Up before the Rooster

Here is a fun painting I finally got to finish (started it months ago, put it away...brought it out again...hehe). It is probably hard to see from the picture, but there is glitter on her wings. I love how this little fairy turned out. It is a 8x10 - flat canvas (verses stretched canvas), acrylic.

Here is our bathroom after it was ripped apart. It has been a busy and cold week, so new drywall is up, but taping and painting still needs to happen, then tiling floor and shower and wall and installation of fixtures...and more plumbing...so we still have a ways to go.

It's always nice to see a Woody wiz past you on a remote control car. boys. Speaking of Woody, whom Ben drags around everywhere with him, drops him in the slush, hangs him from the shopping cart, sleeps with him...etc... well, he just got a new bedding set. Aunt Mary is here for the weekend and Ben talked her into making custom blankets and pillows for Woody and Buzz. They are sleeping very comfortably in this freezing weather.

Isabelle and Ben love to listen to the book that Grandma recorded for them as a Christmas Present. The story is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, it is a recordable Hallmark book in which my mom reads the story to the kids. It is awesome and they love it!

Sure, don't let this adorable, sweet , calm little peaceful baby fool you. This little girl, kept me up half the night, I have no clue why and forced me to be up by 6a.m. (on a Saturday mind you!). I had to get up, I had no choice. She has been a pistol all morning (yes, I can say pistol cuz shes my little puddle duck). So anyway, let's just say, I would have seen the sun rise if it ever came out this a.m. I've had one cup of coffee and I guess it is just not enough. Good news is this should mostly be a non requirement day at home. It's snowing again and freezing, but we plan just to be at home and take the day as it comes. Have a few fun surprises (activities) planned for the kids today. I am hoping to get a few personal things done, but my expectations are not set super high. This weekend I plan on reading the book: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Only problem with this plan is that I really need to concentrate in quiet, to grasp and understand this subject...and I have a feeling it will be slightly loud here today. Wishing you a WaRm and BeAutiFul Saturday :).

Morning Report

Good Thursday Morning. Just a quick report before the day begins. No pictures included :(. I am drinking my coffee, sitting on the leather chair in the fireplace room (I don't want to sit on the couches cuz I don't want to risk the chance of dog hair contact). Took a sink bath this morning. Honestly, a sink bath is way better then no bath which I have gone for the last couple days. Our bathroom project was put on hold due to our contractor, got ill and was in the hospital for a few days. :( , but he is better now and things are back in full swing. The next two days are supposed to be dangerously freezing tempatures so I am not looking forward to that. Oh well, what can you do but buck up? I am working on some canvas paintings, so I am very excited about that. My painting stuff is all over the kitchen. There is nothing like adding that first brush of color on a white surface and creating a little world from nothing. I love how the kids play their Ninetendo DS and don't understand that they don't earn an actual prize. Like Ben yesterday, won the piston cup on his cars game and asked me how he was gonna get it, would they send it in the mail??? Olivia had her 9 month dr. appt. this week and she is doing SUPER as I suspected. There is no cure for her non-sleeping...but, that's o.k....I can deal with it most the time. I have signed up for a very special conference in march called: Hearts at Home. It is amazing retreat for mothers to be encouraged, inspired, united and skilled. The best part is that I am going with some of the most wonderful friends that I have the privilege of being in my life. A new bible study series starts today that I am very excited about. I really look forward to these sessions because the women involved truly gift me with their knowledge and presence. Well, I suppose that I should start the morning process of waking up, feeding, dressing and directing the troops. It was nice to sit for a few moments of peace and thought. Good Day to YOU.

Hawaiian Monk Seal

C is for Cookie and that is good enough for me! Just a reminder that Brownie Scout Isabelle is once again selling Girl Scout Cookies! (Family - be prepared...she may be making a phone call your way...hehe). She really wants to get to her goal of 1000 boxes for the Ipod touch, but I am seeing a prize of a nice t-shirt in her future.

So thankful that today is Saturday. It has been a lonnnnnnnnng week. Last night I was up with Olivia 3 times. That kid just can't cut me a break. hehe - I am a zombie thus far this morning. My coffee is bitter but I don't care. I just want some quiet time before my 3 little ducklings get up and start following me across the pond. Construction zone is full blast around here. Bathroom in the basement is about complete (mind you this is not a pretty bathroom, it is a functional place to take care of business and honestly at the moment it is a wonderful option rather then going out in the woods). I must be honest, I am getting sick of all the clutter, dust and noise, but I know it is for a good cause. It has been such a crazy week and next week is jam packed as well, so I'm thinking we won't be in the midst of it too much. I have been researching, planning and thinking about my decorative (murals, furniture, glass) and fine art (canvas)painting business non-stop....I am so excited. One step at a time, I know I have such limited time right now (those darn kids steal most of it, they are lucky they are cute) and I can only do what I can do, but I want to do it the right way so I am going very slow with the set up and expectations upon my self. I think I will make banana bread today. If I could save one endangered species from extintion this year, I think it would be the Hawaiian Monk Seal. I counted, there is only about 1,500 in the wild today. Isabelle told me the other day that she is very lucky because God gave her 2 talents! I asked, really what are your 2 talents? She proudly responds: Singing and Art! I couldn't help but smile (anyone who has heard Isabelle sing, would slightly question if that is truly one of her talents, hehe). That coffee was so bad, I think I may switch to tea. Chai that is. I suppose I have rambled enough for one moment in time. Have a beautiful day and may the best be yours!

Hard Days Night

Olivia Helen is 9 months old today!

Raising children requires all we have and all we are. So, when I feel I am holding on by a thread...I pray. I pray for the strength, wisdom, guidance and most of all Heart to make it through the best way that I can for them with kindness instead of bitterness and a smile instead of tears. The demands and the responsibility of being a parent, often overwhelm me. Oh, but the LOVE...the love of being a parent...this is why I am here. A crumb just fell into my keyboard. joy. So, our bathroom is going to have a black and white theme. The floor, shower and wall tiles will be b&w and a black and white vanity/cabinet. So, I am kind of excited, we need to pick an accent color. Noah want's red...I want robin egg blue...or a nice lavendar...maybe even charcol. I am very sad to realize that my beloved shower curtain (shabby cottage-ish) will no longer belong. I will never find a shower curtain that I feel so connected to...unless I order a new ELVIS jailhouse rock shower curtain like I had in the past!!!! Of course, then I would feel the need to do that whole theme throughout and honestly, I am not in the mood. Today was not the best of days. I hope I don't sound too down, but it was kind of just plain rotten for no major reason just a bunch of small ones that started to feel like too much. Having workers at the house early in the morning, getting the children ready for school, keeping the dog contained, not being able to take a shower, not being able to find one of the lunchbags while the baby cries...that's not the best way to run out the door (late). ((plus snow and cold and cold and snow)). Not wanting to be at home cuz all the clutter, noise and dust...not wanting to be at the store cuz theres no fun shopping money and the baby is fussy, not wanting to impose on any friends because I am dirty and exhausted...I felt I belonged nowhere today...like a rolling stone with no home. The librarian guy at the library probably thinks I am insane cuz Ive been there 3 days in a row (only because books I put on hold keep coming in). Did you ever notice that when you go out into the world not wearing make up and your hair a mess, that you are mostly treated like crap by store clerks and such. Well sorry, screw that...got more important things to do with my time at the moment. Today I came across some incidents of some totally rude/ignorant people...and I let it get me down/dishearten me. I hate that I let negative people get the best of my emotions sometimes. I was feeling weak and tired so when these things happened , I kind of let them beat me down instead of raising above what does not matter. I can say now though, that I am trying to place those things, put them behind and move on with my evening as there is too much to take care of and do. Tonight I made a lazy dinner (turkey hot dogs) because Noah would be out and the kids requested it. While at the library today, I picked out lots of great books for the kids while they were at school. I layed them all out on the living room table and when they found them they were so excited and have been reading most of the night. Tomorrow, I have a neat and simple surprise for them. Since I really want to get some drawing done, I bought them each a little drawing/doodle pad of paper and new colored pencils. Tomorrow after school I will lay them out with some "How to draw animals, people , etc" books that I got from the library (wont show them those til tomorrow). I know they will love this. I am excited. Simple, cheap and I will hopefully get do some sketching/drawing as well. I am freezing all of a sudden. I love the smell of Tide. Where are my slippers? Tomorrow should be a better day, in fact - I am counting on it. goodnight

Dust & Dumpster

Here are a few shots of little Miss Livy as she is approaching 9 months of age.

Don't let the cuteness fool you....sure she smiles at you...but there is a bunch of trouble wrapped up in this little package.
Below is an example of when shes not exactly in the smiling mood:

Here is my beautiful trio of trouble....they are in a cage.

There is a dumpster on my front lawn. So my house is a construction zone at the moment. It's a good thing, but it will be hard to function for a bit. We are remodeling the UGLY bathroom on the main floor (believe me it is a neccessity)and installing a simple bathroom in the basement. We are also finishing off the extra room (that we have been using for storage since we moved in). Of course all of a sudden, our kitchen sink leaves a wonderful swimming pool for me to step into this a.m....so that of course is another story. So afterschool, I decided to be strong and brave and take the trio of trouble to the library because A. I wanted to pick up a book that I had on hold and B. I wanted to stay out of the carpenters way (Ben likes to follow them around and question their techniques). I threatened no DS tonight if they were anything less then angels while we were in the adult (quiet) section. Let's just say their behavior was just slightly below satisfactory which was better than what I anticipated. I managed to get some wonderful painting and art books and the kids even picked out a few books themselves when I got them to focus on the task at hand. Back home to eat some honey crisp apples (yum) and start the evening routine of homework and dinner prep. Well, the baby is not happy so I have got to go. Someday there shall be peace, but today is not that day, I know that and I am o.k. with that. I sure wish my hair would grow. I haven't made it back to the gym yet, I am such a loser...yet not. bye.

Chicken in the Oven

There is Chicken baking in the oven and I need to get off the comptuer and set the table because there are people here who would expect a proper place to eat. Elton John on the radio. Can I just say that it is about time that people who still have their Halloween decorations up, should take them down about now! Just my opinion. Girl Scout Cookie Sales start tomorrow. If you are interested in purchasing these amazing treats for a wonderful cause from an adorable girl, please let me know. k. I have got to pick a green vegetable. bye.

Your Boots

Everyone else says it's a WOLF. Ben says it's a Husky. So Husky Hat it is. There are some things in life that will never cease to delight me such as spotting a bright red cardinal in the snow or how good a nice cold glass of water tastes when you are thirsty beyond the norm. I'm heading off to the library once the baby gets up (unless there's not enough time ,then I will have to drag all 3 little people in with me...maybe, I will wake her up.) , some of the books that I put on hold have come in. I am so excited. (hint: they have to do with ART). I look out the window and it's snowing again. I hear the furnance heating the house and the dryer drying the clothes (yes, I am doing laundry again). My lips are dry and cracking and my hair is a total mess. I just wrote down this quote I found online that I find quite appropriate for some of my current ponderings: ((Your Boots are not set in concrete. Life IS change)). I failed to write down the person who said it, but I am sure its been said many times before in just this exact way or quite close. Today one crappy thing came in the mail: An advertisement for Kohls. Hi, I don't have a Kohls around here, I don't really want to look at your ad. thank you and good day. It was not worth the trip (of a mere few feet) to the mail box. k, I got to go. Really looking forward to the weekend :)

Warning: Tired Crabby Rambling Ahead

Today is one of those days...you know the kind in which you are completely exhausted because you have been going non-stop ALL day...and there's still much to do and the day isn't done yet. Ugh, I am seriously just so beyond spent. Just got 2 of the 3 kids to sleep. The baby remains awake crying in the crib. (last night she took a long nap from about dinner time til my bedtime, not kidding you the second my head hit the pillow she got up screaming and would not go back to sleep...I brought her out to the living room so she could play in her new playyard since there was no way she was going to settle down (playyard - big gated circle type thing to keep her safe and contained yet give her space to crawl etc. Kind of like a cage but different, hehe). So, lets just say it was a long night. Well, you won't believe this but I bring her back to bed and eventually get her to go down again and all of a sudden I hear a thump and crying from the other room, Isabelle fell out of bed. It was like one big giant non humorous joke on me last night. so anway, that may be why im a bit exhausted and (I must admitt) crabby at the moment. Olivia is teething and I hope that is what is contributing to her onereyness, etc. lately. So anyway, there was no way I was gonna let her nap this evening at all and she crabbed most the evening. So now I listen to her crying but the sounds are getting less loud and further in between. She may be giving up on the battle to fight awakeness, and may just rest. I am very envious of her right now in her safe little warm bed , with her footy pajamas...because not only does she have all that, but she also has a musical glow worm. What more could one ask for in regards to a perfect night of slumber? Youth is defintley wasted on the young. I made sloppy joes and misc. vegetables for dinner tonight. I know what you are thinking " What a lamo ungreat dinner" and I agree. I hate sloppy joes, but the kids love them and they were easy and Ive been cooking like crazy latley so I thought I'd go this route. Honestly, I just felt like ripping open a bag chips, throwing them on the table and shouting: dinner served! But, I didn't do that. A. I don't have any bags of chips and B. The guilt of my neglect would eventually get to me. I am kind of sort of freezing right now all of a sudden. I hear the dryer going and that is such a comfort sound to me...it says hey: household duties for loving family are being performed in the simpliest everyday task. I finally took down all the Christmas Decor. I pretty much want it out by new years day and Noah likes it up til the 7th, so I kind of compromised. It feels so good to clean up a bit. More open space. No more nutcrackers starring at me. Pine needles be gone. Christmas I loved you kindly but your time has passed for now, to everything there is a season. Ok so Im sure I could write a ton more but I will end this now cuz the baby has rekindled her crying and I just can't even really think at the moment. Maybe next post I will provide a picture or 2, maybe next post I will have something interesting or excellent to say...maybe. goodnight.

Winter Games

I used elements/papers from the kit : spontaneous delight by Carrie Stephens.

o.k., I really need to stop this digital scrapbooking....the dishes and laundry are piled up to the ceiling.

Good day.

Olivia Branch

Happy New Year & Those Loving Arms

(poem excerpt from a very old book)

I did a quick and simple digital scrap page today. So fun!
(papers and elements are from a kit called: walk with me / Jennifer Barrette.