Reading with David – Much Ado About Aldo

David says:
I gave this story five stars because I liked that Aldo didn’t like to eat animals and became a vegetarian. It was nice that Mrs. Sossi made special lunches for Aldo because he didn’t eat meat.

I didn’t like the part where the chameleon ate the cricket. I thought it was funny that the missing cat was in the drawer all along and I liked how Aldo used that as an idea of how to save the crickets. It was funny when the girl put her hand in the bottom drawer where the chameleons were and screamed. But I liked that the principal listened to Aldo’s story and understood how he felt and was kind.

My favorite part was when the teacher said she was ready to be done with the project and that they could release the crickets to the wild in the warmer weather. I thought it was funny that Aldo asked for more marshmallows.

Reading a book a week with my six-year-old son David is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

September 18, 2011 | David, Dbooks 2011, Family, Reading with David | Leave a comment

Art Journaling – Strathmore – Too Proud

Here’s the next page:

This one was a nightmare and I almost gave up. I finally gesso’ed all over the page and started over. I put several coats of gesso.

The full text reads: Never be too proud to say I’m sorry.

Here are some details from the page:

My final page in the Strathmore book. Wednesday, I will make a post with all the pages so you can see them spread out.

I am creating multiple art journaling pages a week for July and August (and maybe longer). You can read more about it and the book I am using for these pages at the top of this blog post.

September 18, 2011 | Art, Mixed Media, Weekly Art Journal | 2 comments

Daily Diary – September 17 2011

It’s been a lovely Saturday over here. We started our day with sleeping in. Which means I woke up at 7am instead of 5:30. And then some exercise and shower and we were off to David’s swim class. After that we went and bought some fruit for the house and I was already wiped and cranky and wanted to spend the rest of my day in bed. So I read my book for a bit (and finished it) and then wanted to crawl into bed.

But instead, I did some art while the kids played and then Nathaniel napped and David played Wii and I did more art. Then Nathaniel woke up and I snapped some shots of my sweet boy.

Saying “hat” and you can see a bunch of his lunch on his sleeve.

I love this boy to bits.

And those huge huge eyes.

Then we went out to dinner with Jake’s parents and ended up at the bookstore where the kids played for a good hour. By the time we got home, it was a good hour past bedtime so I rushed the kids to bed and realized I’d forgotten to take shots of David so we ran downstairs and I snapped one.

He said he wanted to be goofy.

But I got a laugh anyway.

Nathaniel is already down and David’s going to sleep in minutes. My plan for tonight is to try and bind my second art journal if I think I can and then maybe maybe do a layout but I am guessing that won’t happen and I will just crawl in bed with my book instead. But I did ok today so I don’t feel bad about not getting the layout done. Tomorrow’s plans are all about Jake’s parents and the kids so we’ll see what I get done, if anything. But it’s ok, some days are like that.

Off to do more art. I hope your day was absolutely wonderful.

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I did a few pages in my weeklong journal, I seem to put it off a lot lately so it was nice to give it some attention.
2. I am grateful that I feel caught up in Karen’s class. I did my vision board last night and it made me really happy.
3. I am grateful that Nathaniel is loving school. I got there a few minutes early today and he was sitting quietly and listening to the music teacher. He was so so cute. And I feel so blessed that he loves it.

Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that we went out to dinner. * {his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that we went to the bookstore.
3. I am grateful that I had a Madeline cookie.

September 17, 2011 | Daily Diary - 2011, DPGallery | Leave a comment

Us Right Now – September 17

jake
This was a short but stressful week for Jake. He had a trip coming up on Thursday and he hadn’t been able to get a lot of work done the week before since he was home with me so he worked hard and tried to make sure all the little loose ends were tied up, clients were taken care of, etc., etc. But I think overall it was a good week for him and now he’s in Vermont with some wonderful childhood friends at a wedding. He also got to see his brother and a good friend in Boston so the week is ending well for him and hopefully he will be home safe and sound tomorrow because we all miss him a lot already.

karen
Another long week for me. Just working very hard and getting up really early to exercise and start my day before the kids wake up and the morning rush sets in. I feel like I almost got our new routine down. With Jake out of town towards the end of the week it was a little more stressful than usual but I managed to get it all done and still do my work and everything else. As I expected, we’re getting into the groove of the new routines and I expect by the end of September things will be considerably better. Or so I hope.

david
David is still enjoying school a lot. He loves the library and science and math. He does seem to have a few friends so far but no super-close friends. The good news is that he comes home happy every day and none of the deep sadness from last year is there just yet. I am hoping it stays this way and that he makes a few good friends and enjoys his new school thoroughly.

nathaniel
Nathaniel is loving school, too. He doesn’t even say goodbye when I drop him off and is very sad when he sees me come to pick him up. He’s become considerably more demanding but also super-cute so we all try to put up with him as much as we can because we all love him so very much.

Us Right Now is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

September 17, 2011 | Family, Us Right Now | Leave a comment

Daily Diary – September 16 2011

Happy Friday!! I am very glad to have reached the end of this week. It was another long one for me and I have a few more like this for a while. Today both kids went to school and I worked worked worked while they were off. Then I got Nathaniel and he napped and I worked some more. Then we went to get David and I wanted to snap some photos when we got back so I asked Nathaniel to smile for me. But he did this.

Then he looked at me and did it again.

I said “You can’t have food unless you give me a smile.” So I got this.

“Smile!” I said. So then I got this.

And then this. He was getting impatient and photos were getting blurrier so I gave up and let him have his food.

His brother was much more accommodating of course.

I just adore his eyes especially when he’s wearing a black shirt.

I am so ready for the weekend. I still have a bunch of todos like taking David to swim class, shopping for groceries and a visit from my inlaws. I have art journaling and layouts to make. Posts to write up. Etc. etc. But I still feel like I will have a lot of rest this weekend. So let’s bring it on!

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I made it through week number two of fall. I do feel like maybe we’re finally getting into a routine so I am feeling more settled as I’d hoped to by now.
2. I am grateful that I feel caught up in Karen’s class. I did my vision board last night and it made me really happy.
3. I am grateful that Nathaniel is loving school. I got there a few minutes early today and he was sitting quietly and listening to the music teacher. He was so so cute. And I feel so blessed that he loves it.

Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful I played which number will win at school with Tobias. * {his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that I finished my lego book.
3. I am grateful that I am reading my I want to be a Jedi book.

September 16, 2011 | Daily Diary - 2011, DPGallery | One comment

Healthy For Life – Week 37

Another little bit of loss this week. Not amazing but not bad. After weeks of going nowhere or gaining weight I am glad for any loss. Though I will admit that I am likely not going to make my goal this year but that’s ok. I’ve lost a lot of weight. I am much fitter and can walk, run, hike much farther than I ever have in my life. So that’s big.

Now that we’re back to school, I am getting up at 5:30 to exercise. I just prefer to get it done with before the hustle and bustle of breakfast and packing lunches starts. It’s hard but also nice to do it while the whole house is sleeping and quiet. I’ve completely stopped doing my situps and leg lifts for weeks now but I will restart. I just have been feeling too lazy. I am, however, still doing the incline on the treadmill.

Food’s been okay, too. I am still off the graham crackers and coffee. Still eating mostly whole foods. I’ve been eating chocolate and snacking a bit more than usual. Nothing horrible but also not that great. I just need to not wait until I am too hungry. Sometimes I get caught up in what I am doing and forget to eat and then I get famished and eat all the wrong things. But it’s all a work in progress.

and here’s this week’s card:

Healthy for Life is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

September 16, 2011 | Health, Healthy for Life | Leave a comment

The Wallet

This wallet was altered for Maya Road CHA Summer show.

I sprayed the whole thing and then just embellished it with flowers and canvas and trims and added my favorite mantra to it.

And here’s the back:

and open:

September 16, 2011 | Maya Road, Scrapbooking | 4 comments

Art Journaling – Strathmore – Make Your Own Path

Here’s the next page:

The full text reads: Make your own path.

This one went through many iterations. Here’s the first version:

then I colored the path yellow:

and then the final with the background orange dimmed out:

Here are some details from the page:

so many happy colors on this one. Maybe too many but I still love it!

I am creating multiple art journaling pages a week for July and August (and maybe longer). You can read more about it and the book I am using for these pages at the top of this blog post.

September 16, 2011 | Art, Mixed Media, Weekly Art Journal | 6 comments

Like Father Like Son

This is one of the projects I did for Pink Paislee for August. It highlights their awesome mistable alphabets! You can see the post here.

Journaling Reads:
i’ve always known that you look like your daddy. you two have the same coloring. But when i look at this photo, I am awestruck by how much you really look like him. The same tall, slender body, long arms, and even the same smile. I love seeing the two of you side by side like this smiling, happy and holding hands. I am so happy that you look like your daddy. I love both of you so very very much my son.

Details:

September 16, 2011 | Layouts, Pink Paislee, Scrapbooking | One comment

Daily Diary – September 15 2011

I am on mom and dad duty for the next two days so this morning I dropped David off and then got right to work. Nathaniel played and poked himself while I worked.

Then he napped, I worked, he got up and we went to pick up David. They got to watch a little bit of TV.

In exchange for veggies and photos.

Nathaniel’s been reading a lot.

I am assuming it’s cause David is reading nonstop lately. And of course he wants to be just like his brother.

He also likes to sit on his brother.

Give him some awkward hugs.

and more and more hugs.

I am so grateful that he loves his brother so much. It’s been really hectic over here. A lot of work. A lot. And tired from getting up at 5:30 every morning. Still sketching and art journaling but that’s pretty much it. I apologize for being behind on comments. I will catch up I promise.

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I got my order full of new stencils by Julie, I cannot wait to play with them.
2. I am grateful that I feel calm despite having too much on my plate at the moment.
3. I am grateful that Jake traveled safe and sound.

Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful I got a new book from my school library * {his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that I played with Nathaniel.
3. I am grateful that I played bugs on board at school with Tobias today.

September 15, 2011 | Daily Diary - 2011, DPGallery | Leave a comment

Daily Sketching – Week 23

Here are the sketches from this week.

Wednesday, I tried this scene but failed miserably.

the next day, I tried another amazing scene but it was super-hard too.

Friday I did yet another scene:

on Saturday I decided to change it up a bit and did this cart:

on Sunday, I did more boats:

Monday was my birthday so I thought this muffin was a good fit. I only put one candle.

Tuesday I tried this amazing owl:

and here we are, still trying to stretch and learn.

September 15, 2011 | Art, Sketching | 4 comments

Art Journaling – Strathmore – Spread Your Wings

Here’s the next page:

The full text reads: Spread Your Wings wide and Fly Free.

Here are some details from the page:

yet another page with the big black letters, stitching, white background and bold, happy color. Makes me happy.

I am creating multiple art journaling pages a week for July and August (and maybe longer). You can read more about it and the book I am using for these pages at the top of this blog post.

September 15, 2011 | Art, Mixed Media, Weekly Art Journal | 4 comments

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