waffle cookies).

I will not however be sending out cards this year. I just can't afford it. I took a photo of the kids to use, but I can't afford to print it up (how many times? 20? 30?), and I have zero money for postage. So I'll send emails instead. I know it's not as christmassy - but it'll have to do.

I took 9 ornaments to the candy store yesterday. The owner was so happy with them and so excited to fill her little (but really nice) tree with them that I left her alone to do that. I told her I'd be back later on in the week to photograph the tree. Keep your fingers crossed that they sell, but not before I can photograph them.

That's it from here, just enjoying life and each other.

2005-11-22T14:30:00.000-08:00

roads of home
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Lessons learned over the past few days:

Salt is a cube when looked at under the microscope. It's very cool.

Dad (Jeff) works hard for our money. So to understand that, the kids will too this week. Every chore has been assigned a monetary value and the kids are working up to $5, their allowance amount. They made 75¢ today. It's hard work.

We didn't have fun today at our homeschool group park day. This isn't the first time we haven't enjoyed being with them. No one is very friendly, no one tried to include us in their conversations or games - even though we introduced ourselves (again, this was our third attempt) and asked them polite questions and tried to join the kids in their playing. It was not fun, so we won't be going back. We'll keep our eye peeled for a better group.

Cleaning the house by yourself is boring, it's much more fun if someone is sharing the chore with you. And something else we learned about cleaning (although we learned this a few years ago), that we don't really clean to have a clean house, we clean so we have more room to live and make more messes.

My body is starting to feel older. I worked out super hard yesterday and by the evening I could barely move. I was fine this morning and so I went back and didn't work out quite as hard. I feel great. I also get a massage tonight, yay! In my house! Double yay!

Tomorrow is a day full of baking (2 pumpkin pies and 1 apple), chopping, cooking and processing (cranberry salsa - delicious), more baking (rolls), and more chopping and more cooking (bread/apple/raisin/walnut stuffing). We are spending Thursday with my dad, stepmom, sister Teri and brother Benj. My dad is cooking the turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!

Sombrero Man by Robin

2005-11-20T09:01:00.001-08:00

"Sombrero Man, the reason his skin is blue is because everyone in his family were big hat wearers. Sombrero Man never took off his hat unless there was no light. But one day a light man came and wiped his mother's hat right off her head and his father's hat right off his head. And Sombrero Man vows on his blue skin to take off the hat of that man. He will avenge his hatless mother and father, who now have white skin. The End

Oh yeah, the green smoke is farting. He's the crappiest superhero. He will defend you with his hat."

Robin had me laughing so hard with this. Funny kid. (click on the picture for a larger view)

We're going to see Harry Potter today! I'm so excited!

2005-11-16T07:32:00.000-08:00

Things about myself:

1. I'm shy. I come off as disinterested or aloof. But I'm not, I'm just shy.

2. I need bifocals. I'm THAT old.

3. I love to excercise. I feel so clean afterward.

4. I love to bake. Cooking I could take or leave. But baking is fun. I bake really good bread.

5. I listen to "This American Life" on my computer.

I'm adding more:

6. I've worn glasses since I was about 8

7. I've known my husband for 20 years and we've been married for just over 9.

8. My house is in a perpetual state of entropy. If I ever make enough money selling my art work, I'm going to hire a maid for once a week.

9. I've sold at least 2 pieces of art this month. That feels really good.

Stu has decided that we need to have a tea party today. She's invited a few of her friends when they get out of school. So we are going grocery shopping for things like strawberries and punch. I'm going to make a cake and some brownies, some finger sandwiches and load the table with little kid deliciousness. Now I just need get some help with the picking up.

Still working hard on the xmas presents. And I'm trying to get more ornaments done before I take them to the candy store for selling.

2005-11-15T10:03:00.000-08:00

So we went to homeschooling days at Magic Mountain last Friday. It was a lot of fun. The park was only at about 1/4 capacity, so there were no lines for the rides. There was a huge picnic with music and games for the kids which we enjoyed very much. If you want to see the photos click the pictures on the right and go to my Flickr page. We were busy busy.

The only drawback was that I forgot that Magic Mountain is mostly rollercoasters. Great if you like them, but I'm not really a fan. Hopefully Disneyland has a homeschoolers day too, then we can go to that next year. My favorite rides are Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, Matterhorn (I know it's a rollercoaster, but it's so small, it doesn't count), Haunted House, and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. I'm sure they have some new ones I'd like too, as long as they aren't rollercoasters.

Homeschooling park day today. The same group we met with a few weeks ago. Turns out I know like half of them. One from my childhood (she was my sister's best friend), and another from a mom's club I used to belong to (dilema with this one, we were friends and then she stopped returning my calls - I'm starting to feel like a leper. So how do I handle her friendly overtures? I just smiled and moved on.) Anyway, the kids need to have playmates who are homeschooled. They realized when we were at M.M. that ALL the kids there were just like them and they LOVED it. "You mean none of these kids go to school?"

The weather is unseaonably warm and it's frustrating me. I really want to be in slightly warmer clothes but it's still too damn hot for that. So here I go dressing in summery dresses with my bike shorts underneath (cause the wind blows here a lot and dresses fly up - don'tcha know).

Working on a few huge paper mache projects and they are going well. Photos will have to wait until after xmas though - sorry.

2005-11-13T09:58:00.000-08:00

We've been getting donations of books from our old homeschooling group and now our little library is practically bursting at the seams. We have books stacked on the floor because there's no possible room for them in the cases. We really need a new bookcase. I am going to start cataloging them as soon as I can. After all, it's an actual libary for actual homeschoolers - not just us. I'm thinking that that would be a great way for my kids to learn the Dewey Decimal system. Boring, but informative.

I've been putting the books into categories on the shelves. Drawing books here, books on Egypt there, reference books above them, science on that shelf, Jack and Jill magazines over there, homeschooling books up top, etc... There are SO many. I'm going to have to hang a clip board with a sign up sheet on it.

We also got rid of the small sofa we had in the library, we called it the vomit sofa - not because anyone actually vomited on it, but because it was so ugly it just looked like someone had. Jeff heard a mouse scritch scratching in there - so out it went. We all hated that sofa anyway, holes from the guinea pig eating at it, dog hair embedded in it, and who knows what else lost in there. There's loads more room in here now, but we all really miss having somewhere cushy to sit and read. So after xmas we'll head to the thrift store and see if we can find a chair and a half to use. One without a mouse in it.

Speaking of guinea pigs. Ours died. His name was Rufus O'Malley Omelet and I actually miss him. I miss the way he used to talk to me when I came in the room and his funny hopping (popcorning its called). He just got old, went to sleep and never woke up again. We had a lovely ceremony in the front yard and we burried him under one of the stepping stones. All the kids in the neighborhood attended and said nice things about him (even though he was mean and probably bit every single one of them).

I've cleaned my weird crystal chandelier and taken all the little crystal bobbles off (Jeff ran them through tthe dishwasher and they just sparkle now. I've filled a silver bowl with them and it's so pretty) and used that space to hang up lots and lots of colored xmas balls. Its VERY pretty. Silver and purple and blue. Even Jeff, who hates it when I decorate the chandelier likes it. I'll post photos of it as soon as I can.

I guess we're getting ready for xmas. We're clearing out space for the tree and doing big cleaning which involves getting rid of a lot. It's hard work.

I'm starting some new projects today along with the ornaments I'm continuing to make (they're just too fun and cute to stop). But I can't talk about them. I'll photograph and talk about them after xmas.

I don't know if anyone is actually reading here. Joy does, Geoff does sometimes, my sister Aimee does, Marilyn occasionally, and Julie does. But it would be nice if other people said hi sometimes. I've thought a lot recently about why I blog and I've decided that I do it because typing is more fun than handwriting, I can include photos, I can build up a great archive, and it's nice to have people drop in and say hi. So please do. I hate feeling all alone out here.

2005-11-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

I'm having another one of those "why are people like that" moments.

Why do people lie? Say they'll do something and then not follow through? And no phone call either - which left me hanging all morning. And I (stupidly) didn't have his number to call and find out where the hell he was. I hate that. I'm sorely tempted to tell him to piss off when he calls next time. I just may.

But, on the other hand. I'm looking out the window while I type (because I'm finally mastering the art of not looking at my fingers while I type - although I have to correct a lot) and there are birds flying and swooping, garbage men driving back and forth, the sun is shining and I have bread pudding baking for breakfast. My son is up and I've gotten my morning hug, my husband is packed off to work with his lunchbox, and we are all going to the gym later this morning.

So life is really good, despite liars.

Stuff & Kids

2005-11-07T18:29:00.000-08:00

I'm spending a lot of time right now working on ornaments. The woman who owns the new candy store in town wants to display my ornaments as part of her xmas decorations - they'll also be for sale. She said that she loves them so much, she wants to see them sell, wants to see me be successful with them and so she's not going to take a cut this time. Yay!

Also one of my dolls just sold. Double yay!! Now there's money to buy the kids presents for xmas! Triple yay!!! I still have another doll and a chair I made, out and looking for new owners. The woman who is schlepping them around Santa Barbara for me is positve that some one will snatch them up. I really hope so, not only do they really need a new home, but then I can buy Jeff an xmas present too. Fingers crossed.

I should never read the news. Once again it brings me down. I now want to fill my sidebar with "Impeach Bush" and "Exoff" buttons to name two. I can't stand that there are people out there who buy the lies being told us. It kills me that there are some people who are so dumb and thoughtless that they vote Republican, follow a religion mindlessly, and hate people just because they are different than themselves (do I have to include myself in this category now?).

Stupid people suck.

The week in pictures

2005-11-01T06:57:00.000-08:00

Last week started with a visit from my mom and Em, we went to the candy store after a long wet walk on the beach

We had cookies for dessert one night.

When they left the kids and I went to the pumpkin patch where I was able to get one photo before my camera battery died.

Then mom and Aimee and Em all came back for my birthday this weekend.

We ate cake, visited and jumped in a jumpy house.

The next day (my actual birthday) we carved pumpkins,

henna-ed hair,

and decorated sugar skulls.

Yesterday we went fabric shopping and then came home and got the kids dressed for trick or treating.

It was a really good week.

In answer to the previous comments

2005-10-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks Marilyn, I love hearing that other people like this blog. But it's really about more, more, more. More pictures, more sound, just more. I'm not a very good writer, I can work things out in my head and they are beautiful, but when I write them down, they sound stilted and awful.

I really would love to incorporate it more into my art work - and spend more time doing my art work. My kids are really encouraging me to keep at it (I love that, and since I spend most of my day with them, it feels good that they like it and think it's important. Jeff also just asked me to make a specific piece of art as a gift for his sister - how affirming is that?). Speaking of which, I just finished one called "Drive." It's cool and I'll post photos soon.

Geoff - Oh, gotcha. Well I agree, they do miss out on a lot by dismssing us. Weird that Jeff is just months away from being a teacher and his kids are unschooled. But he wouldn't have it any other way - we've been talking about that recently because I've been a little worried about the two clashing.

Start a blog Geoff! I want to read about your adventures and travels! Or just IM me sometime - I can never tell when your on.

I didn't mean to imply that this blog was going away, It'll still be here and I'll post periodically, but not everyweek or everyday. I really want to expand my journaling into my art. Important stuff here.

2005-10-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while because I'm really wondering if it's worth it. I'm not feeling sorry for myself - don't get me wrong. I'm just wondering outloud.

I love to journal and I've always thought of my blog as a new type of journal. It's for me, not for readers. But I'm not enjoying it as much anymore and I'm looking for a new way to journal.

I've been having so much fun with paper mache, maybe there's a way for me to combine those two things, I feel the need for an added dimension. I don't know, but I do know that I'm going to experiment. I may be back at some point, and I may not. Just thought you should know.

I'm still putting photos up at flickr though.

Guests are imminent

2005-10-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

trees
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Mom and Em are arriving tomorrow, right about the time the kids go to karate class for the first time. I'll have to post directions on the front door so they can find us.

The kids are so excited about this class. They met a couple of other kids taking the same class, that was pretty cool.

Remember the photo below of my desk with the doll heads? The largest doll head has been destroyed. I had it painted, glued to the body and the wig on when I really looked at it and decided that I hated it. Really hated it. Too blah. So I pulled the wig off, unstuck it from the body and destroyed it - man that was fun!

Last night I sculpted a new head. A really nice head. This time I used Sculpy instead of paperclay (which I like for paper mache, but not for dolls) and I'm so happy with the results. More sculptural, less smooth and boring. Today I'm painting it, glueing it to the body and photographing it.

Today the kids and I are going to get the front rooms cleaned, foor mopped, the bathroom cleaned and then relax.

Our plans for the next few days are: the beach, walking, karate, girl scouts, library, and of course reading and a little math.

Sorry for the disjointed posting, I'm still not sleeping well - better, but not enough.

I'm cleaning the kitchen - again

2005-10-16T07:15:00.000-07:00

1. I've decided that foreplay is when Jeff does the dishes.

2. I don't know how to make that row under the header photo go away. So I'm going to leave it until some one smarter than I am can help.

3. Robin has decided to try to make his own homunculus. Weird kid.

4. I haven't slept more than 4 hours for the past few nights. My body is aching.

5. My dad is taking the kids on an adventure for a few hours this afternoon. I'm planning to curl up next to my favorite husband and take a nap.

Thursday evening

2005-10-13T21:30:00.000-07:00

santa picture 2
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

I cut the kids hair the other day and Jeff dug out the santa hats so I could take xmas card pictures. This is not the one we are going to use, although it is cute.

I can see the man in Robin's face these days. Not cute like he was when he was little. Angelic. But serious, philosophical, and handsome (with just a touch of gross boy). As proud as I am of him, I'm in mourning for my little boy.

He starts Japanese Shotokan Karate next week. $40 for a month - so cheap! And that includes a Saturday morning weapons class! We are beyond excited!

So now we'll have schooling in the morning (that's what the kids have been choosing and enjoying it), lunch with my dad at noon, errands, playing etc.. in the afternoon, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays it's karate, Wednesdays it's Girl Scouts, and Saturdays it's weapons training. Wow. We are far from being the busiest people on the block, but for us it's going to feel like go go go. I hope I'll have time for my art work.

Stu is seriously thinking of joining Robin in the karate class. I'd like to see her do that. I'd think she'd get SO much out of it.

We spent the evening at the library book sale. We came home with 2 enormous brown bags overflowing with books. Good ones like Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, The Iliad and The Odyssey, and so many more. We're going to be reading for days to come.

I picked up a few just for me. One just because I like the color plates and would love to see them framed or used in collages and one old one on dolls.

I've also started going through my photos. SO many to sort through. It's going to take months.

Tomorrow we really need to clean and vaccuum. I honestly can't remember the last time I did that.

Untitled

2005-10-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

This is what my studio desk is looking like these days. I'm having so much fun making all this stuff. It's hard to stop and make dinner, go to the gym, do laundry. You know, everyday life stuff. I want to just sit there and make more and more. Luckily the paper mache requires a lot of drying time so there is plenty of time for my other life.

I'm working on an angel now. I've done a pumpkin, bunny, butterfly, xmas tree, and frog. I have to make 9 of these for sure, the rest are either spur of the moment xmas presents or for sale.

I haven't heard from the woman who took my dolls to Santa Barbara, but she's due in town in a few days, I can ask her then.

I made shepard's pie for dinner. Delicious. Now there are the dishes I don't feel like doing. So I'm not going to. I've set the bread machine for fresh bread in the morning and put away the leftovers. But that's it, that's all I'm doing in the kitchen tonight.

Robin's reading is getting better and better. I'm so proud of his progress. We've been having long talks about the negative talk that goes on in a person's head and how that can hold you back. So he's working on changing that from "I can't read" to "I can read."

Stu has been spending a lot of time not only reading but doing puzzles and math problems. She's advancing quickly too.

Jeff crashed his new plane (again). It's fixable so he's working on it. He's thinking of giving it up, it's expensive and we can't afford to keep replacing planes.

Tomorrow it's back to the gym, more laundry, more cooking, and more paper mache. I think I may throw in some doll stuffing as well, after all I need to get 2 dolls done for xmas too. (You can see the 2 doll heads in the back of the photo.)

That's my list for the week.

Things are messy today

2005-10-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

I've made dried blueberry muffins for breakfast. YUM. I'm eating them while I blog and upload photos to flickr.

Today I'm busy organizing my studio shelves. Putting ribbons and costume jewelrey where I can see them, making the shelves not only easier to find things on, but more asthetically pleasing. So far so good.

Now I just need to get rid of the HUGE crate of photos (and the photos that don't fit in the crate because it's too full). Most of them are saved negatives and the bad photos you don't want anyone to see. I'm going to upload them (over a few week period) to the computer and get rid of the extra crap. I need more shelf space and the photos are slowly but surely taking over. Have I mentioned how much I'd like to have a digital camera? (I'm playing with my dad's digital camera today and photographing everything, this is so much fun!)

So, off to work. I'll put up photos of what I'm working on later. I think you'll like them.

Oh yeah, a few of my dolls are heading to the sidewalk at the beach in Santa Barbara today. A friend is trying to sell them for me. Keep your fingers crossed.

From the peace march

2005-10-06T15:50:00.000-07:00

We had a good walk, lots of positive reactions from people. There is another protest this weekend, but I think we are not going to go. It's not that we don't support the cause - you know we do - we just need some family play time.

Robin's holding the sign that I carried. He spent most of the walk talking with other marchers and having a great time.

Most of the signs stacked up before the march.

This is what we all looked like before we started walking. We ended up with a few more people who joined us on the walk.

We really were tired after the walk. Luckily there was a potluck, plenty to drink, chairs to sit in, music playing and good people to visit with.

I'm in a bad mood

2005-10-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

The kids had a run in with the bully on the block last night and we've been discussing it since it happened. Setting aside the hours we spent sleeping, that's slightly more than 6 hours of talking about why he did it, how to help him stop, why don't his parents see that he's a bully, and how do we help our kids (and the other neighborhood kids) deal with him.

What happened? He threw a rock at a little girl and drew blood. It's not the first time he's thrown a rock, usually there's been an adult around to stop it. This time there was no adult. Except that the neighborhood kids all ran to the bully's house to get an adult because that's what they've been taught to do. All the adults in his house were at work, only his older brother and sister were home and their response was to yell at the kids to go away and deal with it and then call their mom at work to come straight home.

She did come straight home. She listened to her bully son's story about how he was provoked (the kids were telling him to leave them alone - he was throwing rocks and name calling), how Robin was gathering rocks for throwing (he and another neighbor kid were actually taking a pile of rocks that had been used to build fairy houses and throwing them back under the tree where they came from), and how none of the kids will play with him (that's true - he's mean, he's touched every girl in the neighborhood in sexually inappropriate ways, he spits, name calls, pushes, throws things, and lies - why would they want to play with him?).

Then she rocketed straight over to MY house to yell at me about how her child is doing these things because MY kids are mean to him. HUH? They are defending themselves lady. All the kids in the neighborhood are afraid of your child. Your 6 year old child. None of the kids in the neighborhood are allowed to play with him anymore, not that they're too upset about that, nobody wants to anyway.

The police showed up here a few hours later looking for the bully. I pointed them in the right direction, but that got us talking about it again.

The bully's parents truly do not see that their child is a bully. When I told them about him touching my daughter inappropriately, their response was "what are you going to do, he's a boy" (and they dismissed it the next two or three times too). When told their child is hitting, they spank him. When told he's name calling, they dismiss it (but we can hear them through their open windows calling each other mean names and fighting - a lot).

These people are "good christians" (good mormons actually). They go to church every Sunday, they participate in church activities throughout the week, their kids don't trick or treat because it's an evil holiday. We are their evil liberal pagan neighbors.

I'm thinking of hiring a mediator to help us talk about this as a neighborhood, but truthfully - I'm afraid of the outcome. I have to live next door to these people.

Saturday at home

2005-10-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

Stu sea anemone
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

We're spending today just hanging around the house. We need it, we walked at the mission yesterday in the hot hot hot sun with no wind. Our faces were red and our feet were dragging.

But, we brought home a bullfrog tadpole that we caught and some pond water to look at under the microscope - very cool. We've researched how to raise the tadpole into a bull frog and we're doing our best to help him stay safe and grow up.

I'm still busy making ornaments, I've finished the frog and the pumpkin and now I'm working on the butterfly. I'm also getting ready to start the framing for the bunny. This is SO much fun. I've also had a lot of wonderful responses to them. It's great because it combines my doll making skills with paper mache, which is messy fun. And there's NO stuffing required, which I hate.

Having said that, I still will be making dolls. I have two that are just waiting to be stuffed and dressed. I will get to them soon, after all, one is an xmas present.

We've all watched "What the Bleep Do We Know?" this week. I can't recommend this movie enough. I need to own it. It's not only confirmed some of my own beliefs, but it's helped me do some changing in my thought processes. It's still an ongoing journey.

I've also been watching "Arrested Development" this week. We don't get the channel it comes on and I'd heard about it for a few years now, but had never seen it. I'm really enjoying it. Funny stuff.

Stu's enjoying being home. She's not said she misses being at school once but has told me a few times that she's glad she's home. That's nice to hear.

Have a great weekend.

P.S. I've added my wonderful friend Marilyn to my links list - visit her site, you won't be disappointed. I promise.

Tuesday

2005-09-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

swimming mosiac
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

We've lost our swimming privileges beacuse the woman who lived in the apartments we were using died. She was a kind woman and it was wonderful of her to let us use the pool as her guests.

So now we are pool-less. I suppose that's ok, what with winter on the way. But I miss swimming and I know the kids do too.

Today we read for a few hours in the morning, went to the gym, had lunch with my dad, borrowed his microscope, spent some money in the 99 cent store, and went grocery shopping. Then we came home and collapsed.

The grocery store was fun though. I gave each of the kids their own list and their own cart and asked them to go get everything on the list - look for sales, coupons, better buys, etc... They did really well and it was so much fun. They've asked to do it again next time.

So this evening we are having grilled cheese sandwiches, homemade applesauce, and carrot sticks. Then I'm looking forward to everyone bathing and starting a roaring fire and cozying up together and doing some more reading.

I need to pull out the slides so we can play with the microscope. Cheek cells, blood, onion skins, etc... I love doing this.

I'm working on a new ornament. This first one is done, it's turned out to be a frog in polka dotted shorts. Very cute. I'm hoping the next one is a girl with wings, but we'll see where the shaping takes it.

By the way, the peace march was fun, lots of people. Robin and Stu were troopers and walked the whole way with a minimum of complaining (only from Stu who's feet were hurting - we went out after the walk to Foot Locker and bought her a new pair of Converse high tops - black velour and hot pink satin, she LOVES them). The newspaper said 30 protesters, but I'm thinking more like 50. More people honked in support than not, a few people yelled "get a job" which I thought was hilarious considering who was walking (a bunch of teachers, a few doctors, homemakers, kids, white collar and blue collar workers - everyone in the group was employed in one way or another). I took photos, they should be ready by next week. I'll post them when they're here.

Just Messing Around With Flickr

2005-09-24T08:04:00.000-07:00

I'm playing around with making paper mache ornaments for xmas. I've got one going that might end up being a monkey. If it works out then it looks like I can make 2 or 3 at a time. Only slightly labor intensive. But they promise to be cute. I'll post photos when I can.

Jeff made 2 signs for carrying in the peace march. One says "Dissent is Patriotic" and the other says "Bring the Troops Home Now." He did a great job. Now it's time to wake up the whole family so we can eat breakfast and get ready to walk.

Friday's Post

2005-09-23T07:09:00.000-07:00

hooded Robin
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Robin and I are having breakfast at the cafe with two friends this morning. That mean bagels and good coffee. Yum.

It's Stu's last day of school today. Yesterday as she was doing her homework she said "Do I have to leave school?" Huh?

So I asked her what was it about school that was keeping her there. I gave her a mini lecture on how she'll lose the desire to want to be there soon because she'll start to see how mindless most of it is. She won't be singing like she used to because the school will suck her dry of her creativity. I spent years and years in school and 22 years after I graduate from high school I'm just now getting back my artistic creativity and I don't want that to happen to her. Blah blah blah.

And she said, "I just haven't collected enough phone numbers yet."

Whew.

So we wrote a note to the teacher asking her if it was ok if Stu sent around her phone book for people to write their numbers in. I hope it is ok, this is important stuff.

Tomorrow we are joining the Walk For Peace.

Sunday is Jeff's birthday, so I'm making not just a delicious cake but spaghetti with meatballs, homemade french bread and a good bottle of wine. It's his favorite dinner.

Hope your weekend is a good one.

Thursday's Post

2005-09-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

chalk city
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

I chose this photo simply because I like the chalk drawing so much.

Mom and Em went home last Sunday. They'll be here again on Tuesday evening after Em's gymnastics class. We're actually looking forward to it.

But we have to do a little tweaking: a little more alone time for people, it got a little hectic last time and everyone felt too pushed.

I think if we slow down a bit then Robin won't feel like he's responsible for Em, Stu will feel more included, and Em won't get so frantic. Also mom and I might get a bit more peace.

So, having said that, here's the plan for next week:

1. Children's museum again. It's easy and really cheap.

2. Hiking at the mission. Excercise and playtime all rolled into one. Also one afternoon will be a tour of the mission, we've never done that!

3. If we can find a kid movie that'd be great.

4. There's a new candy store in town that deserves a visit to check it out.

5. Farmers market and cafe on Friday (that's just what we do).

6. Workpages for the kids to play with.

There. That allows for something to do everday, not too much driving, and (I hope) a lot of down time.

Stu is leaving school this Friday. Her choice and I'm so happy! She says she's done. She'll be spending today and tomorrow collecting phone numbers so that she can stay in touch.

She was doing her homework the other afternoon and we started talking about the point of the work. She started talking about it, I just helped figure it out. It really was pointless work, just designed to take up space in your brain. I mean really, what do you honestly need to be a better reader? Worksheets or books?

I'm so glad she's leaving. Now she can focus on getting a real education.

Chalk festival

2005-09-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

We went to San Luis yesterday and saw a lot of chalk drawings. Some were absolutely amazing:

And then we found out that if we bought a box of chalk pastels we could get 2' x 2' squares to color ourselves (really for the kids, but it was too fun). So we got each of the kids a box and let them go, this is what they did:

Jeff and Stu workiing out the drawing.

Stu working hard on the flower.

The finished drawing.

Robin working on his square.

Robin's finished drawing of Inuyasha.

Emily's drawing. I think it's a self portrait with the sun. She loved it so much she took up 2 squares.

We were hot and thirsty afterward, so we had lunch at Foster's Freeze. Yum.

It was a good day. There are more photos of chalk paintings at my flickr site, check them out.

A few pictures from the children's museum

2005-09-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

Robin helped Emily start climbing, she paid very close attention.

Emily worked on her climbing,

she was pretty good but she prefered running.

Stu worked on her climbing.

Emily and Stu showed us things they learned in gymnastics.

Then Stu went of to learn about what we eat from the ocean.

And Robin and Emily went to make paper bag masks.

We're leaving today a bit up in the air, but swimming may be part of it later. Tomorrow we head to San Luis for the I Modonnari festival.

Interesting Things

2005-09-13T07:15:00.000-07:00

1. "Lala" is Swahili for "sleep." We have a little friend who refers to herself as "Lala."

2. The Amish may grow beards after marriage, but are not allowed mustaches because those are associated with the military. My husband used to have a beard but no mustache, it looked good, but weird.

3. The first Girl Scout troop was organized in Savannah, Georgia, March 12, 1912. Stu starts Girl Scouts September 14, 2005.

4. The earliest known pictures of witches flying on broomsticks date to about 1440 A.D., in France. Haloween is coming and we are still choosing costumes. Robin is going as Inuyasha, Emily wants to be a spider, and Stu hasn't decided yet. I'll be going as a 40 year old.

We're all busy here, Stu's staying home from school for the week so she can join us in our adventures and not miss hanging out with her cousin and grandma. We made an incredible Japanese dinner last night (Robin made the wontons for the soup - delicious) after a great trip to an Asain food market. Today we do workpages and go to the park, tomorrow we set the crockpot and hit the children's museum, Thursday it's the tide pools.

Have a great day!

In Other News

2005-09-09T06:47:00.000-07:00

I've made my workout at the gym a little bit harder by upping the resistance. It's taken me months to be able to do that, so I'm feeling really proud and a little worn out.

Robin's reading is coming along. He's been reading to me everyday and he's getting better. Of course it's slow going mostly because he's chosen a book called "On Board the Titanic." Which is a difficult read with a lot of huge words. But he's plowing through.

Jeff's finishing up his last term in school before he starts his student teaching. We are all really excited to have him done with school, it's been a long time coming.

I've got a bunch of Netflix movies heading this way. "Tha Awful Truth" with Cary Grant (I just love most of his movies), "Far From Heaven" (which I've wanted to see for a while now), "Farenheit 911" (I know the story, I just haven't seen the movie yet), and a few others. So I'll be working on Xmas presents while watching movies.

Speaking of Xmas presents, it's time to get started on them. I haven't really figured out what to make yet. So I'll have to do some research into that. I was considering making sewn and painted book bags since both of my sisters have gone back to school, but I don't know.

It's also time for me to have the kids go through toy catalogs and pick things out so I can spread out the buying. Remember the Sears toy catalog? I loved looking through that when I was a kid.

Proof that unschooling works

2005-09-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

kids underwater
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

So Stu's doing well in school. She's been there a few weeks now and she's all caught up. I mean she's either at 3rd grade level or above. In everything - math, reading, especially vocabulary.

Amazing isn't it? This is a kid who's never been to school before (one day in kindergarten doesn't count), never used a cirriculum, totally unschooled. Which isn't to say she hasn't done schoolish type work, she has - when she's asked for it.

Now she's spending all day in school and another hour or two doing homework after school. Way more than we've ever done, even when the kids were asking for schoolish work. Math homework, spelling tests, 20 minutes of reading everyday, and lots of busy work - she's acing them all.

She's going to be staying in school for a while. My dad has offered to pick her up on the days that Robin and I can't get back into town early enough to get her and that's wonderful.

Next week my mom and Emily are arriving for the whole week and we are going to be going to the beach and the tide pools, the oriental market for dinner supplies, picnic at the park, and the children's museum. Stu won't be joining us and while that makes me incredibly sad, it doesn't seem to be bothering her, and that is bothering me a lot.

2005-09-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a great news blog. Only for forward thinking people though.

News Blog

I'm getting all political again.

School - again

2005-09-03T17:16:00.000-07:00

homework 1-05
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

So my daughter's friend's parents say that Robin can't be her boyfriend unless he goes to school. Excuse me?

I know that it's just a cultural difference, I really DO understand that. Where they came from people who don't go to school don't get anywhere, period. And that's what they see, a boy who doesn't go to school and who therefore is not getting an education.

It's almost impossible for me to explain to them what I believe and how we school. First of all because of the cultural difference and second because they don't speak English.

From their native cultural vantage point they are right, but we don't live in their native culture, we live here. And things aren't the same. I really do understand all of this.

And yet I can't seem to let it go. It's the 3rd or 4th time in just a few weeks that it's been either implied or said outright that my kids should be in school.

Please. Get a life people. Read more. Learn about what really goes on in schools. Stu's teacher flat out told me that she teaches for the state mandated standardized tests. What kind of education is that?

We go on field trips and travel, we read together, paint together, play together. So much more than schools give you.

I've decided that if Stu is still in school in 2 weeks I'm pulling her out. She should have had enough experimenting time, she's met people, they've exchanged phone numbers. And she'll be starting Girl Scouts soon.