Jake started teaching David how to play chess. David paid a lot more attention than either of us imagined. It’s really fun for me to watch them play. They’ve spent a lot of time playing together this weekend and it’s been joy for me to watch it. Here they are planying with a fancy lego set:
Another quiet day here with me sleeping in and then Jake taking a nap. I had coffee (well hot chocolate for me) with my friend Mike today. One of my favorite people from college and yet we see each other too rarely. I’ve noticed that I’m not as good at keeping in touch as I’d like to be. There are some people I wish I still had in my life or others that I wish I saw more consistently but I am not organized enough. Maybe I need to establish a better routine around this.
A few more things I would like to get done this weekend before I am ready to face the week but overall I feel peaceful, relaxed and rested. We’re about to go out for some yummy dinner and spend some family time. Something I always cherish.
Happy Sunday.
Today’s catalyst is: What is something that you turn to, to lift you up out of a bad mood?
here’s my text:
The one thing that never fails to lift me out of a bad mood is music. Even if I’ve had the worst day, I can get in the car, jack up the music all the way and feel better instantly. That’s why I am thankful for my 120gig iPod. This way I never have to worry about not having the kind of music I am craving at that moment. All my music is in one little machine.
David asked me to take a photo of his toys. These are from a pirate set we received on his birthday. The skeleton on the end glows in the dark and makes David very happy.
Relatively quiet day here. Jake and David kindly let me sleep in which was wonderful. When I woke up Jake took a nap and then when he woke up, I took another nap and then it was David’s turn so the house was pretty quiet all day long. I didn’t get as much done as I would have liked but I did manage to finish one big item on my list which is the first step to a big dream I have so I feel pretty good about that.
I’ve decided to change the titles of these posts, so that they are by date so this way I don’t have to count what day I’m on and it’s also easier to see if I miss a day.
Today was my doctor’s appointment and we got to hear the baby’s heartbeat while David perused the toys in the magazines at the office and asked me if I can buy him each of the toys there. All is well with the baby and supposedly the contractions are perfectly normal so I am not worrying about a thing. That’s that.
I was worried that lately I haven’t been eating that healthy so I decided to have some soup last night and the baby was like “Are you kidding me?” so the soup didn’t even get to sit in my tummy for more than 6 minutes. So much for being healthy. Won’t try that one again. And here’s to those who say nausea goes away after the first trimester. I am almost 8 months now and even with the medication, I still hugged the toilet last night, thank you very much.
Anyhow, on to nicer things. The rain has finally subsided in beautiful Palo Alto so we can see some sunshine now. David’s temperature has also finally stayed 98.6 for almost 24 hours now. Things are finally looking up. Hope you’re having a happy Friday.
Part of me feels bad for having so many tulip photos but then these make me happy and right now I’ll take anything that puts a smile on my face. Admit it, aren’t tulips amazing?
David’s still got a fever and I am just trying to stay calm and assume that it shall pass. I have just made my peace with the fact that this week is lost to taking care of each other. He woke up at 3:30am last night and wouldn’t go back down without me so I haven’t slept much in the last week and my very pregnant body is not liking that. But the baby is kicking away and I am loving it. My checkup is tomorrow so I’ll get to hear the beautiful heartbeat too which I am very much looking forward to.
This weekend will be resting and rejuvanating for all of us. I think we all need some of that. I shall leave you with another glimpse at the tulips.
David was feeling better last night but since he has to be well for 24 hours before he goes to school, Jake stayed home with him today and I went to work and it was a long long day with back to back meetings. And then David’s fever spiked again to over 103 so I took him to the doctor again and still no infections anywhere so we’re back to square one with Motrin and hoping it gets better. My turn to be home tomorrow.
On the way home from the doctor’s I got several Braxton Hicks contractions. Really strong ones. I didn’t realize they come so soon. Still got the heartburn, too so it’s been party-central here…Off to lie down and relax now.
Oh, and, Happy happy happy happy birthday my friend Cole, Alcor, Nicholas, Jack. Hope you had a marvelous one!
This week’s question was “what would you do, if you knew you could not fail?”
For me, the thing that I keep coming back to over and over is to write. I want to write novels and be published. if i weren’t worried of failing, i’d be a writer. (and maybe an artist, too). So I made this little girl who’s holding a book and the letters spell “write.”
This week’s technique was inspired by the talented kelly rae roberts. I tried to use one of the techniques she highlights in her book “taking flight.” this tag uses old music, book, and mechanical drawing sheets and some stamps. Acrylic paint rolled over with a brayer and green alcohol ink as well as several distress inks. i really do wish i could draw better…but oh well 🙂
here’s another look:
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I am combining Emily Falconbridge’s art journal questions with trying a new technique each week.
see full list: here.
Jake brought this little bamboo piece home months ago and it’s been sitting in a glass in shallow water for months, living. To me, this is a miracle. I have the brownest thumb I know; I kill all plants. Even the ones hard to kill. But this little one has been living for a long time, quietly and persistantly.
David’s still sick. 102. I wish I knew what was wrong. Actually, I wish he’d get better so I can stop worrying altogether. While we’re at that, I also wish my heartburn would go away. I’m not a fan of it. I think five days in a row of both of us being alone and a little or a lot sick is finally getting to me, so I am feeling a bit restless today. Not to mention the 303 emails in my inbox that need attention….
Here’s a snap of the little boy from this morning. Sick but still as cute as ever.
I know I’ve been whining a lot lately and thank you for putting up with me. While I’m not at the best physical shape, I’m actually doing quite well emotionally and psychologically. I feel calm and peaceful. I love feeling the baby kick and while I’m not experiencing the huge excitement some mothers seem to have when expecting, I know this is not alarming. I never did have it with David either and I was worried then but I am not now. If I love this baby half as much as I love David, he or she will be much loved. And I know I am going to love her or him at least as much so I am not worried.
And just so you don’t think you’re leaving without a tulip shot:
Have a wonderful Tuesday.
This is David at the doctor’s. Look at those piercing eyes. Even with pinkeye, he looks amazing. I took him to the doctor today cause last night as I put him to bed, I realized he was burning up and it turned out he had a temperature of 102. When I looked it up online, it said pinkeye and temperature together could mean ear infection so I figured better safe than sorry. I think I jinxed him by telling the doctor how healthy he’s been when I took him in for the yearly checkup last week. Oh well. He has no infections and the fever is down a bit today so we’ll see how tomorrow is.
I seem to be doing ok today, gave up on trying to be super-productive and just taking it easy. Resting, relaxing, and reading. And just in case you thought I might be done with the tulips, I bought a purple bunch today so expect some more photos later this week.
Happy Monday!
Jake and I were listening to Gladwell’s new book Outliers on the way to Los Angeles a few weeks ago and amongst many other interesting points, one of the things he talked about was the ability to master anything by putting 10,000 hours of work into it.
This is a well-talked-about number: 10,000. It comes down to about three hours a day, everday, for ten years. It may seem like a long time to you but it somehow didn’t to me. Instead, it got me thinking. If I were to spend three hours of my time for ten years on something, what would I want it to be? What’s the one thing I’d want to accomplish?
The thing is, there are many things I wish I were better at: photography, painting, mixed media, physics, math, psychology, swimming, tennis, running, drawing, languages…Just to name a few. But if I were to accomplish one thing, I always come back to the same one: writing a novel and getting it published.
I want to write. I want to get published. Not self-publish. I cannot explain the reasons. It’s just a craving I have. I don’t need it to be a bestseller and I don’t need to write five more. Just one book published by a reputable company would make me feel fulfilled. Ten years ago, I was spending a lot of time writing. Now: none.
So it got me thinking…if this is really my biggest wish, maybe I should start spending some time on it. Shouldn’t I?
If you were to spend 10,000 hours mastering something, what would it be?
Today’s catalyst is: Pick a photo that brings up some emotions and create your art around it.
Here are my words:
I look at this photo of my son and I am filled with emotions. Not just for him, but for all the other people I can see in his face. In his eyes and long eyelashes, I see my wonderful husband whose eyes were one of the first things that made me fall in love with him. On his nose, I see the freckles that my sister and dad have; the little dots we used to hate as kids that I now find adorable in my son. This little boy, in one photo, can bring together everyone I love in the world and make my heart explode.
What can I tell you? I can’t help myself.
A quiet day around here. Exhaustion, heartburn, and nausea translates to not doing much besides sitting around. The fact that it’s raining cats and dogs isn’t doing much to inspire me to go out either. So David and I are just enjoying some relaxing time togehter.
I’ve been thinking a lot about writing and how I spend my time lately. More on this later. Off to lie in bed and read some. I hope you’re having a great weekend.
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projects for twenty twenty-six
projects for twenty twenty-five
projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
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