corner view~four legged

My brother and his wife got a puppy last year.  We have no pets.  My kids, especially Shawn, LOVE this dog, Bandit, almost as much as they do their aunt and uncle!  We will be seeing my family this summer for a family reunion at the Michigan Dunes.  I can't wait.  And guess who will be there??

It's amazing how much we can love our dogs.  And how much our dogs can love us.

little drummer boy

This week we got to taping our boy at his drums.  And I convinced him to pose for the camera too.  

Here is his brand new Youtube video on his very own brand new YouTube channel, filmed and edited by the biggest sis, Sky.  He is most tickled with your comments and thumbs up.

Tra la la, as me friend la ninja would say.

corner view~communication

“It is love that holds everything together.
And it is the everything also.”-Rumi

The majority of communication is nonverbal.  

 

The most important communication in my book, especially given recent world events that continue to unfold, is love.  Thanks Flowtops for this idea. 

leaving town in just 2 1/2 months...

So much to do to prepare.  But first we must eat these monster papayas that I grew! 

annabel

Annabel has been working on her cooking and baking.  Right as we speak she is making chocolate chip cookies.  Also she is developing her singing.  Here is her latest singing video.  And here is her latest acting video.  This is her blog if you want to leave a comment for her.  Hope you enjoy!

corner view~wood

Every once in awhile I create something that I am really happy with.  This is one such thing.  It all started with a piece of wood, layers of acrylic paint, shells, twigs, rocks, and more wood - driftwood, gluegun, and...

viola!

My version of our family crest.

i love my kids

They get me through a trip to my least favorite store with their humor, innocence, and sweetness.  Yesterday I took them to town for a shopping trip.  There are many opportunities for life lessons I tell you, like losing wallets and responsibility and honesty when the wallet is turned in, all in the aisles of WalMart.

corner view~on my kitchen counter

Our kitchen counter is a place where the kids as toddlers have stood on stools and watched me cook.  They have learned to measure, sift flour, crack eggs, and eventually chop food.  We have made all sorts of dinners -- pasta with fresh red sauce, gnocchi with homemade pesto, vegetable pie with fresh gravy, burritoes with homemade guacomole from our neighbor's trees, three layer enchilada pie, Chinese inspired stir fry with homemade garlic/ginger sauce, all sorts of Indian curries, homemade chai, and plenty of salads.  We make meats, fish, potato dishes, soups and casseroles.  We have baked cookies, made pancakes and waffles, pies, homemade pizza, cookies, sorbet (one time), and of course birthday cakes (my personal favorite).  All on one counter.   

This kitchen counter is a place where I admire goods from our garden.  I love picking fruits and vegetables from our yard, bringing them inside to the counter, and working a little magic to make them into delicious dishes to serve my family.

This year that love seems to have really caught hold of the children.  So I started what we are calling "Theresa's Cooking School."

A couple of nights ago Annabel asked me what the different levels in the school were.  We decided that there are five total.  Beginner, advanced beginner, intermediate, upper intermediate and master chef.  Annabel loves to know where she stands.  I told her confidently at dinner, "You are a solid intermediate."  She agreed with that assessment.

In Theresa's Cooking School being a solid intermediate means one can make a single dish, cooked and well spiced, by oneself.  Annabel has mastered curry tofu and a French bean dish.  But trust me folks, she is going for the master chef status. 

i remember when rock was young...

...me and Susie had so much fun.

Took the kids to see Elton John and they were wowed.  And so were we.

camera repaired

Check.

I have been borrowing my daughter's.  It's such a relief to have a camera that works right.  My camera is a part of my voice.

corner view~blue...

...is my favorite color, although it makes me happy, not blue at all.  I love all the shades of this beautiful color.
To continue with corner view next week, please see Francesca.  She will be choosing topics and hosting in Jane's absence.  Thanks Francesca!  It has been fun hosting you all, and I will still be part of CV :) 

this seems like lifetimes ago

And luckily my son doesn't read my blog.  He would not appreciate the diapers shot.

But my husband is the sweetest.  I told him yesterday that I really want a high quality scanner that's pretty expensive so I can digitalize my millions of old photos and vintage photos and he spent all this time researching them.  And now he wants to get one for me as a belated Valentine's gift.  (remember the chicken soup day and that we didn't get to celebrate?)

The thought of this gift makes me giddy with delight especially if it works well and the quality of the scans will be good.

But it's hard for me sometimes to accept gifts and buy new things for myself.  Kind of a weird thing about me.

No, I'm gonna accept.  Thanks for helping me think this one through.  And beware, there will be many posts about days of yore!!!  Ha ha!

Happy weekend! 

corner view~valentine's day

On Valentine's Day where we live people tend to give flowers, candy, or cards to their beloved.  Children in schools exchange little cards as well, and often a piece of candy is added to the cards.

Last year we celebrated in our family with homemade cards and treats.  This year a couple of us were sick in bed...so I made chicken soup.  I have something for the kids, I will wait until they are better, they will be happily surprised. 

My husband had a special night planned, he was taking me for a beach picnic with turkey sandwiches and juice, and then to see a romantic comedy.  We'll just do it this weekend instead.

Sometimes love means flexibility.

Gary released his final music video.  This one is a love song entitled "That's What They Call a Life."

Next week's topic is blue.  If you have ideas feel free to leave them in the comment section.  Toodles!  

saturday

I have been very busy this week with the music business work.  But it is a lot of fun for me.

I keep thinking I will get to my writing...ha ha ha.

Today I took a morning walk and connected with an old friend on the cell phone, worked on marketing Gary's music, made impromptu lunch for impromptu guests, washed a bunch of dishes, did an recycled random object art project with Shawn and Annabel (left the mess on the floor, we will finish tomorrow), and watched part of Jerry Macguire.  I also read a blog and watched webinars of a woman in the kids entertainment biz.  Sky won a contest this week and has a free Skype session with her.  The kids occupied themselves all day.  The two youngest played together from morning til night, while Sky recorded music most of the day.  I did read to my boy at night, he sure does love that. 

I did this painting about ten years ago, in watercolor.  I especially enjoyed working with gold paint.  I met a woman last night whose children are grown now, men in their 30's.  She was visiting here on vacation and showed me her sketchbook filled with drawings and watercolor paintings, a hobby she has just begun exploring.  She was talking about how happy she is at this point in her life after raising her sons to have more time to do things she enjoys.

I do sometimes wish for more free time. But for now I am am enjoying life with our busy family in our often messy house!

corner view~my favorite actor

I love live theater and movies.  I love getting lost in a story.  I love the magic of cinema, and special effects, the way the sound track moves the story along, and the perfect choice of songs used at perfect moments.

An actor brings you into their art unlike any other creative form.  With painting, dance, poetry, literature while the artist's personality effects what they create, it is not directly about them.  Whereas with an actor, and often a singer, they are the medium.  And what they create with their gestures, their voice, glances, it can feel so personal.
    
My favorite actor?  I can't decide.  There are so many talented actors.  To name a few -- I admire Meryl Streep for her depth and poise, Jodi Foster for her beauty and intensity, Richard Gere, well for being Richard Gere, Renee Zellweger for her cool voice and her uniqueness, Michael Douglas for his pure brilliance, and there is something so cool about Kevin Bacon!

There are some amazing child actors as well.  Dakota Fanning. Abigail Breslin. Jaden Smith.  And Lili Reinhart, my daughter's friend.  Remember that name.  I think you will see her on the big screen someday.

Thanks, Skylar, for this idea.  Next week, the theme is Valentine's Day.  How is it celebrated in your country?  Do you have any personal traditions?

gifts from the earth

Gifts from our garden.  One of the joys of life.  Right now I am harvesting tulsi too.  I have about fifteen huge plants and they are in desperate need of pruning.  If I get my act together I will have some friends here to help me pluck the leaves.  It is time consuming, but once they are dried I send them to an organization that bags them, sells them as tea, and this money goes to charity.

Has anyone heard of, or had tulsi tea?  Tulsi has many medicinal properties...it is an incredible herb.  Read more about it here.  Hmmm, maybe I should do a tulsi tea giveaway!  I have some dried, am getting ready to ship it off.  I could save a bag for my blog friends.  Would anyone be interested? :)   

happy birthday annabel

Twelve.

This has been quite a year for you girl!  First year of middle school home school, acting lessons, learning to cook with mom, learning to compost (your favorite chore!), advancing in belts in Taekwondo, reading like crazy - especially Rick Riordan, getting your first computer, getting your braces off, starting your own blog, becoming a chess wiz, continuing as an artist, acting in a short video, singing solo in two concerts, taking up front yard basketball, making a demo reel, starting new collections (trading cards and gemstones), and making a best friend.

What a joy you are.  What a great sister you are to your siblings.  This one also wrote a post about you.  We love you so much.

corner view~evening sky

Does anyone see the fingernail moon?  I took that shot with my cell phone!  Where we are there are no shortage of gorgeous evening skies.  This series reminds me of a phrase from one of my daughter's songs, "God's painting in the sky."  Because how else could these be so beautiful?

Thanks to Wanderchow for this theme.  Next week's theme is my favorite actor, and speaking of this little songbird, it comes from Skylar.