corner view~reflection

Do you ever wish you had the reflective distance to see your life one step removed from it, like a reflection in a mirror?  I wonder if that is what it is like to be enlightened.  I'd like to know.

Then again, there is something to be said for delving into the murkiness.

7 facts about me

Thanks to my daughter Skylar for the stylish blog award.

Most of you already know these things.

I love my husband.

 I love my kiddos.

I love fine art and studied it in college.

Humor keeps me sane.

I love music and singing.  I wish I were a great singer.  I am not, but I am ok.

My favorite plant is tulsi.  The kids and I eat it every day.    

  The activity that makes me happiest is hiking in the woods.

The rules for accepting this award are:
1.) Give thanks to the person who gave you the award, and link back to them
2.) Mention 7 facts about yourself
3.) Pass it on

I have chosen Annabel and Lucinda and Joyce.

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.