Sunday, February 27, 2011

Sunday Snapshot

Jack wakes up completely crustified after a long night with the flu.

(And now I have it- not cool)
February 2011


Friday, February 25, 2011

"If You Hear A Voice Within You Say...

...'you cannot paint', then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."

"Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well."

"One must work and dare if one really wants to live."


"The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing more artistic than to love others."


"There is no blue and yellow without orange."


"But I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things."


"Even the knowledge of my own fallibility cannot keep me from making mistakes. Only when I fall do I get up again."

 
"Do not quench your inspiration and your imagination; do not become the slave of your model."

"Happiness... it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort."

 
"For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream."



Can you guess who my favorite artist of all time is?  From the Netherlands (Holland), he spent time as a preacher, then later became an artist, and, despite his current world renowned status as one of the 'greats', only lived to see one (just ONE!) of his paintings sold.  I think this man had terrific insight into things with a spiritual nature, and a deep appreciation of the beauty in this world. I have often heard him written off, and labeled as "insane". He said, "I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process."  The truly insane do not know they are crazy.  They are sure they are right, that the problem isn't them, it's the rest of the world. To be able to admit one has lost one's mind, to me, shows a firm stance in reality.


You can read more about Vincent Van Gogh HERE.

We finished painting the dining room.  We chose "Churchill Hotel Lace Ivory" from Lowe's Valspar colors.  It's a bit lighter than the kitchen/great room, and it makes the room feel brighter and more inviting than the old red (which was way too dark for the space). The color contrasts with the black table and antique dresser, making them 'pop'.   I still need to hang a couple more pictures, and find a new centerpiece for the table, but I'm very happy with the paint job.  It feels so fresh and warm.


I love the feeling of accomplishment that comes when a long-planned project is complete.  As Van Gogh would say,

" I dream of painting, and then I paint my dream."



Sunday, February 20, 2011

Valentine's Day Makeover

...for our dining room. We are going from a deep red (it was way too dark for the space) to a buttery cream color. In these photos we are applying the primer.


This is my Grandma Gennie. She is living with us for awhile, and I'm absolutely thrilled about it! Doesn't she look great for 89?


Rich keeps it moving.


My sweet Valentine.





Should I have asked him to change out of his school clothes first?


Self-portrait- workin' both sides of the camera.


Something that's really neat about my Grandma, is that she doesn't dye her hair at all, and it's still has so much color.  Here's hoping I got those genes!


London gets home from dance class and joins in the fun- which includes sitting on her little stool and eating Wheat Thins. 



And, of course, I had to include Jack-Jack. He says, "Peace out."

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

It's sad.

To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. -Elbert Hubbard
 
Yeah, I do think this is sad.  It's SAD.  So what?   It's not about weight to me; it's about being aware as a parent.  The girl looks uncomfortable.  The doll even looks uncomfortable.  Would you be comfortable there?

I could be wrong.  The girl might be having the time of her life.  Bike rides might be her favorite thing in the world.  The Mom might be fantastic.  Who knows for sure?  Not me, and not you.

I'm over it.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Sunday Snapshots- Marley (A memory of summer)

 February comes, and the winter begins to feel as though it will never draw to an end.  This is the time to look back and remember the blistering hot days of summer, with it's green grass, popsicles, and plastic blue swimming pools. 
These photos are from last July.  My cousins Rachel, Joy(@ Our Family of Four), Doug, Nikki, Ken, and their children came to visit.  We ate until we were all stuffed, watched a movie, and wandered onto the back deck to enjoy the children playing in the splash pool.
Marley stole the show with her darling antics, enchanted by the water, and obsessed with the red car.  She kept trying to drive it, but being so small, she slipped through the foot hole in the bottom over and over.  She would just last there quietly, looking like the victim of an auto/ ped accident, until one of the adults stopped laughing long enough to come to her rescue.

Erik (Isn't he perfectly adorable with those blond curls?)



Joy.

Joy, Tristan, and I come inside for some relief from the intense heat.  I was about 14 months pregnant at the time. (It felt like it anyway)  Man I was chunky!


Isn't family the best?  I love having cousins!  I only wish we all lived closer growing up.  I was in Utah, while my Mom's side of the family lived in Michigan.  I'm just glad they come out here to visit once in awhile.

Looking back on these makes me even more anxious for spring to arrive.  I can't wait to get out and garden, and take the kiddos for walks to the park.

I'm going to take a deep breath here, and try to enjoy this moment.  Jack is screeching in his crib.  The snow is half- melted outside, and I'm thinking I need to get up and make some hot cocoa and let my kids drink it by the fire.

Happy Sunday.





Saturday, February 5, 2011

A Valentine for you




I'm trying to learn Illustrator in my very spare time, and this is my first attempt at creating anything.  I think it would be cute in a frame, don't you?  Feel free to download/ print it out/ share it- just credit me  :).  Happy Valentine's Day!

The Tidepools

 I've been less of a blogger and more of a slacker (online, at least) lately.  I miss my virtual friends.  Where does my time go?  
I've been working out 5x/ week, mostly to Biggest Loser videos.  I love Bob.  Yes. I do. When I first started, I could only do a 6 minute segment.  I just slowly worked my way up, doing 1 or 2 more minutes a day, and now, after 3 months, I can do 25 - 30 minutes of cardio without wishing for death. 

I bought my first pair of skinny leg jeans since 1989 yesterday, and they look good.  I was as shocked as you probably are.


I'm doing my best to step back, quit trying to live everyone else's life, and start living my own.  It's a good feeling.  It's also a hard thing to completely change my mindset, and I keep slipping up, but I can see some slow improvement.


I've been reading a lot.  I love Dr. AMEN"S  books on the brain.  I'm fascinated with the way the mind works, and trying to incorporate anything that will improve my brain into my daily routine.  Hence, the daily exercise.  I started it to ward off the winter woes, and it has definitely worked.   The skinny jeans are just a nice side effect of improved brain circulation.


I've also been taking fish oil and grape seed extract supplements.  I don't know if they're really working, but they make me feel smarter anyway.  I've cut caffeine out of my diet.  Over time, caffeine puts 'holes' in your brain (it basically constricts blood flow so you don't have access to certain areas).  Caffeine makes you dumb.  Who knew?  Apparently Joseph Smith did.


Anyway, I'm playing catch up on pictures from last year, so I can post some from now.  Almost there.  These are the last from Point Loma in November.  Enjoy.


I



























Can you see the crab?



i love you much


(most beautiful darling)

more than anyone on

the earth and i like you

better than everything

in the sky.


-e.e. cummings