Computerless

I am still without a computer! I am trying to work on finding a solution. I am at my sister's house and just wanted to give a shout out- HELLO-I'm still alive!

Memorial Weekend

Isn't this beautiful?

Highlights from the weekend- Big Mac singing "You Lift Me Up" (Josh Grobin), at the top of his lungs to me while I fill the car with gas; hearing Big Mac's talk in church where he unexpectedly exclaimed that his little brother wasn't just a brother, but his best friend; seeing hundreds of American Flags all around our town, (it always makes me happy); going exploring around town and country with my family; Bike rides; Admiring my husbands tiling job that he just finished in the guest bathroom; talking to my children about those who have gone before us.

Now for the not-so-highlights-- Painting my entry for the third and, I am afraid, not final time- (the lighting is so weird, I can't find the right color); realizing that  I have a major problem making decisions, tripping over my laptop cord and watching it crash to the ground; losing my portable phone while spring cleaning.  I still can't locate it.  I am beginning to think it was left in one of the boxes I was going through in the storage shed!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

Popcorn Trees.

Have you ever heard the song Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree? My boys planted popcorn a month ago in hopes that a tree would grow and it would produce popcorn. They were so thrilled after helping me plant bulbs and watching them bloom into tulips and daffodils that they tried their hand at gardening. As you can see, Big Mac is sure that there is a bud down deep that is going to appear soon!

Help me, for a good cause!

I know there are many crusaders fighting injustice out there. But this is REALLY important. Dryers, also known as Edy's ice cream has over the years cut their have gallon to 1.75 quarts, and now it they have shrunk to 1.5 quarts but their prices have remained high. This is a travesty. I know you are all as upset as I am by this outrage! Will we take this sitting down? NO, I say! Fight with me by emailing at this site http://www.edys.com/main/contact.asp?b=105. Together- we can make a difference!

Good Morning Sunshine!

Summer is officially here and I am so happy. We visited our two favorite parks yesterday and it was so good to feel the sun beating down on my skin. These guys couldn't stop laughing they were so happy. Sorry this is short but today is the day I am determined to attack my endless weeds and start my garden. Hooray for sunshine!

Favorite quote of the day-

After Little Fry takes of his clothes for the bizillionth time, Big Mac observes, "He is a snake that is always shedding his skin."

Embarassing Moments

I was "tagged" to share an embarrassing moment on my blog. Hmmmm... My whole life is an embarrassing moment. Truly. But one particular moment comes to mind. Many of you have heard this one but it still makes me shake my head at my own stupidity.My husband attended Berkeley for graduate school. We lived in student housing way up on the hill over looking all of Berkeley. I had just had my second baby two weeks earlier when we moved in. We moved from a town about thirty minutes away. Our final night in our old apartment was spent scouring the place and then we arrived in Berkeley around midnight. We hung out the rags on the staircase and left many of the boxes on the landing by our apartment.My husband took off to class first thing in the morning and I was left with my 2 year old and 1 month old baby. My two year old still struggled very much with the arrival of the little one so I tried to keep him at a safe distance. Already we has discovered coins in my babies mouth or found him being used as a pillow or punching bag on occasion. As I raced to get in the shower before my baby could awake, phone rang simultaneously with my baby's fussing. I only had my stationary phone hooked up and so I answered it and asked my sister to wait while I stepped right outside our door to retrieve the portable phone in one of the boxes on our landing. Now our landing is a private one so I crept out my door less than fully dressed, much less, to fetch it. The door promptly shut and as I reached for it I felt sick as I realized it had locked. I felt nothing but fear- mostly fear for my baby's life, fear that my two year old could fall out the unsecured and flimsy windows from the second story . These and many other thoughts are what drove me to what I would have never thought I would do- I frantically grabbed the soaking wet partial towel that hung on the banister after mopping the night before and tried to cover up what I could. After trying to coax my son that had been taught never to open the door without mommy to come and help me without success I proceeded to run like mad. I ran down the hill and crossed the street to the housing office. Although several cars passed me- luckily this was Berkeley- people had seen far more strange thing than a half dressed mother frantically flying across the road. I had seen the most fascinating people there so in that moment I seemed to blend in. The office was closed but a posting on the door gave the address of the RA. I ran back up to the complex and started searching doors for the right #. As I ran up the dirt hill- bypassing the stairs because I was afraid it would take to long, I stopped and desperately prayed. When I finished I started off running and slipping down the hill. As I went I saw a woman holding her daughter and kissing her husband goodbye at the door. She and her husband just starred at me. She shuffled her husband into the apartment, surely shocked at the post-baby half-naked body in front of her. I felt like I should stop and talk to her but I reasoned that she had no way to help me. Again I felt like I should stop and I yelled down to her. “my name is Jenny MacDonald,” was all I had managed to say when she said-“I know, you go to my church.” Several weeks before my son had delivered we had visited the our new church. Somehow she had remembered seeing me. Seeing her kind face and made the floodgates open and the tears I had been holding back came gushing. Amidst sobs I explained and she told me to go back and stand at my door and distract my son-she would take care of it. She soon came flying up my stairs with a robe and soon after the maintenance man arrived. After thanking her I found that all was well in my apartment. By some miracle my little son had survived. I left for the day. I didn't want to run into anyone who had seen me in this frightful state. I was so embarrassed by what this woman must think of this idiot mother who tromps around in underclothes. Later that evening she came by my door with a plate of cookies. “I was just thinking,” she said, “about how horrible that must have been for you. Please know that this is your story to tell. I think you should share it for comedic value- but I will let you do that.” Instead of mocking me or judging my upturned apartment, instead of whispering about how irresponsible or how out of control I was- which were all true- she gave me a hug and we laughed that we would always have this day to laugh about. In this moment- she had charity. Not because she fetched me a robe or brought me brownies, because she saw me for who I was beyond what was obvious and loved me in spite of it. Wherever I have lived I have been lucky enough to meet other women that look out for each other. It makes me proud to be a woman! GO TEAM!

I wish I had it all together like the little girl from my "tidy up" series. Boys are coming. www.peekabooprint.etsy.com.

Recent Parenting Moments that Make Me Laugh

One of my nieces that made a lizard snow globe with a dead lizard she found with a few petals and leaves thrown in there to make it a little prettier.
My nephew doing the bubble wrap dance.
Soaking those sore muscles in the "hot tub".

But the Sun Shone

Tuesday was a hard day. It started in the typical manner. My five year old came to my bed wanting to cuddle and tell me all that was on his mind. But I had gone to bed but three hours earlier as I was up drawing into the morning. I could barely open my eyes as he anxiously jumped up and down on the bed trying to get me to arise. With a full nights sleep it would have made me laugh but as it was, I rolled out of bed sluggishly. On and on the morning dragged. Big Mac couldn't find his homework, his shoes, or the teddy bear that he was in charge of for his class. Middle Mac took off all the cushions to the couch and strewn them about sing "YES, NO, YES, NO, " at the top of his little lungs and little fry poured out the expensive pure maple syrup all over the freshly mopped floor. A typical day really. But for some reason that day it seemed to send me over the edge. Like a kettle I began to boil, the pressure mounting and my head pounding. Big Mac poured himself a glass of milk, but the gallon was full and it ended up joining the syrup on the floor. I cried out his name and picked up the trash as I saw Little Fry combing through it. Trying not to loose it I stomped out to the patio to put it in the large garbage can. There I saw that Big Mac had written a message to me in chalk. Mom, I love you. My heart melted and my hard and frustrated feelings were replaced with feelings of guilt.

I was reminded of my favorite fable. The sun and the wind were arguing one day about who was in fact the strongest. The wind laughed and said, "Is there a question, obviously it is me, I can tear up entire cities with my power." The sun nodded and agreed that the wind was indeed powerful. "But let us see who is truly the most powerful," he challenged. And they decided that whoever could tear the coat from an old mans back would be the winner. The wind began to howl and blow with all it's might. It blew and blew and the trees bent to it's power. But no matter how hard it blew the man just clung to his coat even more. Then it was the sun's turn. She shone as brightly and warmly as she could. She shone with all her might and the earth warmed up and the flowers and trees rose to greet her. The old man wiped the sweat from his brow and shed his hot coat.

I read this so long ago with my boys I can't even find it now. I have to improvise on the details. But it is my favorite fable, not because I live by it, but because I need to be reminded of it constantly. When I am warm and loving with my words my children are far more likely to obey me and things run so much smoother. But when I hiss and howl like a kettle fully boiling, my kids feel my wrath and the craziness escalates. I wish I could learn this once and for all!

Infestation

After the Halloween season, we were at Target and my boys found these fake mice in the clearance aisle. They begged to get them so they could play tricks on their Aunt Alice with them. They did play tricks on her. They put one under her sink and she sat at the dining room table and wouldn't move for 1 hour until her husband came home from work. They were so pleased with their clever trickery, that they decided that if once is good, more is better. To this day I find these mice in the strangest places. I have found them in my kitchen drawers, on top of knobs, in my shoes. They squeal with delight every time I find one. Even though I know they are fake, I can barely pick them up. They are made from a horrible, rubbery, slimmy material. I shudder every time I do. I had a pet tarantula growing up and I have always wanted a snake. Things usually don't get under my skin, but mice, ughhh! When we first moved into this house there was evidence there had been mice. We live on over two acres and we are surrounded by pasture so it really is the country. Ever since then I have been VERY paranoid.

So this brings me to part II of the story. My husband has watched me become immersed in my art over the last little while. After the kids are in bed I sit and my desk and hardly move an inch. My desk was a complete mess. Paper, ink, watercolors, discs and hot cocoa cups cover the desk and the surrounding areas. One morning last week I arose and was putting away my laptop so before the kids could get it. I looked down and saw something that looked suspiciously like mice droppings. I began to panic. Out came the bleach and rags. I found more droppings. I began scrubbing floors and baseboards, and trying to clean the house in a frenzy. When Diamond returned from work he walked in and looked around. He seemed pleased at the progress. I frantically told him of my discovery. I told him they looked quite large so they might be rats. I really was hyperventilating and wondering how fast we could sell the house. He shook his head and said, "so I made them too big, huh?" AGHHHHHH! I was so relieved that I couldn't be that mad. He had taken the brownies I had LOVINGLY made for him the night before and created little droppings for me to discover. "Well, it motivated you to clean your office!" He laughed. We will see who gets the last laugh. I will keep you posted on what I decide to do for payback!

Beach Dreamin'

I happened upon a great product. I have always wanted to build a huge sandbox. I have great sandbox memories. But I am afraid it will be the neighborhood litter box, so for now I am sticking with one that has a lid. The other day I went to Walmart and paid for a four bags of Sand. They keep it in the parking lot so you can grab it on the way out. When I went to get it they no longer had typical brown play sand but a colored sand by Crayola. It came in many different colors. We came home and filled up the ol' turtle. This sand is so fine. It is so soft and shakes off once your out. For some reason it feels so much cleaner than typical sand and my kids LOVE it! So until I make a trip to Hawaii- you may find me basking in the sun in this!

The Best Accessory

Do you know what the best accessory is? It is not cheap, and you really have to handle it with care -

no one looks good after delivering- but whose looking at the mama with a baby in hand!

notice how he strategically covers his face with the baby- but it is still a good picture!
Yes- it always fits. They can outgrow you however. They are really sliming. With a baby on your hip, peoples eyes are drawn to the baby- not the hip. They come in the most fantastic colors and the they are very high quality. The fabric is the softest in the world. If you don't have one, you've got to get one. It is the "must have" accessory that never goes out of style!

My youngest just turned 18 months which means that at my church he is old enough to go to nursery time while I attend classes. My kids have all loved nursery and run to it excitedly when it is time. It is me who struggles with it. I miss having my little friend on my lap during class. I might actually have to cordinate my clothes and get do my hair for church now! When you have a little one on your lap- no one notices that your nylons have a run or that your hair is always in a bun. At least that is what I tell myself! I will miss my little security blanket! He made me look good.

Horoscope series

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Nana

I am one of the lucky ones. I have a terrific mother-in-law. She raised eight children- six boys, (I don't know how she survived), and two girls.

We lived with my in-laws when we first got married. I feel lucky that I got to know her so well. She is one of the most welcoming people I have ever met. When you enter her house you feel totally at ease. She shares EVERYTHING that she has and makes you feel completely loved. My children love to cuddle up with Nana. She gets down on their level and makes them feel so important.

I have learned a lot about supporting your spouse from Merrily. She "stands by her man". It really is neat to watch. During tax season, instead of complaining that her husband is too busy for her, she drives to meet him every night for dinner. She doesn't like to leave during tax season because she wants to support him. It seems this is a lost idea in today's society.

Merrily will send little packages to my children which they adore. When one of my sons was really struggling with some health problems, a beautiful quilt from Nana came in the mail.

It looks like I will be having my share of daughter-in-laws! I hope they can say the same about me!

Mom

Because it is Mother's Day weekend, I wanted to do an ode to the mothers in my life. My own mother is one of the most amazing people you could ever meet. She raised ten kids and gave each one the same opportunities they would have had if they were an only child. Now that is not to say that we were spoiled or had financial advantages. On the contrary. My father was a professor. But if there was ever a dream we wanted to chase, she helped us chase it.

I can not imagine how she did it now that I am a mother. Someone was always entering an art, piano or speech competition. There was always someone in a play which meant she was driving us to practices and many of us played sports. Because we couldn't afford vacations, she found a way to send us on them. One year my brother won our family a trip to Lake Powell complete with a house boat and speed boat. When my father had the opportunity to go to Oxford, England to be a visiting professor for one year, unpaid, she went for it. She did it in the true Susan fashion though. We rented a 400 year old bed and breakfast. She had a mini fridge and no dishwasher of course. I was only eight so all I remember is the amazing excursions we went on. Anywhere we could go for free, we would. We saw England through different eyes than most visitors would. I can not imagine piling all of those kids on the underground subway, but she did it. We would pack up a lunch and see the white cliffs of Dover or maybe go to a place where we could pick blackberries. When I watch the videos we have from that time she is always hanging out clothes or scrubbing dishes. Yet I only remember the fun we had with her. Even after the year was up we were not through. We loaded in our small van, all 10 of us, (one was on a mission for our church and one was married), and went to Scotland, the land of our ancestors. We camped to save money.

She can find a use for anything. She finds the most ingenious uses for things that most people would think of as garbage. Recently she has been making piggybanks with old encyclopedias for her grandchildren. She modgepodges the pages together and cuts out and opening for the money to hide safely. There is always a project for the kids to get involved in when they visit grandma's house.

When I was growing up she could often be found at her sewing machine making someone a costume or dress, or in the kitchen canning. You may havefound her in the backyard picking raspberries or some of the other bounty of her amazing gardens.

But one of my very favorite things about my mother is that she loves people. Not just people she knows, but everyone. She will strike up long conversations with anyone and she was always helping someone in need. People always knew that they could turn to her for anything. If someday my children can feel the way I do about her, I will know I have truly succeeded.

To Be a Kid Again

I just had my birthday. It is strange because I feel just like I am twelve. I look around me and feel like I am learning so much from others and I have so much left to learn. I woke up with my five year old inches from my face. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" It woke up the entire family! He smiled at me and said, "Mom, today- for your birthday- you get to be a kid again!" I thought it was interesting that even at this young age he had already figured out how great it is to be a kid. How I would love to have no cares or responsibilities and nothing to do but dress up, search the dirt for bugs and in general jut BE.

But then the troops descended on me and after a delicious breakfast in bed, I realized there is no escaping adulthood. As much as I would love to, just for a day. But I feel lucky that I get to enjoy childhood all over again just by watching them.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is aroung the corner. One of my newest prints or cards would make a unique and completely fat free gift! Find this and others at my shop, http://www.peekabooprints.etsy.com/.