Good day to you and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
First of all I need to thank all of you that have supported me and my art throughout the year and especially throughout the Christmas season! WOW! I have been so busy. You can usually find me painting late into the night, like an artsy little elf! Some of the gifts I have done for people I wanted to keep for myself! :)
We are getting ready for Christmas like all of you are. Christmas talk tends to start in November, the early birds start planning. This planning stage coincidentally happened at the same time my youngest and I were cleaning out the toy room in the basement. I found myself picking up toys that no one played with, the same toys that I had panic attacks while shopping for less than a year ago. I wasn't mad, just kind of sad. Every year I say I am not doing it, then.... I do. Christmas Crazy. My husband and I decided that we were going to do an activity for Christmas. We live not too far from Chicago, so that is what we picked. We had talked about going to see Wicked while we were there. Getting any tickets on ground level proved to be and insane idea with prices to the tune of $250 a seat. (We are a family of 4.) At that price there would be no bathroom breaks during the show and every family member would have to sign a contract that they would speak of how amazing this show was at least once a day for the next calendar year. That is a lot of pressure. We are staying at a "super fancy" hotel (thanks to my husbands travel points) and going to tea at said "fancy hotel". We are pretty sure that we are not the same caliber of fancy that this hotel is, but we are going to do our best to blend in. (and not get thrown out) SO...It has been decided, each child will get a few stocking stuffers, one present from Santa, and the trip to fancy town.
On to Santa.... My oldest knew what she wanted, Madden for the Xbox and a pair of combat boots and or high heels. :) My mom and dad already bought the combat boots for her, but "santa" is taking care of the game. NOW....the 5 year old wanted a big stuffed polar bear like she saw at Costco. Costco was sold out. This is when I said we HAVE TO SEE SANTA TODAY. In otherwords, she keeps changing her mind and we need to get her in to see the big guy so it is written in stone (so to speak) On our way to see Santa, she tells me. "Guess what I am asking Santa for??" what? "AN AMERICAN GIRL DOLL!" WHAT??????? Even Julia my oldest picked up on the crazy. She said.."Dont ask for that, I will just give you mine. I never play with it." L said" You have one that looks like you, I want one that looks like me" DANG IT. I did not see this coming. She never plays with dolls. She draws and colors and that. is. it. Fast forward to Santa. J- tells Santa about Madden and he looks confused. Initially I thought it was because it was more of a boy gift. Nope. turns out santa was just literally confused, about everything.
L then tells him that she wants an American girl doll. He said, " How about Saige?"
THE AMERICAN GIRL DOLL THAT YOU HAVE TO KNOW SOMEONE THAT KNOWS SOMEONE TO GET!!! I found her on EBAY for $300!! Thanks Santa. (She will not be getting Saige)
.................THEN......................he said, How about some clothes for Saige?? The elf girls were looking at me to see if I was still breathing (I was not)
SHUT .....YOUR....... MOUTH......... SANTA!!!!
Have you recently checked the price of American girl doll clothes?? I spend less on my own clothes (this says many things about myself and the American girl doll empire.)
Now maybe Santa didn't understand that we are trying to not be materialistic this year. My kid shared that plan with us, until she saw Santa. She nodded yes, with her mouth open as Santa asked her if she wanted more, and more, and more??? AHHHHHH!!! He finished with a "if you have any more ideas, leave a note under the tree" OK great idea, I will leave my strongly worded letter under the tree! :)
The American girl problem will solve itself as I imagine we can snag a "normally priced" doll while in Chicago and hide it in the car. I have asked my kind facebook friends to sell me there gently used dolls to no avail. :)
With all the hubbub with santa aside. The getting rid of kids gifts has left me time to make art for Sunday school teachers and others that have helped us through the year. I did that before but was usually cursing under my breath, and my blood pressure was sky high. I hope this trip is AMAZING, as this is what I want to do every year! Merry Christmas my friendly friends!!
Monday, December 16, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
The game changes.
Well folks.
I am the mom of a 5th grade girl.
I know there are certain emotions that are packaged with having a tween girl. There are people reading this thinking, OH LINDSAY, sweet, sweet Lindsay, this is nothing. It is only downhill from here. I know this "could" be true. I am working very hard on just rolling with what we have going and not worrying about what is coming next.
My 10 year old is bold. The child wears the craziest outfits without a care in the world. She sings from the time she wakes up until she lays her sweet, freckled face back in bed again. She is confident and sometimes a little cocky. There are little cracks in this attitude lately. I see her doubting herself. I see her questioning the actions of her friends. She knows what is right and wrong, but not sure how to react to those doing the latter. There are times she is crying and isn't sure why. Blasted hormones.
I love Ben Folds. He can tell a story with his songs and I have a lengthy list of them that make me teary. This was never one, until now. I will give you the jest in case you don't listen/ watch the video. (please do). We know from growing up ourselves, that there are parts that suck. We now are in an odd/painful place in watching our kids jump thru the same wonderful and yet sometimes painful and crappy hoops that we did. One day they will be great, and fine, but until then....I'm just sorry. I also heard him talk about this song and say that when we are kids, we think that this cycle ends when you are an adult. It doesn't. You are always the new employee, neighbor, mom, dad. whatever. (hence the title)
Being who you are is still hard to do as an adult. Mean girls/boys grow up and sometimes never change. I will stop talking...just watch. UGH. Its just so great!
I am the mom of a 5th grade girl.
I know there are certain emotions that are packaged with having a tween girl. There are people reading this thinking, OH LINDSAY, sweet, sweet Lindsay, this is nothing. It is only downhill from here. I know this "could" be true. I am working very hard on just rolling with what we have going and not worrying about what is coming next.
My 10 year old is bold. The child wears the craziest outfits without a care in the world. She sings from the time she wakes up until she lays her sweet, freckled face back in bed again. She is confident and sometimes a little cocky. There are little cracks in this attitude lately. I see her doubting herself. I see her questioning the actions of her friends. She knows what is right and wrong, but not sure how to react to those doing the latter. There are times she is crying and isn't sure why. Blasted hormones.
I love Ben Folds. He can tell a story with his songs and I have a lengthy list of them that make me teary. This was never one, until now. I will give you the jest in case you don't listen/ watch the video. (please do). We know from growing up ourselves, that there are parts that suck. We now are in an odd/painful place in watching our kids jump thru the same wonderful and yet sometimes painful and crappy hoops that we did. One day they will be great, and fine, but until then....I'm just sorry. I also heard him talk about this song and say that when we are kids, we think that this cycle ends when you are an adult. It doesn't. You are always the new employee, neighbor, mom, dad. whatever. (hence the title)
Being who you are is still hard to do as an adult. Mean girls/boys grow up and sometimes never change. I will stop talking...just watch. UGH. Its just so great!
A couple of weeks ago my 10 year old tried out for her intermediate school's talent show. She practiced singing her song ALL DAY AND NIGHT. It was beautiful, but endless. I picked her up after her audition and she was super excited. She thought she did pretty great! She had to wait 4 days to find out if she made it or not. She was given an envelope at the end of the 4th day to take home. Inside was whether she made the cut to be in the show. I walked to the bus stop. I was so nervous for her! The pixie got off the bus and with a straight face said. I didn't make it.
UGH. WHAT?? OH NOOOOOOOOO!!! She looked so sad. She said quietly" its alright, I've been in other vocal shows, and it will be fine"
She was pretty quiet the rest of the evening. My heart was just breaking.
I asked her if she would feel comfortable asking her music teacher (who was one of the judges) if there was anything you could do to improve for next years try outs. She said a very definitive
(with eye roll) NO.
Two days later I got an e-mail from her music teacher. She said that afternoon J had come up to her and asked what she could do to improve for next year. She then said that she was so confused because her records showed that she was in the talent show. J HAD ACCIDENTLY BEEN GIVEN THE WRONG PAPER!!! :) Her music teacher apologized over and over. I was not one bit worried about the mistake. It showed J that if you are humble, and genuinely voice that you would like to improve....AMAZING things can happen!
I couldn't WAIT to see her get off the bus! SHE RAN out of the bus and was jumping up and down. I am so so, so proud of her! Not only did she know what was right, but she did it! That is a big step for my tiny 5th grader. It is painful to watch her struggle, but OH MAN the good parts are so great! So this is why the roller coaster analogy is always used!:)
On Friday we are going to pick out an outfit for her intermediate school ...stage debut. If I cried at this Ben Folds song, you just wait until the talent show! Spread your wings little J!
Monday, October 14, 2013
ReStyled Barn Sale and other craziness.
Hello friends. I have coffee in hand and I am ready to tell you about my weekend. My art and I were at the ReStyled barn sale. The weather was PERFECT and the venue was BEAUTIFUL. Pictures will not do this justice. I will try, but WOW. It is the prettiest show I have been to, or participated in. Applause from this girl.
This is my booth. It was in a horse stall. FOR REALS.
Here are some other displays that were around me......
Look close. you can see me taking a picture in the mirror!! :)
All in all it was an amazing weekend, that I was so blessed to participate in!
This is my booth. It was in a horse stall. FOR REALS.
Here are some other displays that were around me......
Want to see even BETTER pictures...Head on over to my friend Lori's blog.
She is a fellow artist and I was moved to tears to see her beautiful face in my booth. She has been so kind to help me along the way with many questions I had. SHE ROCKS!
If you live in the INDY area you would be CRAZY to miss out on her open house!!
I met so many amazing creative women. When things wrapped up, we got a chance to chat.
We discussed arts, crafts, our kids and how shows work out for us.
One of the awesome gals I met this weekend (Allison- of Time and again http://www.timeandagainshop.com/ )
posted a quick snippet to facebook. I could not agree more....it is as follows.
"This weekend I am reminded of how many crafty customers there are in the world. And while I absolutely appreciate that you are all amazingly talented and probably have a Pinterest board dedicated to the crafts that others make that you can...
easily do yourself, please keep your thoughts to a whisper and perhaps away from my earshot.
Petty? Perhaps.
But when someone comes into my booth and looks at a pillowcase dress and says "oh, I can just make this - the sewing is practically already done for you!" I try very hard to let it go and smile but it does slowly chip away at my morale.
Petty? Perhaps.
But when someone comes into my booth and looks at a pillowcase dress and says "oh, I can just make this - the sewing is practically already done for you!" I try very hard to let it go and smile but it does slowly chip away at my morale.
Let me just send a reminder to those of you who read this (and hopefully are not offended by this post) that the holiday season is beginning and there are a lot of us crafty girls out there peddling our wares. Please be careful about what you say and do at the next show that you attend.
Yes, you probably COULD make it. But it's already made and ready for you to take home and enjoy.
Yes, it's probably not the hardest thing in the world. If it were, I would have to charge a heck of a lot more than I am.
Yes, if you take a picture of it, it might remind you later to check the Pinterest boards for it but we have spent years coming up with creative ways to set up our displays and even longer perfecting our products to present to the public.
Could you make it for less money? Maybe. But keep in mind that there is more than supply cost that goes into most artistan's pricing. It takes in to account the time to find the supplies, the time to make the item, the machinery costs (for example, in the case of my friend over at Jilly Jack Designs. She uses an actual letterpress to create her amazing creations), and, yes, supplies but much more.
I, personally, spend hours and hours traveling around the area hunting for linens then taking them home and photographing them to catalog.
Then I lovingly and carefully restore MANY of them because most have some sort of stain on them that I do not want to pass on to my customer.
After it's been cleaned, it's ironed. Yes, ironed.
Then each case "speaks" to me to tell me what size it should be made into and then I use a pattern that I created all by myself to size, cut, sew and finish the dress with a carefully selected ribbon which is then heat sealed so you don't have to deal with fraying or chemicals because who wants a baby to chew on a ribbon that has chemicals on it?
Each step is thoughtful.
I'm not saying that you are a perpetrator. I'm asking that you remind those of you that you're with that many of us make our livings doing this. Many pay for private daycare or school. Others pay their mortgages and bills. And others do it, like I do, because I love creating and sharing my creativity and products with others and the joy it brings so many.
This is me.....jumping off of my soap box.
Yes, you probably COULD make it. But it's already made and ready for you to take home and enjoy.
Yes, it's probably not the hardest thing in the world. If it were, I would have to charge a heck of a lot more than I am.
Yes, if you take a picture of it, it might remind you later to check the Pinterest boards for it but we have spent years coming up with creative ways to set up our displays and even longer perfecting our products to present to the public.
Could you make it for less money? Maybe. But keep in mind that there is more than supply cost that goes into most artistan's pricing. It takes in to account the time to find the supplies, the time to make the item, the machinery costs (for example, in the case of my friend over at Jilly Jack Designs. She uses an actual letterpress to create her amazing creations), and, yes, supplies but much more.
I, personally, spend hours and hours traveling around the area hunting for linens then taking them home and photographing them to catalog.
Then I lovingly and carefully restore MANY of them because most have some sort of stain on them that I do not want to pass on to my customer.
After it's been cleaned, it's ironed. Yes, ironed.
Then each case "speaks" to me to tell me what size it should be made into and then I use a pattern that I created all by myself to size, cut, sew and finish the dress with a carefully selected ribbon which is then heat sealed so you don't have to deal with fraying or chemicals because who wants a baby to chew on a ribbon that has chemicals on it?
Each step is thoughtful.
I'm not saying that you are a perpetrator. I'm asking that you remind those of you that you're with that many of us make our livings doing this. Many pay for private daycare or school. Others pay their mortgages and bills. And others do it, like I do, because I love creating and sharing my creativity and products with others and the joy it brings so many.
This is me.....jumping off of my soap box.
With that said, and me agreeing. Of the comments I heard this weekend 99.9999999% were AMAZING and encouraging , wonderful and generous. It made my heart smile. HOWEVER. the few negative I hear do hurt. I understand that there will NEVER be a job that negative feedback isn't heard. I do think that the people that give it do not realize how they hurt the artists by what they say.
On a more chipper note. My art is now hiding in the Bizzy Boutique! Look at this amazing store ON WHEELS!!!
COULD IT BE CUTER??? SQUEAL!!
My art is now mobile, and traveling in very capable hands!
Friday, September 13, 2013
grace for you, and me!
Good morning everyone!
Well now. Look at me, finally posting something. It has been a crazy and busy start to the school year, as I predicted. I am going to flash back for you (8 years ago) to when I quit my job and decided to stay at home with my kid/kids. The first week at home I made 5 course meals, a headboard for J's new bed, organized the entire house...and so on. It took me awhile to calm down. I looked like Martha Stewart with an IV of RedBull. Flash forward a year, I had given myself some grace and mastered the rumored pajama day I had heard about. I "kind of" did the same thing after I put my youngest, a kindergartener, on the bus. I thought OK, now its time for me. I then tried to be me, on said IV of redbull. This week I have been attempting to get ready for an art show I have on Saturday. This is the week that I got a migraine. If you suffer from migraines you can commiserate with me. I am thankful that I don't have a "real job" that expects me to show up at a certain time. If you have seen me this week and I was perhaps driving on the wrong side of the road, talking like a crazy person, or just standing there with my mouth open, my apologies. I think this was God and my body's way of saying....calm it down.
I will still be heading to my show, but with much less art than I had planned on, and that is fine.( said with teeth gritted) Here is the hard part. I look around at other moms and think, they can do all of that and more. What is wrong with me?? I then read this article that was posted on FB. I LOVED IT. I loved that she took ownership of both the things she is good at AND the bad.
I think its easier to admit the bad to people and forget all the good you do. STOP read this article first.
http://www.sowonderfulsomarvelous.com/2013/06/moms-when-are-you-going-to-learn.html
Ok while you read that article, I frantically looked for my youngest childs yellow folder, had a second cup of coffee and refilled my children's account with money so that they can, you know, eat at school, and gave both my dumb dogs Benadryl. They have allergies. :)
After I read the article, a couple times ( I loved it that much) I love the last paragraph about if you want to do_____, Do IT! Don't let people make you feel bad about it. You don't EVER apologize for what you are good at.
Then I thought. I want a turn. This is why blogs were created, so here is my turn.
I am artsy. This has been my running theme my whole life. I was always picked first as a partner for group projects because they knew they had someone to make the poster! Art keeps me sane and has more than once saved me. I sometimes do downplay how good I am at art. I do it in subtle ways. "That didn't take that long" "Oh I saw how to do that online". All sort of picking away at a talent God gave me. This is a work in progress.
I am not the size I want to be. I am working on that, true statement.
I am not good at multi tasking, I drop the ball a good bit while trying.
I do not volunteer at my kids school.
I am funny. MAN I am funny. If I weren't me, and was someone else, I would think I was funny, and want to be my friend. Sometimes it takes awhile for people to see it, but its there, and often times inappropriate. I am usually reduced to the company I keep! :)
I hate putting laundry away. I do not pack my kids lunches. I send them to the cafeteria every day.
I am a great friend, and give well thought out advice.
I am ALWAYS early. If I am late then I am ill or injured.
I am unphased by traffic.
I make tons of crafts with my kids.
I squeeze my toothpaste from the middle, my bathroom counter looks like a war zone.
I hate reading outloud, even with my kids.
I am completely in love with my husband, who I have been with since I was 18. He is amazing and is horrible at details. I overlook this when I can. :)
My house is rarely clean all at once.
You can come over, if you give me 20 minutes notice to hide all the junk we leave out all the time.
True story. J had a friend over the other night. This was unplanned and fun. I realized her mom would be picking her up soon and my house looked like, well crazy. I looked around and thought, lets address the most crazy things first, then I guess we will just run with it. I took pictures, knowing I would write this blog post sooner or later. Let me show you. This is what my kitchen table looks like. No joke.
Longest story short. give yourself a break. we are awesome!
Well now. Look at me, finally posting something. It has been a crazy and busy start to the school year, as I predicted. I am going to flash back for you (8 years ago) to when I quit my job and decided to stay at home with my kid/kids. The first week at home I made 5 course meals, a headboard for J's new bed, organized the entire house...and so on. It took me awhile to calm down. I looked like Martha Stewart with an IV of RedBull. Flash forward a year, I had given myself some grace and mastered the rumored pajama day I had heard about. I "kind of" did the same thing after I put my youngest, a kindergartener, on the bus. I thought OK, now its time for me. I then tried to be me, on said IV of redbull. This week I have been attempting to get ready for an art show I have on Saturday. This is the week that I got a migraine. If you suffer from migraines you can commiserate with me. I am thankful that I don't have a "real job" that expects me to show up at a certain time. If you have seen me this week and I was perhaps driving on the wrong side of the road, talking like a crazy person, or just standing there with my mouth open, my apologies. I think this was God and my body's way of saying....calm it down.
I will still be heading to my show, but with much less art than I had planned on, and that is fine.( said with teeth gritted) Here is the hard part. I look around at other moms and think, they can do all of that and more. What is wrong with me?? I then read this article that was posted on FB. I LOVED IT. I loved that she took ownership of both the things she is good at AND the bad.
I think its easier to admit the bad to people and forget all the good you do. STOP read this article first.
http://www.sowonderfulsomarvelous.com/2013/06/moms-when-are-you-going-to-learn.html
Ok while you read that article, I frantically looked for my youngest childs yellow folder, had a second cup of coffee and refilled my children's account with money so that they can, you know, eat at school, and gave both my dumb dogs Benadryl. They have allergies. :)
After I read the article, a couple times ( I loved it that much) I love the last paragraph about if you want to do_____, Do IT! Don't let people make you feel bad about it. You don't EVER apologize for what you are good at.
Then I thought. I want a turn. This is why blogs were created, so here is my turn.
I am artsy. This has been my running theme my whole life. I was always picked first as a partner for group projects because they knew they had someone to make the poster! Art keeps me sane and has more than once saved me. I sometimes do downplay how good I am at art. I do it in subtle ways. "That didn't take that long" "Oh I saw how to do that online". All sort of picking away at a talent God gave me. This is a work in progress.
I am not the size I want to be. I am working on that, true statement.
I am not good at multi tasking, I drop the ball a good bit while trying.
I do not volunteer at my kids school.
I am funny. MAN I am funny. If I weren't me, and was someone else, I would think I was funny, and want to be my friend. Sometimes it takes awhile for people to see it, but its there, and often times inappropriate. I am usually reduced to the company I keep! :)
I hate putting laundry away. I do not pack my kids lunches. I send them to the cafeteria every day.
I am a great friend, and give well thought out advice.
I am ALWAYS early. If I am late then I am ill or injured.
I am unphased by traffic.
I make tons of crafts with my kids.
I squeeze my toothpaste from the middle, my bathroom counter looks like a war zone.
I hate reading outloud, even with my kids.
I am completely in love with my husband, who I have been with since I was 18. He is amazing and is horrible at details. I overlook this when I can. :)
My house is rarely clean all at once.
You can come over, if you give me 20 minutes notice to hide all the junk we leave out all the time.
True story. J had a friend over the other night. This was unplanned and fun. I realized her mom would be picking her up soon and my house looked like, well crazy. I looked around and thought, lets address the most crazy things first, then I guess we will just run with it. I took pictures, knowing I would write this blog post sooner or later. Let me show you. This is what my kitchen table looks like. No joke.
I made no attempts to clean this up. This just is. See the coupon book at the corner, my kid is trying to sell those, if you would like to buy one. :)
This is my family room. Note the kid sitting on the arm of the couch. eh.
The laundry is obvious. It is at least clean. IT does look better with the ornery dog next to it. Rather than pick myself apart, I have to point out the
curtains. I made them. Actually my mom sewed them (thanks mom) but if you look close, the pattern on them is my actual handwriting. I wrote the lyrics to 4 of our favorite songs on them over and over
with a sharpie. Yes it took forever. Yes I'm pretty crazy. Yes I love them. In case you are wondering the songs are "You are my sunshine." "Love song- by The Cure" "Philosophy- by Ben Folds" "Call me Al- Paul Simon" I can say they are my favorite thing in the whole house. I look past the folded clothes and still love those curtains! Oh and look at the porcelain peace hand on the mantel. LOVE.
Here is my kitchen. Lindsay, you have got it TOGETHER. Look at it. damn. Dinner in the crockpot, candles burning. What you don't see is the open bottle of red wine that I hid by the knives. I had it out on the counter earlier painting with the wine. I hid it before the gals mom came over, that way she would be allowed to come over again. :) Explaining to people that I paint with wine is not usually the first conversation I like to have with people! It does sound like a well thought out chat between drunks. It is semi-believable at best, but I promise its the truth.
Longest story short. give yourself a break. we are awesome!
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Use what the good Lord gave ya....
Well folk, summer is quickly coming to an end. School starts for my little fairies in about 2 weeks. This summer has gone differently than I had planned.
Here was my plan. June: SUPER BUSY. we had a million things planned. JULY: We would be totally bored and my kids would fight 24 hours a day until I was forced to put them on any bus that went by my house.( No matter what day it was or where the bus was headed. ) I would then gleefully put them on the bus (their real bus) in August and wave enthusiastically and let out huge sigh of relief. Here is how it has happened. June: busy as planned. July: My kids have had a blast together and been all around fun and pleasant to be around. There has been minimal fighting. I have not once checked the Greyhound bus schedule. There has been lots of swimming, sleeping late, reading, giggles, being lazy and more giggles. what? Who are these kids? They are at such an AWESOME ages. My oldest is 10 and youngest is 5. We are catching glimpses of preteen, but for the most part our gal is friendly and herself. The youngest is obviously potty trained, and fully capable of dressing herself and other wonderful big kid things. Whining is almost non existent. When one sister is gone, the other one MISSES THEM. (for real) I am trying hard to find the pause button, but I am having no luck. sigh.
I have already given the lecture to all involved (especially myself) that come August 14th we are walking into crazytown and we are all to give each other a break and be kind to each other. The youngest will be getting on a bus and heading to kindergarten. Clearly she was just born last week and they must have the dates for this school thing wrong. My baby will be taking off for the real world. (I may or may not be teary just typing it). My oldest is also going to a new school (Intermediate school) and will have a locker. She has been practicing how a locker works all summer. As for me, I will be fired from my current job of full time mom/part time artist and hopefully hired on as fulltime artist and part/full time mom! I will be doing my best to do my best with what God gave me. I will be stretching my wings in the art world and giving it a full shot at making a real person job out of it. We will also be navigating the soccer business I mentioned in earlier blogs we have no idea what this will require of us. I am trying hard to not worry about the changes that are coming. They are coming whether I worry or not. I am also trying not to commit to anything else until we get our feet wet at our new gigs.
Look for more posts to come once school starts. Until then....it is the pool....and hopefully more giggles.
Here was my plan. June: SUPER BUSY. we had a million things planned. JULY: We would be totally bored and my kids would fight 24 hours a day until I was forced to put them on any bus that went by my house.( No matter what day it was or where the bus was headed. ) I would then gleefully put them on the bus (their real bus) in August and wave enthusiastically and let out huge sigh of relief. Here is how it has happened. June: busy as planned. July: My kids have had a blast together and been all around fun and pleasant to be around. There has been minimal fighting. I have not once checked the Greyhound bus schedule. There has been lots of swimming, sleeping late, reading, giggles, being lazy and more giggles. what? Who are these kids? They are at such an AWESOME ages. My oldest is 10 and youngest is 5. We are catching glimpses of preteen, but for the most part our gal is friendly and herself. The youngest is obviously potty trained, and fully capable of dressing herself and other wonderful big kid things. Whining is almost non existent. When one sister is gone, the other one MISSES THEM. (for real) I am trying hard to find the pause button, but I am having no luck. sigh.
I have already given the lecture to all involved (especially myself) that come August 14th we are walking into crazytown and we are all to give each other a break and be kind to each other. The youngest will be getting on a bus and heading to kindergarten. Clearly she was just born last week and they must have the dates for this school thing wrong. My baby will be taking off for the real world. (I may or may not be teary just typing it). My oldest is also going to a new school (Intermediate school) and will have a locker. She has been practicing how a locker works all summer. As for me, I will be fired from my current job of full time mom/part time artist and hopefully hired on as fulltime artist and part/full time mom! I will be doing my best to do my best with what God gave me. I will be stretching my wings in the art world and giving it a full shot at making a real person job out of it. We will also be navigating the soccer business I mentioned in earlier blogs we have no idea what this will require of us. I am trying hard to not worry about the changes that are coming. They are coming whether I worry or not. I am also trying not to commit to anything else until we get our feet wet at our new gigs.
Look for more posts to come once school starts. Until then....it is the pool....and hopefully more giggles.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
craftiness. round one.
Happy Wednesday everyone! Thought I would post some pictures of what we are up to that last couple of days!
I have figured out that I am not good at multitasking. I am pretty good at the "mom multitasking" (ie.. brushing someones hair while yelling at another child to pack up the car, while trying to start the dishwasher and looking for shoes) Now throw in art show prep and it all goes down the drain.
Don't you know that person that can work full time and volunteer at the homeless shelter, and then set the table for a gourmet meal, run off to book club, all while looking radiant? Its not me. It just isn't. I have learned to be ok with that and give myself some grace. When I finished the art show I promised the girls that we would go to the library. I looked around and thought OMG its BOOKS! I haven't read a book in months. I wonder if I still know how. (again not a good multitasker). I had only one book on my list and I found it and I am reading it. I understand that people do this all the time, but I am so impressed that this is finally happening, I want to tell everyone. SO. there you go, who would have thought a good book would be blog worthy.
Let me also tell you that my oldest is 10 and a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE Beatles fan. We got her a ticket to see Paul McCartney for this upcoming weekend. I REALLY wish I could post the video of her opening up her present. She made me promise not to share it. So....I can say that she screamed louder than any scream ever, and then started sobbing. SOBBING. She has already promised there will be tears at the concert. She is going with her friend and her friends dad. I can't wait to hear how it goes. Apparently back in April I promised her that I would get her a new Beatles shirt for the concert. YIKES. I said "Lets make one!" This sounds crazy but I usually will do quite a bit of crafts with my sprouts, but this summer has been craftless. We ran out to Hobby Lobby and bought the kids shirts and supplies. Libby wanted one too. YEA! Let me preface this with girls t-shirts are not as cute as boys in the store. Boys shirts are no frills and witty. (more my style) Girls are kittens and hearts and stuff. Julia is against all kinds of pink. Libby likes pink but quirky. I showed Julia some Beatles shirts online and we were all set to plagiarize, which we successfully did.
Have you heard of making shirts with freezer paper? I have seen it on the blogosphere....and thought we could give it a try.
1. Draw out your pattern on plain paper.. Julias I printed off the computer and Libby's I drew by hand. This is Libbys drawing
2. tape design to cardboard and then tape freezer paper over top to trace, making sure the shiny side is down.
3. Using an exacto knife, cut out letters and design where you want ink at. This is when I really regretted the detail I put into Libby's drawing. If you have no patience keep it simple!
4. Place on the front of shirt and iron on the stencil, again shiny side down. Do not use steam on your iron.
5. Once the stencil is on the shirt, blot fabric paint over it. The ink SHOULD stay in the empty part of the stencil. I don't have a pict of this...sorry.
6. WAIT UNTIL PAINT IS DRY. Use a hairdryer if you have to.
7. Peel off stencil and you are left with fancy shirts!!!
I am pretty happy with how they turned out. The girls had fun and so did I. Summer craftiness was a success. Since I only have a month left with these two pixies at home we are going to be doing more crafts..... stay tuned! :)
MUCH love to you all, hope you are enjoying your summer.
I have figured out that I am not good at multitasking. I am pretty good at the "mom multitasking" (ie.. brushing someones hair while yelling at another child to pack up the car, while trying to start the dishwasher and looking for shoes) Now throw in art show prep and it all goes down the drain.
Don't you know that person that can work full time and volunteer at the homeless shelter, and then set the table for a gourmet meal, run off to book club, all while looking radiant? Its not me. It just isn't. I have learned to be ok with that and give myself some grace. When I finished the art show I promised the girls that we would go to the library. I looked around and thought OMG its BOOKS! I haven't read a book in months. I wonder if I still know how. (again not a good multitasker). I had only one book on my list and I found it and I am reading it. I understand that people do this all the time, but I am so impressed that this is finally happening, I want to tell everyone. SO. there you go, who would have thought a good book would be blog worthy.
Let me also tell you that my oldest is 10 and a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE Beatles fan. We got her a ticket to see Paul McCartney for this upcoming weekend. I REALLY wish I could post the video of her opening up her present. She made me promise not to share it. So....I can say that she screamed louder than any scream ever, and then started sobbing. SOBBING. She has already promised there will be tears at the concert. She is going with her friend and her friends dad. I can't wait to hear how it goes. Apparently back in April I promised her that I would get her a new Beatles shirt for the concert. YIKES. I said "Lets make one!" This sounds crazy but I usually will do quite a bit of crafts with my sprouts, but this summer has been craftless. We ran out to Hobby Lobby and bought the kids shirts and supplies. Libby wanted one too. YEA! Let me preface this with girls t-shirts are not as cute as boys in the store. Boys shirts are no frills and witty. (more my style) Girls are kittens and hearts and stuff. Julia is against all kinds of pink. Libby likes pink but quirky. I showed Julia some Beatles shirts online and we were all set to plagiarize, which we successfully did.
Have you heard of making shirts with freezer paper? I have seen it on the blogosphere....and thought we could give it a try.
1. Draw out your pattern on plain paper.. Julias I printed off the computer and Libby's I drew by hand. This is Libbys drawing
2. tape design to cardboard and then tape freezer paper over top to trace, making sure the shiny side is down.
3. Using an exacto knife, cut out letters and design where you want ink at. This is when I really regretted the detail I put into Libby's drawing. If you have no patience keep it simple!
this is my husband working on his laptop and having a frosty beverage behind the stencil.
4. Place on the front of shirt and iron on the stencil, again shiny side down. Do not use steam on your iron.
5. Once the stencil is on the shirt, blot fabric paint over it. The ink SHOULD stay in the empty part of the stencil. I don't have a pict of this...sorry.
6. WAIT UNTIL PAINT IS DRY. Use a hairdryer if you have to.
7. Peel off stencil and you are left with fancy shirts!!!
I am pretty happy with how they turned out. The girls had fun and so did I. Summer craftiness was a success. Since I only have a month left with these two pixies at home we are going to be doing more crafts..... stay tuned! :)
MUCH love to you all, hope you are enjoying your summer.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
art..where are we going???
Good Saturday morning to ya!
I just finished up a large art show and WHEW! It was a great show but I am totally exhausted.
I have to give a huge. HUGE. HUGE shout out to a few people. First a big public thank you to my parents. Not only did they watch my pixies for me while I set up for my show, they and my kids.....CLEANED MY HOUSE! When I am getting ready for a show I am pretty crazy Like many moms out there, when you focus on work, the house falls apart and then focus on the house and work is running away with itself. SO. my house was a wreck. I am so blessed call them both my parents. I could not do this without them!
Another huge shout out goes to my awesome neighbors. I have never done this show before and I was not aware that I could not bring my car in to load up art after the first night. The vendor parking lot was about 1/2 mile away and I had no way of getting my stuff there without walking 4 bins of art 1/2 mile there and back 4 TIMES. hmmm what to do. Just then my neighbors showed up and said "Do you need help loading up??" Errr...yep I do! :) I put my original art in their van and then carried a crate of prints to my car. I have no idea what I would have done had they not showed up when they did! If you think I am bragging that my parents and neighbors are better than yours. I am !:)
As an "artist" you work and work in the quiet of your own home, not sure what people will think of your art. I post my stuff on Facebook and get great feedback. This feedback is from my friends, total strangers is a different story. Art shows are exciting and scary. Once a few people buy things I start to relax and enjoy myself. I start to notice what kind of people buy my art and who "doesn't get it". I don't sell landscapes and I understand that quirky may not be the theme you want for your home. Here are a few things I noticed at my hometown's 4th of July fair.
I have used every bit of spare time I had to paint and glue and make all of this art. The act of each fair is tiring as well. The pay off was when about 75% of the people in my tent enthusiastically asked me where can I get more of this? do you have a store? can I get this in different colors? I have never seen anything like this before, I would like to buy more. I was overwhelmed by everyone's generosity. I also was very overwhelmed. My answer was always the same. "My youngest child is headed off to kindergarten in a month and we will see where all this goes!" I understand that this is an amazing problem to have but I have no real answers on how to make more art with the time I have. I have started researching "thinking bigger" . My husband has been encouraging me to do this from the beginning and I will have to give him the credit if it pays off!! :) Just quietly saying a prayer of thanks tonight and overwhelmed by everyone's support. Except for the balloon animal guy. I am praying he gets a how to make new balloon animals book for his birthday!
Have a great holiday weekend!
Lindsay and her seven lemons...
I just finished up a large art show and WHEW! It was a great show but I am totally exhausted.
I have to give a huge. HUGE. HUGE shout out to a few people. First a big public thank you to my parents. Not only did they watch my pixies for me while I set up for my show, they and my kids.....CLEANED MY HOUSE! When I am getting ready for a show I am pretty crazy Like many moms out there, when you focus on work, the house falls apart and then focus on the house and work is running away with itself. SO. my house was a wreck. I am so blessed call them both my parents. I could not do this without them!
Another huge shout out goes to my awesome neighbors. I have never done this show before and I was not aware that I could not bring my car in to load up art after the first night. The vendor parking lot was about 1/2 mile away and I had no way of getting my stuff there without walking 4 bins of art 1/2 mile there and back 4 TIMES. hmmm what to do. Just then my neighbors showed up and said "Do you need help loading up??" Errr...yep I do! :) I put my original art in their van and then carried a crate of prints to my car. I have no idea what I would have done had they not showed up when they did! If you think I am bragging that my parents and neighbors are better than yours. I am !:)
As an "artist" you work and work in the quiet of your own home, not sure what people will think of your art. I post my stuff on Facebook and get great feedback. This feedback is from my friends, total strangers is a different story. Art shows are exciting and scary. Once a few people buy things I start to relax and enjoy myself. I start to notice what kind of people buy my art and who "doesn't get it". I don't sell landscapes and I understand that quirky may not be the theme you want for your home. Here are a few things I noticed at my hometown's 4th of July fair.
- Women wearing denim shorts, wearing tall socks and tennis shoes don't get my art.
- People that bring their dog's to festivals tend to like my art.
- Women wearing maxi skirts/dresses love my art.
- The hippie guy selling magic wizard wands, incense burning was awesome when I set up the tent. Two days of it was overkill.
- The guy making balloon animals should be banned from making "Swords" for kids. I saw at least three kids come into my tent with these "swords" we are all adults right? OK. these looked like kids running around with giant genitalia. eek. This balloon maker needs to look on youtube for some new balloon making tutortials.
- When you let your kids come with you in a booth please don't let them touch all the art with dirty hands.
- Pictures. hmmm. There were a lot of people that would smile when they saw my art and say "OH so and so would love this...." Then text them a picture of my art. I have no idea what to do with this. I don't want my art ripped off but also don't want to be a jerk. hmmm fine line/
- I had some time to sketch while I was in my booth and I keep sketching the same mermaid wearing water wings. Not sure what to do with her. I realize this makes me sound crazy.
I have used every bit of spare time I had to paint and glue and make all of this art. The act of each fair is tiring as well. The pay off was when about 75% of the people in my tent enthusiastically asked me where can I get more of this? do you have a store? can I get this in different colors? I have never seen anything like this before, I would like to buy more. I was overwhelmed by everyone's generosity. I also was very overwhelmed. My answer was always the same. "My youngest child is headed off to kindergarten in a month and we will see where all this goes!" I understand that this is an amazing problem to have but I have no real answers on how to make more art with the time I have. I have started researching "thinking bigger" . My husband has been encouraging me to do this from the beginning and I will have to give him the credit if it pays off!! :) Just quietly saying a prayer of thanks tonight and overwhelmed by everyone's support. Except for the balloon animal guy. I am praying he gets a how to make new balloon animals book for his birthday!
Have a great holiday weekend!
Lindsay and her seven lemons...
Friday, June 14, 2013
A religious post??
Why am I doing this?
I am a Christian. I have been a Christian for as long as I can remember. I do not lecture people about my faith. I often do not bring it up, not because I am ashamed. I don't bring it up because I hope my actions speak for themselves. I hope.
Now, as a mom there are certain topics that I need to talk to my girls about. These are coming of age speeches that I will carefully sit down and explain how "life" works. I like to think these conversations will come about "organically". I did not want to sit down with 20 books and say, "Girls, have you ever had that not so fresh feeling?". However I have ages in mind that if certain subjects are not brought up, then we have to address them. NO way are my pixies getting their first lesson on sex from the school nurse. Homosexuality is one of those topics. For some reason it just never came up until recently. My oldest (age 10) came home and said....." mom, something weird happened in music class today. We were singing a song that had the word gay in it. the kids started laughing. My music teacher told them to stop it, it meant happy and not what the kids were actually laughing at. Mom, what does gay really mean?"
I said a quick prayer. I know my children are going to grow up and live their own life and have their own opinions about things. That is how the world works. I want them to know that my opinion on this topic is UNWAVERING. I explained that "you know how your dad and I met, and fell in love and have spent our lives together? There are some women who fall in love with other women and some men who fall in love with other men. They love each other very much just like your daddy and I do. When someone is in love with someone that is the same gender, that is what gay is. Do you have any questions??"
J-"Mom..why would that be funny??" me=-" J, it isn't funny. Do you understand what I mean when I say majority, and minority? (she did) The majority of people aren't gay. There is a minority of people that are. Sometimes when people see something that is not what they are used to they make fun of it or laugh. It is sometimes how people respond when something makes them uncomfortable." J="that is not nice at all" me="You are very right" j= "are gay people allowed to get married like you and dad did?" me="In some states, yes. Do you have any more questions about this??" j=nope.
I had to add more, I just had to. I had to warn her tiny little just and fair heart. sigh.
me- "J, you should probably know that there are people out there that do not like that people are gay, they think it is wrong and sometimes don't even like gay people and are mean to them."
j=what?? Mom, how do you feel about it? Here is where some of my Christian friends and family are going to disown me. They are going to stop and say a prayer for me and my children. Feel free. My opinion is the same.
me= "God made them that way. God said love thy neighbor as yourself. He did not say, unless they are gay, or anything else you disagree with. We love everyone and support them. It does not mean that the people that do not feel this way are bad people either. everyone is allowed to have an opinion. This is my opinion. any more questions" Now here is the kicker. I am crying just typing it. That pixie with the kind and just, heart said from the back seat."Mom, its kind of like when there was slavery. I am sure there were really good people that also believed in slavery, but they figured out that everyone deserved to be who they were and do what they want" uhhhh yeah. that!
I will back the train up. I did say "God made them that way". You read it right. For those that are in mid prayer for my family, hear me out. Have you ever known or loved someone that was gay? Have you watched them struggle. DId you know that gay and lesbian teens are 2-3 times more likely to commit suicide than teens that are heterosexual. TWO TO THREE TIMES!!! I have been a teenager before and remember the pressure to be normal and "not be made fun of. So your argument is that these children of God made this choice to be ostracized and sometimes have their families disown them? Why? So they can be different? So they can get attention?? When my children are nervous heading into any situation I always tell them "Just be yourself, and it will be fine" Imagine now that doesn't apply to you at ALL. You have to pretend to be something you are not for your family to love and accept you. Again, I do not think this is anything someone would "choose".
Lets say your opinion is different than mine and that you think being gay is a sin. that is fine. It is not that fact, that is the problem. It is how you act. Infidelity is a sin. People who cheat on their spouses are welcomed with open arms into churches everywhere every week. Yes I know they are not walking in and screaming "I am cheating on her". Oddly enough most gay people are not acting"gay" at church either. They are not making out with their partners and dressed head to toe in rainbows. Calm down people, chances are they will sit in the pew, praise God and go home and have a boring Sunday , just like you. They do not want to have relations with you, or infringe on your life or beliefs.
Sometimes, just as a warning, if you are a Christian and say something negative about people who are gay to someone. ...that person knows someone who is gay. They may not say it outloud but the thought happens. If my "brother, friend, cousin or whomever" is not accepted at your church then I am not sure I want to go there either. There might be 200 people who will accept people just as they are that go to that church, but because of the one slanderous comment, now many think badly of your church, your faith and in turn my faith. I respect the differing opinions on the subject, what I do not respect is when the " love your neighbor as yourself" rule is butchered to prove a point.
Some of you have read this and said internally "THAT was a religious post!" "Some have said " That was a religious post??" Either way you think is fine with me, because its my blog! :)
I am a Christian. I have been a Christian for as long as I can remember. I do not lecture people about my faith. I often do not bring it up, not because I am ashamed. I don't bring it up because I hope my actions speak for themselves. I hope.
Now, as a mom there are certain topics that I need to talk to my girls about. These are coming of age speeches that I will carefully sit down and explain how "life" works. I like to think these conversations will come about "organically". I did not want to sit down with 20 books and say, "Girls, have you ever had that not so fresh feeling?". However I have ages in mind that if certain subjects are not brought up, then we have to address them. NO way are my pixies getting their first lesson on sex from the school nurse. Homosexuality is one of those topics. For some reason it just never came up until recently. My oldest (age 10) came home and said....." mom, something weird happened in music class today. We were singing a song that had the word gay in it. the kids started laughing. My music teacher told them to stop it, it meant happy and not what the kids were actually laughing at. Mom, what does gay really mean?"
I said a quick prayer. I know my children are going to grow up and live their own life and have their own opinions about things. That is how the world works. I want them to know that my opinion on this topic is UNWAVERING. I explained that "you know how your dad and I met, and fell in love and have spent our lives together? There are some women who fall in love with other women and some men who fall in love with other men. They love each other very much just like your daddy and I do. When someone is in love with someone that is the same gender, that is what gay is. Do you have any questions??"
J-"Mom..why would that be funny??" me=-" J, it isn't funny. Do you understand what I mean when I say majority, and minority? (she did) The majority of people aren't gay. There is a minority of people that are. Sometimes when people see something that is not what they are used to they make fun of it or laugh. It is sometimes how people respond when something makes them uncomfortable." J="that is not nice at all" me="You are very right" j= "are gay people allowed to get married like you and dad did?" me="In some states, yes. Do you have any more questions about this??" j=nope.
I had to add more, I just had to. I had to warn her tiny little just and fair heart. sigh.
me- "J, you should probably know that there are people out there that do not like that people are gay, they think it is wrong and sometimes don't even like gay people and are mean to them."
j=what?? Mom, how do you feel about it? Here is where some of my Christian friends and family are going to disown me. They are going to stop and say a prayer for me and my children. Feel free. My opinion is the same.
me= "God made them that way. God said love thy neighbor as yourself. He did not say, unless they are gay, or anything else you disagree with. We love everyone and support them. It does not mean that the people that do not feel this way are bad people either. everyone is allowed to have an opinion. This is my opinion. any more questions" Now here is the kicker. I am crying just typing it. That pixie with the kind and just, heart said from the back seat."Mom, its kind of like when there was slavery. I am sure there were really good people that also believed in slavery, but they figured out that everyone deserved to be who they were and do what they want" uhhhh yeah. that!
I will back the train up. I did say "God made them that way". You read it right. For those that are in mid prayer for my family, hear me out. Have you ever known or loved someone that was gay? Have you watched them struggle. DId you know that gay and lesbian teens are 2-3 times more likely to commit suicide than teens that are heterosexual. TWO TO THREE TIMES!!! I have been a teenager before and remember the pressure to be normal and "not be made fun of. So your argument is that these children of God made this choice to be ostracized and sometimes have their families disown them? Why? So they can be different? So they can get attention?? When my children are nervous heading into any situation I always tell them "Just be yourself, and it will be fine" Imagine now that doesn't apply to you at ALL. You have to pretend to be something you are not for your family to love and accept you. Again, I do not think this is anything someone would "choose".
Lets say your opinion is different than mine and that you think being gay is a sin. that is fine. It is not that fact, that is the problem. It is how you act. Infidelity is a sin. People who cheat on their spouses are welcomed with open arms into churches everywhere every week. Yes I know they are not walking in and screaming "I am cheating on her". Oddly enough most gay people are not acting"gay" at church either. They are not making out with their partners and dressed head to toe in rainbows. Calm down people, chances are they will sit in the pew, praise God and go home and have a boring Sunday , just like you. They do not want to have relations with you, or infringe on your life or beliefs.
Sometimes, just as a warning, if you are a Christian and say something negative about people who are gay to someone. ...that person knows someone who is gay. They may not say it outloud but the thought happens. If my "brother, friend, cousin or whomever" is not accepted at your church then I am not sure I want to go there either. There might be 200 people who will accept people just as they are that go to that church, but because of the one slanderous comment, now many think badly of your church, your faith and in turn my faith. I respect the differing opinions on the subject, what I do not respect is when the " love your neighbor as yourself" rule is butchered to prove a point.
Some of you have read this and said internally "THAT was a religious post!" "Some have said " That was a religious post??" Either way you think is fine with me, because its my blog! :)
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
back home again....
There are quite a few entries in the blog that are really just me writing down memories. I think the girls will like to see that their mom was a real person at one point. :) This is one of those entries.
I went to a funeral service for an amazing woman today. She was my neighbor at my old house. I considered her a grandma. She treated me like a grandkid. She had 4 kids. When we lived there the youngest child was still in high school and the oldest had kids my age. I grew up with her grandchildren. I was also fascinated that there was a REAL high schooler that lived RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO ME. I think small kids think that high school is a magical land of amazing half grown-up people. Kids can recognize that teenagers are still functioning like a kid but look like an adult. "mysterious". Marion had amazing things at her house. She always had candy out in a jar on the coffee table. She was always reading paperback romance novels. When I asked what she was reading, she would say "Oh, don't you worry about it, sweetie". I learned how to play cards over there, danced to Michael Jackson, and raced around her giant yard! She had a bowl that you put corn in, that looked like a real ear of corn! She had a giant vase at her front door with pussy willow plants in it. I learned to not run barefoot in her rock garden, and that all cats were not friendly. (It was my goal to make her cat, Tatty like me-I failed) She was such a character and will be missed.
The funeral service was in my hometown. There are pros and cons to living almost anywhere. The pro to not living where you grew up, is you don't see it as the daily mundane place. In other words I don't have to go grocery shopping or run errrands there. To me it is all of the happy memories of growing up. Every where is a "look at that" or "remember when we"....it is a fun place to visit. I took Libby thru my old neighborhood. As I drove around, things looked great and about the same. Our neighborhood was on a large hill. I was ready to drive down the hill and remembered a question that Julia had asked me last week. "Mom, did Nanny or Papaw ever do anything to embarrass you when you were a kid?" (I think I am starting to embarrass her??) Uh, yes Julia they did. It happened right at the top of that hill. Today it made me laugh outloud to think about.
When I was in high school, my friend and I dated guys that were best friends. PERFECT. This was great for all involved since we could double date. Every weekend consisted of a date with the 4 of us. She and I were talking one day and she admitted that she was thinking about breaking up with her boyfriend. WHAT? What would happen to our double dates? I had actually been thinking about doing the same thing but was afraid to admit it. So we decided to break up with our boyfriends on the same day. ( Note:this was not the peak of my maturity, thank God!) I am sure we did it in a heartless way like in a note all folded up like an origami bird or something. Anyway, the guys were obviously bummed because my mom was driving up to our house, my friend and I were in the back of the van. The two boys were parked at my house egging it. In the middle of the day. Again, high schoolers are idiots! :) The boys spotted her and took off driving. My mom took after them in a blind rage and all of a sudden we were involved in a chase scene that rivaled the Italian Job. Only instead of driving stylish mini coopers my mom was driving like Bo and Luke Duke in her minivan. She got PASSED them and stopped her van so they could not get passed us and then got out to confront them. This was the point I was certain. CERTAIN. I would die of embarrassment. We will have to call 911 because I knew then it was possible to actually DIE of embarrassment. Through the glass of the minivan windows, I could hear my mom yelling, I caught, "ashamed of yourself" "lucky I don't call your moms" Sweet heavens. Social. life. OVER. Surprisingly I woke up the next day and did not die. I also lived thru the next. No eye contact was made for awhile with both of the guys involved. I was so selfish that I never thought through how embarrassing it must have been for them.
No real moral to this story, just a funny memory and how now as an adult I can see all sides of it, but at the time I was a teenager and it pretty much revolved around me. I will most likely embarrass my girls to the point of near death. I think I owe them at least that! :) Happy Tuesday!
I went to a funeral service for an amazing woman today. She was my neighbor at my old house. I considered her a grandma. She treated me like a grandkid. She had 4 kids. When we lived there the youngest child was still in high school and the oldest had kids my age. I grew up with her grandchildren. I was also fascinated that there was a REAL high schooler that lived RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO ME. I think small kids think that high school is a magical land of amazing half grown-up people. Kids can recognize that teenagers are still functioning like a kid but look like an adult. "mysterious". Marion had amazing things at her house. She always had candy out in a jar on the coffee table. She was always reading paperback romance novels. When I asked what she was reading, she would say "Oh, don't you worry about it, sweetie". I learned how to play cards over there, danced to Michael Jackson, and raced around her giant yard! She had a bowl that you put corn in, that looked like a real ear of corn! She had a giant vase at her front door with pussy willow plants in it. I learned to not run barefoot in her rock garden, and that all cats were not friendly. (It was my goal to make her cat, Tatty like me-I failed) She was such a character and will be missed.
The funeral service was in my hometown. There are pros and cons to living almost anywhere. The pro to not living where you grew up, is you don't see it as the daily mundane place. In other words I don't have to go grocery shopping or run errrands there. To me it is all of the happy memories of growing up. Every where is a "look at that" or "remember when we"....it is a fun place to visit. I took Libby thru my old neighborhood. As I drove around, things looked great and about the same. Our neighborhood was on a large hill. I was ready to drive down the hill and remembered a question that Julia had asked me last week. "Mom, did Nanny or Papaw ever do anything to embarrass you when you were a kid?" (I think I am starting to embarrass her??) Uh, yes Julia they did. It happened right at the top of that hill. Today it made me laugh outloud to think about.
When I was in high school, my friend and I dated guys that were best friends. PERFECT. This was great for all involved since we could double date. Every weekend consisted of a date with the 4 of us. She and I were talking one day and she admitted that she was thinking about breaking up with her boyfriend. WHAT? What would happen to our double dates? I had actually been thinking about doing the same thing but was afraid to admit it. So we decided to break up with our boyfriends on the same day. ( Note:this was not the peak of my maturity, thank God!) I am sure we did it in a heartless way like in a note all folded up like an origami bird or something. Anyway, the guys were obviously bummed because my mom was driving up to our house, my friend and I were in the back of the van. The two boys were parked at my house egging it. In the middle of the day. Again, high schoolers are idiots! :) The boys spotted her and took off driving. My mom took after them in a blind rage and all of a sudden we were involved in a chase scene that rivaled the Italian Job. Only instead of driving stylish mini coopers my mom was driving like Bo and Luke Duke in her minivan. She got PASSED them and stopped her van so they could not get passed us and then got out to confront them. This was the point I was certain. CERTAIN. I would die of embarrassment. We will have to call 911 because I knew then it was possible to actually DIE of embarrassment. Through the glass of the minivan windows, I could hear my mom yelling, I caught, "ashamed of yourself" "lucky I don't call your moms" Sweet heavens. Social. life. OVER. Surprisingly I woke up the next day and did not die. I also lived thru the next. No eye contact was made for awhile with both of the guys involved. I was so selfish that I never thought through how embarrassing it must have been for them.
No real moral to this story, just a funny memory and how now as an adult I can see all sides of it, but at the time I was a teenager and it pretty much revolved around me. I will most likely embarrass my girls to the point of near death. I think I owe them at least that! :) Happy Tuesday!
Monday, June 3, 2013
anyone want some wine?
Well friends what a weekend. By that I mean what a crappy weekend. There were some AMAZING parts (visiting some amazing friends) but for the most part we had a few disappointments that left us angry and a little worse for the wear. The weathermen and women in Indianapolis described the apocalyptic weather forecast in great detail on Friday. The weekend would be a wash. I tried as hard as I could to figure out how to get my art to the wine festival without the "tornados" "large hail" or "flooding" damaging it. One or all of these were events were promised. I finally decided that I would not go. I could not risk ruining all of my art. I patted myself on the back, applauding my responsibility. Look at what a grown up I am. Sigh. Now lets spend a rainy family day together. I will make some chili, we will watch wonderful movies and I will be so glad that I was so smart. NOPE. Lets watch it NOT rain and we end up at the pool. THE POOL! I get it. There are starving children in Africa, I understand this is a total first world problem. I really do. Even though I understood I was SO angry. I worked so hard to get ready for this. I have another show July 4th weekend. I will be super ready for it.( I reminded myself of this over and over)
I was now pretty bummed I focused on the wine part of things. I had earlier considered that pretty smart or "knowing your market". Now thanks to a misstep by mother nature I am left with lots of wine themed art, and picturing customers at my next show assuming I have a real drinking problem. I had just worked SO so SO SO so SO hard for this, and now. nothing.
Its now Monday and I should be over it, but was still struggling with being angry. I don't know why I did, but I thought of last year at this time. We had just accepted an offer on our house. We had no idea that we were about to head into a crazy few events that would make us almost lose selling it, and lose buying the one we live in now. We had no idea how scary it was to watch everything fall out from underneath us.
Last year at this time I would have casually joked that I was so stressed that it felt like "I was going to have a stroke." not knowing that mom would have a stroke in a few short months. This time last year I did not realize how crazy it was to move. How in a short year, I would feel like I had always lived in this house, and love my new neighbors to pieces, yet still feel like my old neighbors are still "MY neighbors" and I would miss seeing their smiling faces every day (I did have that figured out). I would not have known how to maneuver around my daughters new school and some of the politics that came with it.
In other words. Look at the difference a year can make. Look at the difference a DAY can make. I know this feels like a big deal now, but put on your big girl pants, and get over it because who knows what tomorrow will bring! Stop wasting time wishing it is different, it's just not! So I am getting ready for an amazing summer with my girls, and a few art shows that look like I am a professional wine drinker. There are surely worse things than that. Happy Monday, people! :)
I was now pretty bummed I focused on the wine part of things. I had earlier considered that pretty smart or "knowing your market". Now thanks to a misstep by mother nature I am left with lots of wine themed art, and picturing customers at my next show assuming I have a real drinking problem. I had just worked SO so SO SO so SO hard for this, and now. nothing.
Its now Monday and I should be over it, but was still struggling with being angry. I don't know why I did, but I thought of last year at this time. We had just accepted an offer on our house. We had no idea that we were about to head into a crazy few events that would make us almost lose selling it, and lose buying the one we live in now. We had no idea how scary it was to watch everything fall out from underneath us.
Last year at this time I would have casually joked that I was so stressed that it felt like "I was going to have a stroke." not knowing that mom would have a stroke in a few short months. This time last year I did not realize how crazy it was to move. How in a short year, I would feel like I had always lived in this house, and love my new neighbors to pieces, yet still feel like my old neighbors are still "MY neighbors" and I would miss seeing their smiling faces every day (I did have that figured out). I would not have known how to maneuver around my daughters new school and some of the politics that came with it.
In other words. Look at the difference a year can make. Look at the difference a DAY can make. I know this feels like a big deal now, but put on your big girl pants, and get over it because who knows what tomorrow will bring! Stop wasting time wishing it is different, it's just not! So I am getting ready for an amazing summer with my girls, and a few art shows that look like I am a professional wine drinker. There are surely worse things than that. Happy Monday, people! :)
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Get the Girl with the Yellow Shoes!
There are times in every woman's life that you hear yourself turn into your mother. Luckily for me my mom ROCKS. Today I turned into my dad. My dad loves sports, and played quite a few of them when he was in high school. He can see a high school baseball game, basketball game or track meet happening and go watch. He doesn't have to know anyone playing. I never understood that. Today I met my parents (who hosted my kids for the night) at the soccer fields for Julia's game. I got there too early and watched the tail end of the game before hers and loved watching it. WHAT? I am at the fields 4 days a week and I am watching soccer I don't have to?? DO I have a fever?? NOPE. I am turning into a soccer mom. I love how much Julia loves to play. If she loved checkers as much, I would happily be the best checkers mom around. Julia has chosen soccer and is pretty good at it. Today I heard the opposing coach yell "Stay on that girl with the yellow shoes, every time she gets the ball she scores!" That is my Julia!! We have had a few coaches come talk to her after the game and make sure that she is going to try out for the travel team (she is). Each time it kind of reminds me of Mr. Slugworth chatting it up with each of the Wonka kids. Either way, Julia has her sport and is very good at it, and I am so proud of her!
Sports. blurg. I spent a lot of time as a kid, stressing out about sports. I was not good at anything team oriented. I was the one in gym class that felt like I was going to barf when the ball came towards me. I had gymnastics. I was pretty good at it, but more importantly I loved it! I always wished that team sports were in my future, the good friends, the teamwork, the trips to dairy queen for team treats, all day tournaments. All the while I was drawing and doing back walkovers in my yard to my Huey lewis and the News tape. I was kind of jealous.
My school did not have a gymnastics team, if they had I would have been the first in line. We did have cheerleading. One of the skills a cheerleader has to have is tumbling. Finally all of the time with Huey Lewis and the boom box will pay off! I made my Jr. high cheerleading squad! I really was so excited! Would we go to Dairy Queen and get team treats? Nope! Would people resent me for doing this? Yep. I never saw people in a fight over being on the volleyball team. I get it, cheerleading comes with clout. Who am I to sit here and say poor me, I was a cheerleader. I loved the gymnastics I got to do as a cheerleader, I loved the teamwork, just like I thought I would. I was super uncomfortable in the uniforms. I was uncomfortable with how people judged me before they got to know me. I loved all the posters I made. I know that sounds crazy but I learned a lot about lettering.:) I love the people I met while cheering.
Libby. She is artsy and uncoordinated. She of course can grow in and out of either of those things. She is NOT competitive. She has asked me why both teams playing soccer can't win. Its like God is allowing me to raise myself. Obviously Libby is her own person and will find her own way. It will be interesting to watch her make her choices as her personality strikes a chord with how I was. It will break my heart to see her crying about softball in gym class! Its funny how important sports feel at the time, and as an adult I have never, not once, thrown flips down the aisle at Target.. I also have not been in there when Heart of Rock and Roll was playing over the speaker, so who knows?
In other words, I will be at the soccer fields and I can't wait to see her grow and change. I am excited to see what Libby does and how she chooses her own paths. Life is pretty amazing. Being able to be a mother to two kids that could not be more different is such a blessing. Go team!
Sports. blurg. I spent a lot of time as a kid, stressing out about sports. I was not good at anything team oriented. I was the one in gym class that felt like I was going to barf when the ball came towards me. I had gymnastics. I was pretty good at it, but more importantly I loved it! I always wished that team sports were in my future, the good friends, the teamwork, the trips to dairy queen for team treats, all day tournaments. All the while I was drawing and doing back walkovers in my yard to my Huey lewis and the News tape. I was kind of jealous.
My school did not have a gymnastics team, if they had I would have been the first in line. We did have cheerleading. One of the skills a cheerleader has to have is tumbling. Finally all of the time with Huey Lewis and the boom box will pay off! I made my Jr. high cheerleading squad! I really was so excited! Would we go to Dairy Queen and get team treats? Nope! Would people resent me for doing this? Yep. I never saw people in a fight over being on the volleyball team. I get it, cheerleading comes with clout. Who am I to sit here and say poor me, I was a cheerleader. I loved the gymnastics I got to do as a cheerleader, I loved the teamwork, just like I thought I would. I was super uncomfortable in the uniforms. I was uncomfortable with how people judged me before they got to know me. I loved all the posters I made. I know that sounds crazy but I learned a lot about lettering.:) I love the people I met while cheering.
Libby. She is artsy and uncoordinated. She of course can grow in and out of either of those things. She is NOT competitive. She has asked me why both teams playing soccer can't win. Its like God is allowing me to raise myself. Obviously Libby is her own person and will find her own way. It will be interesting to watch her make her choices as her personality strikes a chord with how I was. It will break my heart to see her crying about softball in gym class! Its funny how important sports feel at the time, and as an adult I have never, not once, thrown flips down the aisle at Target.. I also have not been in there when Heart of Rock and Roll was playing over the speaker, so who knows?
In other words, I will be at the soccer fields and I can't wait to see her grow and change. I am excited to see what Libby does and how she chooses her own paths. Life is pretty amazing. Being able to be a mother to two kids that could not be more different is such a blessing. Go team!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Duck, duck, buck ,,bo buck banana fanna fo.....WHAT THE WHAT???
Mark today on your calendar. Today is the day that I passed my fear/phobia onto my youngest daughter. Today will be brought up in future therapy sessions for Libby. I will most likely be asked to pay for it.
I started the day off with coffee. It was thunder storming last night and the smaller of my two dogs climbs me like a monkey during storms. Needless to say I did not sleep well. I got Miss Julia on the bus and was getting Libby ready for a day with my mother in law. I ran outside to throw a box in the recycle bin. I saw a few weeds and pulled them. I was on the phone with my mom. I was in the middle of telling her that a friend suggested I blog daily, and how I didn't feel like I had much to talk about every day. I then told her there was a pair of ducks that must have a nest in the yard behind us. They waddle all over and how I thought they were so cute.
This is unusual for me as I HATE BIRDS. I would not consider me a phobic or anxious person about much. Birds do me in. I like them in their place. I like small birds. Large birds anywhere near me and I can feel my throat closing. UGH. I hate them. My best friend still loves to tell the story about me trying to pay for a pumpkin at the pumpkin patch for Libby, as a wild turkey got closer and closer to me. I am sure it is funny to watch from the outside. From my point of few I would like nothing more than to kick that turkey hard.
I went inside and poured my second cup of coffee and see both dogs at the patio door asking to go out. That is when I saw it...A HUGE DUCK was in my screened in porch. I was still on the phone with my mom and went into full on melt down mode. I can only imagine what my mom thought, I was freaking out!!! How in the world did it get in there?? Below is a dramatized video of how I reacted. Minus stripping down to my underwear.
I started the day off with coffee. It was thunder storming last night and the smaller of my two dogs climbs me like a monkey during storms. Needless to say I did not sleep well. I got Miss Julia on the bus and was getting Libby ready for a day with my mother in law. I ran outside to throw a box in the recycle bin. I saw a few weeds and pulled them. I was on the phone with my mom. I was in the middle of telling her that a friend suggested I blog daily, and how I didn't feel like I had much to talk about every day. I then told her there was a pair of ducks that must have a nest in the yard behind us. They waddle all over and how I thought they were so cute.
This is unusual for me as I HATE BIRDS. I would not consider me a phobic or anxious person about much. Birds do me in. I like them in their place. I like small birds. Large birds anywhere near me and I can feel my throat closing. UGH. I hate them. My best friend still loves to tell the story about me trying to pay for a pumpkin at the pumpkin patch for Libby, as a wild turkey got closer and closer to me. I am sure it is funny to watch from the outside. From my point of few I would like nothing more than to kick that turkey hard.
I went inside and poured my second cup of coffee and see both dogs at the patio door asking to go out. That is when I saw it...A HUGE DUCK was in my screened in porch. I was still on the phone with my mom and went into full on melt down mode. I can only imagine what my mom thought, I was freaking out!!! How in the world did it get in there?? Below is a dramatized video of how I reacted. Minus stripping down to my underwear.
I do remember in the midst of yelling I said "I don't invite crazy into my life, it just finds me, in the form of a duck." I told my mom I was going to get a shovel. CALM DOWN. I was using it to prop open the door to the patio. I quietly crept up and propped the door open. The duck FRIgged out. I am now screaming again. I run in the house as I have a horrible thought of Libby opening the door to the patio and it getting in my house. I informed her that she is not to open the door. (still screaming) I did a quick assessment and realized that the duck FLEW THROUGH THE SCREEN. It was shredded. cool.
I brainstormed a way out of this. I grabbed a loaf of bread and took it outside. and through the propped open door, I threw balls of bread in a crazy trail to try to lure this kamikaze duck out. I now noticed that the friends the duck was flying with were outside the porch screaming at it. HOLY COW, what if they followed the trail IN TO my porch?? It was a chance I would have to take. I was CRAZY sweating. I went inside to see if my plan would work....it kind of made me laugh. I set a trap like they do on Tom and Jerry! I finally said that I needed to shower and prayed (literally) that the duck would be gone when I got down. It was!!!! YEA!!!! Thank you God! I am wondering if I tempted fate by saying I had nothing exciting to blog about, or if I jinxed it by complimenting this duck family.
Here is photo evidence after the fact. This is the trap I sat up (minus the acme box), who knew that ducks will not eat white bread. This was clearly a fancy duck and has better things to do than eat my bread.
Here is the hole that was ripped in the screen in my patio window....blurg.
This is the duck crap all over my chair!
I bet this WAS the mom duck that lives behind us. I bet she had a fight with the dad duck. "I sat on those eggs all night in a thunderstorm and you can't even pick up the nest? I am going into that porch and not coming out until you pick up something"
Maybe she was texting and flying? Clearly she did not sign any contact with Oprah.
I wonder what she is blogging about today? The horrible food people eat, the soft and cushy toilets they have.
Either way I did learn that you never know what is going to happen in your morning. I learned my kid is pretty good in a panic filled situation. She hugged me and told me that I should probably calm down. She watched the duck while I showered and let me know when it left. That kid is pretty great.
So....if there is lesson to be learned it is never compliment a duck.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Happy Mothers Day to all of you amazing moms out there! I hope your day was amazing!! Mothers day rocked here in the Clark house. Saturday was my day and Sunday was split between my mom and my mother in law. On Saturday I woke up to my kids bringing me breakfast in bed that they made. Gross chunky cold oatmeal with fruit in it. I think I need another day of celebration dedicated to me, just for having to eat it. They watched me take bite after bite and asked me each time how much I loved it. I could see my husband smirking in the background. (For those that know him he has a grand champion smirk) So I started my day off with a few white lies about oatmeal! Then I got my real present. I had asked that everyone help me clean the house-WITHOUT WHINING OR FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER. Those crazy kids did it!! It made me almost forget about the cold oatmeal. almost. The yard was mowed and edged. The house was picked up and looking somewhat normal. We then headed over to the soccer fields. Julia's team has yet to win one game. It is oddly enough still fun to watch. Julia played against her best friends team. It was fun and unnerving to watch them play against each other. Julia rocked. I would be lying if I didn't tell you that she is good. It is fun to watch your kid be really good at something. I love seeing that smirk that she inherited, as she dribbles past the whole field of kids. Anyway...after soccer I went to the movie theater BY MYSELF with a bag of jelly beans and watched Gatsby. It was great. being alone, Gatsby and the jelly beans (my favorite). I then came home and watched my kids play hide and seek in the backyard. It was one of those nights that the light was perfect and it looked like I was watching a movie. They were laughing and rolling around, and I tried to memorize it all. I knew that this would be a moment I would try to recreate later in my head when either the kids hated each other or life got really hard. I love moments like that and wish we had a pause button.
Random thought. Yesterday my mother in law said something that surprised me. She asked for a lint brush before we went to church. She said that she didn't want dog hair in her car. Totally reasonable. We have two dogs, one is black and one is white. In other words you will have visible dog hair on you no matter what you have on. What surprised me is that would never be a thought that I would have. I hope that everyone I am supposed to have with me is in the car. I hope that everyone has shoes on and hair brushed. ( 50/50 shot on both) I have to run through my checklist out loud....do we have water bottle, soccer ball, swim bag, soccer bag, grocery list, snacks, guitar? I am constantly telling my kids to pick up the car. Often there are times that there is an unidentifiable smell in my van. We have to play a yucky game of trying to sniff it out. Gross. We are just in this stage of life. My mother in law was once in this place. She is the mother of 5 amazing kids, my husband being the youngest. All of her kids were involved in sports. I am sure there were days that she didn't know whether she had the right kids with her. She has earned the right to not want dog hair in her car. My thought on the whole mess was, what if I never notice? What if I am the retiree grandma with dog hair all over me and gross smells in my car? I am praying this is a natural process that just "happens". Otherwise I am counting on my amazing girlfriends to tell me to freakin' pull it together.
On another note, I finished the mini marathon!!! I could not have asked to do it with a more amazing person! It was amazing. Just when you felt like this is the dumbest idea ever, someone would run past you with a physical handicap or visibly struggling. Yep, just keep moving. It was a great experience and so glad I did it!
I am getting ready for a big artshow on June first. Big to the point that anything I am doing that is not getting ready for that , kind of makes me nervous. It feels like finals week! :) A feeling I secretly like as long as it is only every once in a while. So I am off to snuggle my kid and paint stuff!
Have a super Monday!
Random thought. Yesterday my mother in law said something that surprised me. She asked for a lint brush before we went to church. She said that she didn't want dog hair in her car. Totally reasonable. We have two dogs, one is black and one is white. In other words you will have visible dog hair on you no matter what you have on. What surprised me is that would never be a thought that I would have. I hope that everyone I am supposed to have with me is in the car. I hope that everyone has shoes on and hair brushed. ( 50/50 shot on both) I have to run through my checklist out loud....do we have water bottle, soccer ball, swim bag, soccer bag, grocery list, snacks, guitar? I am constantly telling my kids to pick up the car. Often there are times that there is an unidentifiable smell in my van. We have to play a yucky game of trying to sniff it out. Gross. We are just in this stage of life. My mother in law was once in this place. She is the mother of 5 amazing kids, my husband being the youngest. All of her kids were involved in sports. I am sure there were days that she didn't know whether she had the right kids with her. She has earned the right to not want dog hair in her car. My thought on the whole mess was, what if I never notice? What if I am the retiree grandma with dog hair all over me and gross smells in my car? I am praying this is a natural process that just "happens". Otherwise I am counting on my amazing girlfriends to tell me to freakin' pull it together.
On another note, I finished the mini marathon!!! I could not have asked to do it with a more amazing person! It was amazing. Just when you felt like this is the dumbest idea ever, someone would run past you with a physical handicap or visibly struggling. Yep, just keep moving. It was a great experience and so glad I did it!
I am getting ready for a big artshow on June first. Big to the point that anything I am doing that is not getting ready for that , kind of makes me nervous. It feels like finals week! :) A feeling I secretly like as long as it is only every once in a while. So I am off to snuggle my kid and paint stuff!
Have a super Monday!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
back in the day....in my face.
I am going to start the blog out with a fact or two. I was in a sorority. Are you judging me yet? In high school I was a cheerleader and now my kid plays soccer so I guess I am a "soccer mom" Pretty sure if you weren't judging me before, you are now. I am also an artist and self proclaimed suburban hippie. All of these images might seem conflicting until you get to know all parties involved.
My niece is now in the same sorority that I was in. It has been fun to see her enjoy it and go back and visit at the same place that I lived. When I walk in it feels like I walked into a time machine that landed in the late 90's. The house pretty much looks the same. The first few times I went to see my niece I was sort of uncomfortable. I saw myself as I was. I am in my mid 30's, I am driving a minivan that is full of kid stuff, yet walking around the house I felt like I was 19. It was conflicting enough that it felt kind of uncomfortable.
My niece invited me to sell my art this past weekend at Mom's weekend. The art selling itself went great! This was the first time that I saw most of the girls in the house. When I visit they are all usually studying or just hanging out. They all came in and out of the basement looking at art, chit chatting about their weekend. All of a sudden I was focusing on them. I heard their attitudes, the way they spoke, and their plans for the evening. I was quickly matching up their personalities with the gals that I lived with. I know that sounds crazy. There are around a hundred girls that live in that house. There will always be the partiers, the girls who are natural leaders, who are mean, ones who lead bible study, the ones that make people laugh, the ones that make anyone feel comfortable, and the ones that make everyone uncomfortable. I think it is just how it goes. It was hard to put into words how this past weekend made me appreciate my time living there.
I came from a small town and am an only child. I never shared a room with anyone until I got to college. My hometown was a great place to grow up, but had little to no diversity. When I got to the sorority, there were people from other countries, people from other states, people of all religions. As stressful as college can be, the amount of free time we actually had was amazing. We sat around in hallways, dining room, basement and talked about where we came from, what we thought about life and where we thought we were headed. We ran out to get big pops, we laughed until we couldn't laugh anymore. I get it sounds like we lived in a wonderland. NOT true. There were fights and depression. People pushed each other to the limit and then some. All in all it was a place that introduced me to so much and allowed me to be exactly who I was supposed to be.
Since college I have grown closer with many of my sorority sisters and lost touch with some. We have watched each other get married, have children, start jobs, lose jobs. We have seen deaths, divorce and horrible health scares. I am so glad for facebook. It has allowed me to see the amazing women that these squirrely girls have turned into. When ever anyone is discouraged or posts something on facebook that requires "being backed up" it is 9 times out of 10 the girls that we lived with all those years ago posting words of encouragement. We knew each other before life got complicated and I love how quickly we jump in to give a "verbal" hand.
Many thanks to the current girls for inviting me to sell my art. I am so glad that my attitude changed from being self conscience about "being old" and looking around and appreciating why I loved living there so much and why it made me comfortable with me....a suburban hippie!
My niece is now in the same sorority that I was in. It has been fun to see her enjoy it and go back and visit at the same place that I lived. When I walk in it feels like I walked into a time machine that landed in the late 90's. The house pretty much looks the same. The first few times I went to see my niece I was sort of uncomfortable. I saw myself as I was. I am in my mid 30's, I am driving a minivan that is full of kid stuff, yet walking around the house I felt like I was 19. It was conflicting enough that it felt kind of uncomfortable.
My niece invited me to sell my art this past weekend at Mom's weekend. The art selling itself went great! This was the first time that I saw most of the girls in the house. When I visit they are all usually studying or just hanging out. They all came in and out of the basement looking at art, chit chatting about their weekend. All of a sudden I was focusing on them. I heard their attitudes, the way they spoke, and their plans for the evening. I was quickly matching up their personalities with the gals that I lived with. I know that sounds crazy. There are around a hundred girls that live in that house. There will always be the partiers, the girls who are natural leaders, who are mean, ones who lead bible study, the ones that make people laugh, the ones that make anyone feel comfortable, and the ones that make everyone uncomfortable. I think it is just how it goes. It was hard to put into words how this past weekend made me appreciate my time living there.
I came from a small town and am an only child. I never shared a room with anyone until I got to college. My hometown was a great place to grow up, but had little to no diversity. When I got to the sorority, there were people from other countries, people from other states, people of all religions. As stressful as college can be, the amount of free time we actually had was amazing. We sat around in hallways, dining room, basement and talked about where we came from, what we thought about life and where we thought we were headed. We ran out to get big pops, we laughed until we couldn't laugh anymore. I get it sounds like we lived in a wonderland. NOT true. There were fights and depression. People pushed each other to the limit and then some. All in all it was a place that introduced me to so much and allowed me to be exactly who I was supposed to be.
Since college I have grown closer with many of my sorority sisters and lost touch with some. We have watched each other get married, have children, start jobs, lose jobs. We have seen deaths, divorce and horrible health scares. I am so glad for facebook. It has allowed me to see the amazing women that these squirrely girls have turned into. When ever anyone is discouraged or posts something on facebook that requires "being backed up" it is 9 times out of 10 the girls that we lived with all those years ago posting words of encouragement. We knew each other before life got complicated and I love how quickly we jump in to give a "verbal" hand.
Many thanks to the current girls for inviting me to sell my art. I am so glad that my attitude changed from being self conscience about "being old" and looking around and appreciating why I loved living there so much and why it made me comfortable with me....a suburban hippie!
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Random Ramblings
You know how you go through life and think to yourself, I will remember this moment forever? You won't. At least I don't. I think I am going to remember the way baseball games smell, and what my kids said loudly in public bathrooms, what the sun feels like when its February, but it kind of fades away. Today I am just writing down randomness, more for me than you. You can play along.
1. Vacation. We just got back from Florida. We spent quite a bit of time on the beach. The kids loved it. I did too. I think I could sit on the beach forever. One moment I will remember is when Libby told Mark that she had to pee. Mark said "Just go in the ocean" She walked in, I would say 6 inches. The water could not have even covered her feet. She stood facing away from us and then pulled down her swimsuit and squatted. All we could see was her cute little butt. I held my breath and watched as she peed with her bare butt out for the whole world to see. She will hate this story. I am pretty sure I haven't laughed that hard in quite a while.
2. My friend Cheryl needs to write a book. I met Cheryl when I was a freshman in college, she lived down the hall from me. I can honestly say she is one of my favorite people I have ever met. I was fascinated by her and her family. They are the most talented bunch of people I have seen in one family. Her brother is and artist, her sister is an artist. They all 5 sing, play the guitar and harmonize together. It sounds like a movie! Cheryl also writes. I am not sure what she does in her own time with it. I see her facebook posts. She is funny, she writes in a way that you laugh outloud and can't wait for her next post. She writes in a way that you can relate to her life and laugh and cry with her. SWEET HEAVENS CHERYL. Write a book already. If nothing else...please blog. You are perfect for it. I would offer to illustrate something, but I think your family could lend a hand on that !
3. Career day is Friday. I found out that I have to fill up 30 MINUTES of talking about what I do. I should probably figure that out.
4. I cried watching walking dead this week. Damned zombies.
5. I never remember how tense it is to drive home from Florida. The traffic. The poorly repacked clothes spilling out. Sand is now in the car. No one can find their "cute travel stuff" that was packed for the drive down. We are driving AWAY from the beach. We are now eating what feels like our 200th fastfood drive thru. This time we thought we would add a stop at a Mexican restaurant into the mix. This went about as well as you could imagine. Enjoyable meal, then we were all trapped in the car together. gross. We made it home and are better people for it! :)
I am sure I will think of more later but this is what needs to get out right now! :)
1. Vacation. We just got back from Florida. We spent quite a bit of time on the beach. The kids loved it. I did too. I think I could sit on the beach forever. One moment I will remember is when Libby told Mark that she had to pee. Mark said "Just go in the ocean" She walked in, I would say 6 inches. The water could not have even covered her feet. She stood facing away from us and then pulled down her swimsuit and squatted. All we could see was her cute little butt. I held my breath and watched as she peed with her bare butt out for the whole world to see. She will hate this story. I am pretty sure I haven't laughed that hard in quite a while.
2. My friend Cheryl needs to write a book. I met Cheryl when I was a freshman in college, she lived down the hall from me. I can honestly say she is one of my favorite people I have ever met. I was fascinated by her and her family. They are the most talented bunch of people I have seen in one family. Her brother is and artist, her sister is an artist. They all 5 sing, play the guitar and harmonize together. It sounds like a movie! Cheryl also writes. I am not sure what she does in her own time with it. I see her facebook posts. She is funny, she writes in a way that you laugh outloud and can't wait for her next post. She writes in a way that you can relate to her life and laugh and cry with her. SWEET HEAVENS CHERYL. Write a book already. If nothing else...please blog. You are perfect for it. I would offer to illustrate something, but I think your family could lend a hand on that !
3. Career day is Friday. I found out that I have to fill up 30 MINUTES of talking about what I do. I should probably figure that out.
4. I cried watching walking dead this week. Damned zombies.
5. I never remember how tense it is to drive home from Florida. The traffic. The poorly repacked clothes spilling out. Sand is now in the car. No one can find their "cute travel stuff" that was packed for the drive down. We are driving AWAY from the beach. We are now eating what feels like our 200th fastfood drive thru. This time we thought we would add a stop at a Mexican restaurant into the mix. This went about as well as you could imagine. Enjoyable meal, then we were all trapped in the car together. gross. We made it home and are better people for it! :)
I am sure I will think of more later but this is what needs to get out right now! :)
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Career Day
Hidden in the millions of papers in my 9 year olds Friday folder was an application to speak at the school's career day. I asked my daughter if she minded if I signed up. (I was going to anyway) :)
I filled out the questions and was so excited. I was praying that I would be one of the parents chosen. I remember in 5th grade we had a career day. I can remember what the lady looked like and where I was sitting in the room when she spoke about being a graphic designer. I had a million questions. I remember not even being able to concentrate in class after hearing her speak. I was good at art,I loved it and I could turn it into a job. This lady did it and so could I!! From that point, I knew that art was what I wanted to do for a job. I hope there is some artsy kid out there that hates gym class, and is pretty excited that they can turn what they love to do most into a job.
A few weeks later I got a letter in the mail from the principal letting me know that I had been chosen, when to come in to speak and that they would really like emphasis put onto the training I did to do my job, whether it be college or trade school. If the training was from a university, please wear something representing that school. Easy enough. My daughter was excited and so was I! This morning I filled out one last questionnaire for the day, a program is being made and they wanted me to write down what a typical day is like at my work. I literally laughed out loud. As most of you know I am an artist, but mostly right now a stay at home mom.
I laughed because Friday my 5 year old was having a birthday party and we got some suspicious mail on Thursday that looked like someone was using our identity. I spoke with a police officer over my kitchen counter while I was feverishly making a unicorn cake and cupcakes. Sunday night I rushed my 5 year old to the Emergency Room after she tried to balance a quarter on her forehead and it slid into her mouth and was swallowed. There was a very short while that she wasn't breathing and we did have to call 911. She quickly was fine, minus the quarter rolling around in her. After an x-ray I was told that we needed to wait "until we found it" This means exactly what it sounds like. We will look thru our kid's poop until we find a quarter. A game that is less fun than is sounds. (This is why you wash your hands after touching money :)) So....I was struggling to fill out a paper that asked to describe a " typical day". I had already "checked for the quarter" and had not even had coffee yet. I don't think Purdue University wants to be associated with the truth on this one, so I did the best I could. " My day varies depending on the project I am working on. Some days I am designing things on my computer, others I am painting a mural. Some days I am working on artwork at home and getting ready for an art show."
I left out the endless laundry, the times I clean the kitchen 3 times a day, when my kids are sick and we don't leave the house for days and days. The time your kid will ask if she can use your paper cutter. When you say no, she will ask if she can have it when you die? what? I didn't mention the phone calls with amazing friends. My amazing, hardworking husband, the times when money is there, the times when it is not. I didn't mention how long it takes to unpack at new house. How sad it is to see your kids sad. How a glass of wine with a girlfriend can fix a lot. I wont tell people that at every art show there is one jerk that points out that they could do this, and do it better. awesome.
I forgot to mention that I don't fit in any of my clothes I wore when I was "trained for my job". I didn't say I now know how smart my parents are and wished I realized it earlier. I also didn't mention how a quarter in your kid could scare you to death and show you how quickly life can change. I also forgot to mention guardian angels.
My friend and I always joke that some things were not in the "being an adult" brochure we got in college. I worked VERY hard in college and played just as hard. I got very good grades and had great internships and made amazing friends. I was also thinking George Lucas and I were going to be best friends after he rang my doorbell and asked me personally to work for him (slight exaggeration). I soon found out that being a designer was 10% designing and 90% dealing with coworkers, clients, a disgruntled computer and quickly changing technology. I am not alone in this. In other words every person who speaks at career day will be lying by omission. Yes I became a nurse because I wanted to help people. They won't mention the vomit they clean up, crazy co-workers and Dr's that don't get along with anyone.
We lie because we do LOVE what we do and if we were honest, there would be no one to do this job after us. We don't want to scare them. Sometimes when you hear reality outloud from someone else it sounds crazy. When you live it, it can be so much better than you ever imagined.
So, on career day, I cannot wait to share the highlights with these little chipmunks and I will not talk about poop, or the police, or laundry. I just hope that there is one artsy kid out there that leaves thinking...NO WAY!!!!!
I filled out the questions and was so excited. I was praying that I would be one of the parents chosen. I remember in 5th grade we had a career day. I can remember what the lady looked like and where I was sitting in the room when she spoke about being a graphic designer. I had a million questions. I remember not even being able to concentrate in class after hearing her speak. I was good at art,I loved it and I could turn it into a job. This lady did it and so could I!! From that point, I knew that art was what I wanted to do for a job. I hope there is some artsy kid out there that hates gym class, and is pretty excited that they can turn what they love to do most into a job.
A few weeks later I got a letter in the mail from the principal letting me know that I had been chosen, when to come in to speak and that they would really like emphasis put onto the training I did to do my job, whether it be college or trade school. If the training was from a university, please wear something representing that school. Easy enough. My daughter was excited and so was I! This morning I filled out one last questionnaire for the day, a program is being made and they wanted me to write down what a typical day is like at my work. I literally laughed out loud. As most of you know I am an artist, but mostly right now a stay at home mom.
I laughed because Friday my 5 year old was having a birthday party and we got some suspicious mail on Thursday that looked like someone was using our identity. I spoke with a police officer over my kitchen counter while I was feverishly making a unicorn cake and cupcakes. Sunday night I rushed my 5 year old to the Emergency Room after she tried to balance a quarter on her forehead and it slid into her mouth and was swallowed. There was a very short while that she wasn't breathing and we did have to call 911. She quickly was fine, minus the quarter rolling around in her. After an x-ray I was told that we needed to wait "until we found it" This means exactly what it sounds like. We will look thru our kid's poop until we find a quarter. A game that is less fun than is sounds. (This is why you wash your hands after touching money :)) So....I was struggling to fill out a paper that asked to describe a " typical day". I had already "checked for the quarter" and had not even had coffee yet. I don't think Purdue University wants to be associated with the truth on this one, so I did the best I could. " My day varies depending on the project I am working on. Some days I am designing things on my computer, others I am painting a mural. Some days I am working on artwork at home and getting ready for an art show."
I left out the endless laundry, the times I clean the kitchen 3 times a day, when my kids are sick and we don't leave the house for days and days. The time your kid will ask if she can use your paper cutter. When you say no, she will ask if she can have it when you die? what? I didn't mention the phone calls with amazing friends. My amazing, hardworking husband, the times when money is there, the times when it is not. I didn't mention how long it takes to unpack at new house. How sad it is to see your kids sad. How a glass of wine with a girlfriend can fix a lot. I wont tell people that at every art show there is one jerk that points out that they could do this, and do it better. awesome.
I forgot to mention that I don't fit in any of my clothes I wore when I was "trained for my job". I didn't say I now know how smart my parents are and wished I realized it earlier. I also didn't mention how a quarter in your kid could scare you to death and show you how quickly life can change. I also forgot to mention guardian angels.
My friend and I always joke that some things were not in the "being an adult" brochure we got in college. I worked VERY hard in college and played just as hard. I got very good grades and had great internships and made amazing friends. I was also thinking George Lucas and I were going to be best friends after he rang my doorbell and asked me personally to work for him (slight exaggeration). I soon found out that being a designer was 10% designing and 90% dealing with coworkers, clients, a disgruntled computer and quickly changing technology. I am not alone in this. In other words every person who speaks at career day will be lying by omission. Yes I became a nurse because I wanted to help people. They won't mention the vomit they clean up, crazy co-workers and Dr's that don't get along with anyone.
We lie because we do LOVE what we do and if we were honest, there would be no one to do this job after us. We don't want to scare them. Sometimes when you hear reality outloud from someone else it sounds crazy. When you live it, it can be so much better than you ever imagined.
So, on career day, I cannot wait to share the highlights with these little chipmunks and I will not talk about poop, or the police, or laundry. I just hope that there is one artsy kid out there that leaves thinking...NO WAY!!!!!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Florida. Running. Writing.
Hello readers! I just
wanted to update you on the world of the Clarks. I am going to use this very
“public” platform to thank my husband!!! He pretty much wins a major award. (“
who knows it could be a bowling alley” ) Last weekend he used his frequent
flyer miles to fly me to Florida with him, WITHOUT THE KIDS!!! He was going to
see one of my favorite bands in a tiny bar on the beach with his sister and
wanted me to be able to come too... SO I did!
It was Amazing! I can honestly
say it was one of the best concerts I’ve seen. (only to be soon topped by a
girls road trip I am taking this summer to see NYOTB and Boyz2Men, yes I am
serious) Here are a few pictures of the
talented and always wonderful, G Love and the Special Sauce! There was lots of floppy dancing, late into
the night. Thanks to Alison and Wes for
introducing me to this music……SIXTEEN YEARS AGO. Ugh.
So I am an UBER fan!
Much more excitement is happening in the Clark house and
this is when I temporarily re-name the blog…running and writing. I am running in this year’s mini Marathon
with my dear friend and long distance running partner. She is flying in from Arizona and we are
keeping up on each other’s training via text and phone call. So far I am a little behind where I need to
be and need to pick up the pace. Maybe
blogging about it will guilt me into it. Probably not.
Now the next issue is a tough one. This is the writing part
of the equation. Now, let me start with
I have had a few, what I like to call “Jerry McGuire moments” in my life. Where
I write an e-mail or send a text that seems heartfelt, well intended and
inspiring, only to realize later that it probably better if I had kept my mouth
shut. So this is where I spill my
mission statement and run off with your goldfish in a bag. (If you haven’t seen
Jerry McGuire, this blog can wait…go watch it) Ugh. I
have put my art business on hold while we moved, and I have been meaning to get
back to it once everything got settled.
One problem, I have had a nagging idea that won’t leave me alone. I have had these ideas before but this one
was VERY persistent.
I got the idea from Libby’s former preschool teacher. I made
her sister one of my cancer prints that says “You are so brave; you make cancer
pee its pants.” She was telling me how
much her sister enjoyed it and wanted one for her friends. It hit me like a brick, the words and the illustrations;
this was a book for children with cancer.
I do not feel like I can claim my art talent, it is something God gave
me. I feel that way about this idea, it
popped in my head in its entirety, illustrations and all. Thank you God! This idea was now in my hands and head for me
to decide what to do with it. YIKES!!! I wrote and drew and got a few pages how I saw
it in my mind. I researched how this children’s book thing is done. It sounded like I needed to get an agent. I
did A LOT of research on agents and sent my book idea to 4 agents. I have heard back from 2 of them that they liked the book but was
not in their area of children’s lit that they published. From the research I have done, the agents have
2 months to respond to your proposal. If you do not hear from them, then assume
the answer is no.
I have only told a
SMALL handful of people about this project.
I kind of feel like a crazy person as I say it outloud to anyone. I have said it is like saying to a friend….”Hey….
I have a squirrel in my purse!” They have to smile and say …”.Ooooh that
sounds neat”, but their face is reading…WHAT IN THE WHAT IS SHE DOING??? One of the small amount of people that I let
in on my craziness is my dear friend Anne, who herself has written a book .
Here is the link to her amazing Bible Study that she wrote!! http://www.makingroomforgod.com
She told me to
start a blog. OK CHECK. Talk about this book on the blog. WHAT??? I
could NOT do that. I told that was NOT an option. She must have lost her mind
(maybe Anne has a squirrel in her purse too??)
I have done a lot of praying about this, and I have come to the conclusion
that I am responsible for my talent and I need to act on this, in other words
LET GO AND LET GOD. I am not very good
at this. For being a self-proclaimed suburban hippie, I have a hard time giving
up control. But here I am, and now it’s
out there and I am standing here with a goldfish in a bag. (Again watch Jerry
McGuire already) So what now? I am
still working on the rest of the book in case one of the two remaining agents
agree. If I do not hear from them, I am
not sure what is next? Are any of you a
childrens literary agent specializing in the medical field?? J Who knows how this will work? God, me and the goldfish are going to have to
figure it out together. J
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