ah, california

We had a blast.

kid antics

weekends, jammies and legos

The repeated pajama patterns in blue were not planned. But I thought it made for a cute series of photos. Legos are a new obsession over here. Kind of fun!

surprise

Today I received the most fun package in the mail: an 8 x 10 envelope with a typed letter signed in orange ink from someone named Amy, a photocopied picture of a group of people blowing bubbles with 2 pieces of Bazooka Joe bubble gum taped to it (the kind with the comics in it), and this...

It's hard to explain. All I can say is that I have been crowned an Ambassador of Lovely and you really need to watch the short 17 Things I Made video, and the followup The Beckoning of Lovely to further understand. Both are on Youtube. If it moves you, soon enough, you too might find yourself an Ambassador of Lovely. It's kind of a fun title.

ten things i'm loving

1. Creative ideas, making stuff with the kids...often from nature - driftwood, dried flowers, dried vines.

2. The weather is cooling. We don't need to run the air conditioning much anymore. It sort of feels like fall!

3. My little garden, with my first crop -- the cutest jalapeno pepper.

4. But this is by no means cuter than my cutest husband. He is Mr. novel writer, songwriter, dad extraordinaire, especially when I had the flu this weekend and he did everything!

5. All of my girlfriends, which actually include my mom and sister. I never tire of the specialness of female connection.

6. My daughters, and often my son as well, helping in the kitchen. We have been doing a lot of baking lately. Recently we had folks for dinner and the girls jumped in to help with cooking, cleaning setting the table, carrying chairs up the stairs, arranging the desert tray.

7. Five-year-old-ness. Boy-ness. (Elastic strap to hold helmet in place made by older sister.) Today I was on the phone and he snuck behind some furniture and began launching sponge rockets at me, spying on me with his mini plastic binoculars, throwing small bouncy balls in my direction.

8. Twelve days til we leave for California. Oh my, I need to begin packing! I can't wait.

9. This gift from Skylar. A ceramic lotus flower that she made just for me in her pottery class.

10. This gift from my friend Barbara. Prayer flags. Every time the wind blows prayers are released into the universe. I love this thought. Wanna say a few? Why not?

art and obama

I did this painting years ago during my abstract painting stage. It started out as something totally different, and then I painted entirely over the original image. I wanted to add representational imagery, which was new for me. So Gary and I had an art lesson with our dear friend Dario Campanile, an Italian artist. Dario gave me some tips on adding the flowers. I used to grow poppies in California when we lived there. I especially love red ones. We have one of Dario's originals and several of his prints in our home. He is the most esteemed artist in the eyes of our family. We have my painting hanging in our home. A few days ago Shawn insisted that Dario painted this. I kept telling him I did it but he insisted that Dario did it. I know he's five, and willful, but it was a fun, although undeserved compliment. Click on this link to see Dario's AMAZING work. http://www.campanilefineart.com/

By the way, in no way an afterthought: I am stunned, and very proud of our new president, Barack Obama. I am proud of McCain and Bush's graciousness in wishing him well. May Obama's intelligence and skills help our country. We sure need it. And may God bless Barack Obama.