times are a changin'

So this is the last post I will be doing on this blogger blog. I have a new website and blog at www.pennypickles.net. Please go to that address and RSS from that site because I will no longer be updating this one. Sorry for the inconvenience- blogger made me do it. We had some "professional" differences and I have moved on to greener pastures. Thanks for stopping by!

Another morning

I was getting Jon on the bus this week and took the opportunity for some decent lighting to snap a few photos of my littlest two. It wasn't too bright and well with no editing involvement from me - I love the results.

Sure I could have touched up their eyes, or erased the toast crumbs from their faces, but why - these are my chickens in the morning. I love to nuzzle my nose into that chubby area right below their cheeks and above their necks. It makes them giggle and I try to burn the whole episode into my brain because their getting so big and so independent. With that - I'm off - I've got A LOT to do...
Thanks!

Paintings

If you remember I did a little painting awhile back for one of Ryan's co-workers. Well bless her heart she wanted another - this time for her mom for her birthday. She gave me an idea for the colors and then let me use my artistic license with the rest. She asked that I include a verse from the book of Psalm in the bible. I have made it no secret that I'm not a fan of lettering. It's hard, it's time consuming and it rarely turns out they way I want. This painting proved to be doubly challenging because of the amount of text. I think though it turned out well and have come away with clear ideas on how I should and should not go about this the next time. Yes there will be a next time because she's requested another one. I'm happy to oblige because I am certainly enjoying my reunion with my brushes. 

Incase you weren't sure, those are dogwood blooms (I'm really hopeful for spring) I thought they fit with the verse. Plus I think white dogwood are so pretty and delicate. Courtney loved the painting and I am happy with that - thanks again Courtney for your ideas for this painting - I hope mom really loves it!

I also did a little door hanger for my sister in law - she's hosting a shower for a friend. I can't show that one yet - she'll get it tomorrow and the shower is on Saturday. It was fun to do something so small - I haven't worked that little in a while. It made me happy.

I'm also nearly done with a little number for my kitchen. I'll be honest, it's damn adorable and I can't wait to finish it up tonight. My kitchen is the bane of my household existence. Sure it's a good size, but I hate the cabinets, I need to paint, I abhor the floors, so I've been hanging art and such in the room just to spruce it up. So far so good - if I could get a few days with minimal interruption, I may be able to get it painted. One can dream. Who's up for welding a brush?

This evening my focus in on a name sign for Penny's door. I found some spectacular cardstock letters in "Tiffany Blue" that are covered in glitter - they sound tacky, but they are SOOO Penny. I have my dear friend Jenny coming over tonight - she'd like to paint and wants me to show her the ropes and help her out. Not that I am qualified to teach in anyway, but it's all for fun. Besides who am I to turn down a glass of wine and some girl time with a friend? I also need to finish up a little posey bouquet for Lisa (I haven't forgotten).

Until then  - Thanks!

As a side note, I am going to ask whoever reads this blog - to go ahead and RSS this address. This will be my home for a while. If you know someone who reads - forward this to them, and so on and so forth. I've been posting on Facebook, but because of the new layout not everyone sees my updates. So I've got the webworld against me at this point. I'm working hard on trying to get things fixed, but google can't seem to fix my migration and my migration is stuck so it won't update everyone with the new address. So throw me a bone - if you want updates - RSS and subscribe. I'll love you forever!

Thanks!

Migrating and one of the worst weeks

I'm trying to figure out why my blogs aren't attaching to my website. I'm ticked and I'm not the only one. Blogger is redoing a bunch of stuff and the way blogs are attached to websites has changed, thus I am having problems. Since I'm a bit of web-dingbat this is posing a particularly challenging experience for me. Hang in there- I know that RSS updates aren't working, I realize my website is hung up on a post from last week. I'm trying - I promise, I'm trying to get things back up in running. Perhaps I shouldn't let Penny run my code...

The rub is that they have these nice little step by step instructions -that I've followed to a T. Unfortunately when I do that my entire website comes off line. The best part is that there is NO way to contact anyone at Blogger. Not an email, phone number NOTHING. Just peer support and frankly when I get into those peer forums its a bit like a pit of lost souls. Wandering aimlessly giving each other incorrect information. I choose not to go there, I like this world too much.

What else is wrong you say? Well we're nearing the end of one of Ryan's longer side jobs and it takes a toll. A toll on him, a toll on me. As he says his level of sympathy is all but none existent when it comes to my woes. I tell him that's okay I don't need your sympathy to have a pity party or to be tired. I had a crazy busy weekend that required me to be up by 6 each morning. Okay- I get that people do that every day for work. I don't. I am not a morning person. I dislike it with every cell of my body. My body clock does not work on an AM cycle. If you are a morning person - stay up until 3 for three nights in a row - force it. Then get up when you normally do - you'll be off trust me. The world caters to morning people and us night owls suffer unless we get a PM DJing gig. So I wasn't home most of the weekend between a swim meet (that Jon didn't swim at, but was a home meet so we were required to work) (which wasn't bad because I wasn't nervous about where he was, would he get to his event on time and how he did) and then the Pancake Breakfast at the school - which was fun, turned out well - but even the economy has hit Pancake Breakfasts. 

We were treated though with dinner at friends Sunday night - which was awesome because I didn't have to cook, our kids play really well together and we have so much fun and are so comfortable that nothing is off limits.  Which is refreshing. I think in a few weeks we're going out on a double and watching turtle racing - I love how their up for any ridiculous suggestion I might have. 

It's only Tuesday and I woke up thinking it was Friday so you know you're in trouble. Yesterday I was scattered, but despite that - I am nearly done with a painting that I am having difficulty with, nearly done with my door hanger AND I repainted a wall in the toy room, mudded the holes in there and around the house, rearranged and organized, and hung up a bunch of the kids artwork that I had framed in easy to use, terribly cheap Walmart frames. That and a plug-in smelly thing and a new curtain rod and wow what a difference. I haven't photographed it - I will later. I scrubbed the floor and the baseboards and got all the crappy cobwebs off the textured ceiling that Ryan and I love so much.  All in all - one room down, too many more to go. I think I might tackle something easy like the dining room next. Although I did just plead with Ryan to help me paint the kitchen next week - we'll see.

The volunteer efforts for the referendum are in full swing. I finally got in the PAC email last night and then promptly closed it because I wasn't ready to confront 40+ emails. Today will be the day, after Ballet, after my volunteer meeting, after I work out, and after I finish my canvas. Oh and then there's the PTO meeting tonight. Anyone else want to crawl back into bed?

Spring Break is four weeks away. Four weeks until I am sitting on a white sandy beach, looking like a beluga (I'm as pale too!) gazing into the bright blue-green water. I can't wait - except for the beluga part - that's just sad.

So for updates - just keep this address - I'm working on getting things up and running. Wouldn't it be great for money to fall out of the sky?

With that - thanks!

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Where do I begin...

I'm floored that it's March, March, I mean, I knew that February would go quick being a little month and all. We had the last of our swim meets. Jon did remarkably well going from barely making it 25 yards to racing in 50 meter races. We're on the fence if he'll do the summer session - it is a big commitment, but he seems to enjoy it and he looks so cute in his jammers (swim shorts). I'm so proud of how far he's come - barely doing freestyle to now swimming breaststroke and almost getting that butterfly down. I also became an official - because it's more fun than sitting in the stands and I get to be on deck with Jon. He can be a flake at times and still needs corralling and the occasional "look." I hate disqualifying kids, but they learn from their mistakes and I've yet to make anyone cry. I've also avoided officiating any one's kid I know by switching lanes. No need to burn bridges - aye? So we're done with all that and I think Jon (and I) will really enjoy these next two months off and then baseball begins.

Yes that's my phone, yes he's texting his dad. Yes he's seven.

Drew has started swim lessons, yep, just as swimming ended, swimming has begun. It's only for a month and it's only twice a week for a half hour - he's happy its his turn. If you saw my facebook post a day or so ago, I was confronted with a cruel comment from a neighbor who plays "dumb" or "innocent" if you will, by having no verbal filter. The short of it was she said his face was fat. I think after seeing my jaw hit the ground and stumble for words to say, she corrected herself to say that it was so round and that she didn't remember it being so round last summer. Still no good. My boy, I have to say it frustrates me- he's so tall and so big and so built like his father that he has a few more years of pudge before he thins out - if he follows in dad's footsteps. Our pediatrician that we LOVE put it like this - the boy has grown four inches in one year which is very uncharacteristic of a 4/5 year old. It's like a puberty growth rate. He's going to be a very tall boy and thick - it's his build. If you were growing like that you'd be hungry too. There's nothing wrong with him, he's just big. We'll be having the last laugh I'm sure when he's playing college football one day. ;o) (When you go pro Momma would like an orange Range Rover, k baby?) All I know is that I want him to keep on smiling with those big 'ol cheeks - neighbor be damned.

Miss Penny just had her well visit - she's another tall one, but built more like Jon - slim and long waisted, but she also has long legs like Drew - so she'll be the most physically balanced of the group. She's on target and of course beyond average with her athletic skills just by product of keeping up with her brothers. She had her first ballet class and loved it, except for the terribly shy child that left midway because she was so scared and timid. That threw her off a bit. I felt terrible for the little girl and her mom. Hopefully she'll be back and a bit more comfortable next time. Penny flitted and twirled with the best of them. She also has aspirations of being the next Taylor Swift. If you stop by my house you'll see my daughter in all pink with a microphone singing "fifteen." (you think I'm kidding)

This is Penny at the Barbie exhibit, yes she answered the phone, yes she and I want one for the house. No, they wouldn't let us take it home. Yes, she just said 'oooh, I so pretty." when she saw this picture. Humble she is not. I could barely tear her away from the pink runway - where she strutted her stuff for thirty minutes saying, "mommy, take my picture!" oh heavens.

Me: I've been busily working on behind the scenes stuff - contemplating a platform change for my blog - wanting to upgrade my website, but for now I must be patient. I've just finished a painting and then I am doing a darling little door hanger for a shower gift. I've sketched out a bunch of little stuff'dees and made one - patty the platty (thank you Lisa). I need to get back on my machine and get stitching. I think once my Pancake Breakfast this weekend and the Divisional swim meet I'm officiating at is over I'll have my weekends back to work on such goodies. My days have been filled with feed kids, take kids to school, pick up kids, go to elementary school, work on things there, laundry, dishes, painting, cleaning and then of course trying to work out and lose a bit of my ample ass.

So I've got a bit on my plate.

Yes I've been playing around with my logo. Working on some changes - some bigger than others. An expansion really. We shall see.

I also am looking forward to the change in weather so spring cleaning can commence. I received the nicest compliment from a babysitter recently. She said she was so impressed with how organized things were at my house and that she could easily find things even though she'd never been here before - ahhh, now that one makes me happy.

Like last years simplicity series, I'll probably chronicle my spring cleaning room by room - not that you care, but it makes be happy to show off the results, plus its an incentive to really give it my all. So if your interested or merely have a sick curiosity - hang in there, those are coming up soon. I was turned onto the Pioneer Woman blog about a month ago - I'm a late bloomer. But I see what she blogs about and such and well - she's not much different than most of us, she just has Tide and Le Creuset ads on her websites. Okay so that's a big difference. I'm not a pioneer, more like a suburbianeer. I'm pretty sure that one day Mrs. Meyers will be begging me to put her cleaning product ads on my blog. ;o) And with that - I'm outta here off to get the kiddos to bed and the treadmill for me.

Oh one more thing - again if you didn't see my facebook post - check this out.

This afternoon I received a text, it went a bit like this:

Hheyy girrl!

Me: Who is this?

Tori

Me: Tori who?

Brown .

Me: I apologize but your name doesn't ring any bells, how do I kno you?

Stephanie gave me ur number, are you still bi?

Me: Uh, I think you have the wrong number, I don't know Stephanie and I am not bi, or was for that matter. (not even in college)

my mistake.

The End

It's a good day when you've been solicited for bisexual sex via text messaging, don't you think? My first sexting!

Thanks!

Tiny Angels II

I don't know where to begin with this painting. I am so grateful to have done it for two wonderful, amazing people. Two people that I've never met, but have been so touched by. No one should ever have to experience what they have experienced as parents. I can only hope that through the paint that was applied and the brush that it was applied with and the love that it was done with, I was able capture a bit of joy in a far too-'short life. I did a painting about a year ago for Robyn and Keith, they had lost their premature, twin girls about 6 weeks apart. It was a devastating loss and as an artist I was challenged not only artistically, but emotionally. I was given a poem for my muse and the rest was my vision of their precious angels and their journey. I was very happy with the outcome, and on the opposite side of the spectrum, Robyn and Keith were expecting Rowyn and I was happy to do a nursery piece for their new little girl's room. Fast forward, and little Rowyn's journey into this world wasn't the smoothest and during a time when most parents are struggling with exhaustion and diaper changes, these two individuals were discussing things that no parent should ever have to discuss. Little Rowyn fought a valiant battle, and gave her parents time to snuggle and love her, but she was called to heaven to be with her sisters far too soon.

I was contacted by Robyn to do a memorial piece for precious Rowyn - I thought about it and oddly enough our visions were almost identical. I took my time with this piece, knowing I am doing something so special and meaningful for a family can be kind of stressful. Being a mom, I wanted this to be just perfect for Robyn, knowing I would expect nothing less for myself. I am so pleased with the outcome, I am so happy that Robyn loves it as much as I do. It is interesting how people come into your life and what you learn from them. I am grateful for the trust this family put into me and I am grateful that I can share it with you. (photography by Leslie Webber -thanks Les!)

Tiny Angels II

Thanks again Robyn and Keith - my love goes to you both.

Thanks for everyone stopping by - I have a few more paintings to share and some crafty fun coming up!