need the zen

{lilac bush}

hello all...our house has been
so busy with getting our summer
yard presentable. yesterday
my mom and dad stopped by
with a lilac tree to plant. lilacs
are one of my favorites. if you
noticed the stake is a pitchfork.
that is an official trademark of
my dad. he uses whatever works.
i love it! very creative, resourseful
inexpensive and funky. it's going
to stay!

you would think summer would be
appealing, but this is when my kids
take off for the summer to stay with
their dad. as much as they drive me
nuts with the arguing, back talk and
always wanted to be going somewhere-
i miss them and wish that they were
with me.

i hate to even ask this...but i am going
to take a break for a bit. i am about to
enter a very sad and scary phase in life
and i feel that i need to concentrate on
some important life issues. so please
keep me and my family in your thoughts, prayers
etc. i have learned over the past year -that
this group of women are such a beautiful
force and that is why i ask. and don't
worry, no one is sick. we just need
positive thoughts, a little zen.

so i will be checking in occassionally and
emails are good. just don't want anyone
to think that i have left.

so more important today, than ever....my blessings

heather for her laughter, knowledge and strength. i simply don't
know what i would do without her.

cheri...raw loyalty and fiery spirit
gabe...huge smile and massive heart
clancy...beautiful voice, and new dance [the dip]
bryce...support and and levelhead
lynnie....kind spirit
elconquestador....he will read this and send me some snotty
email and make me laugh

my newly tilled/planted garden and green green lawn
sitting out in front of my outdoor fire...relaxed

happy summer to all and love the ones you are with!

the menagerie

we have new family members! gabe has adopted

an iguana from depauws lab and clancy has thrown
precaution to the wind and invested in some
very colorful fish. i am digging the orange rocks!
she found a very arsty aquarium at petsmart and
it goes perfectly in her very colorful room! i just
hope the fish last. she named them bob and fred
and gabe's iguana is bowser for now. we seem
to always have a hard time sticking with names.

my kids love animals and bryce just can't figure
out why we need any. but he is pretty good
about just going with the flow and besides, he
is rarely here and the kids are incharge of their
own clean up.

we will be welcoming a new pup this summer
and i am trying to put a game plan in place
before she gets here. the kids are so happy
that we are getting a dog. cheri' is just glad
that it will be a sturdier dog. she wants a great
dane when she gets out of college and has
her own place.

so with that being said - here is why my life
is so blessed...

cheri going off to chicago for her internship
our new family members
my great mother's day gifts
the sun finally finding it's way to indiana
dear friends near and far
el conquestador and the family moving to the ville
my packet of seeds waiting to hit the dirt

happy tuesday!

studio fridays [ [[ sounds]] ]

[peonies mysteriously appeared on my kitchen table]

studio sounds throughout the day and night
include...tv in the back ground, road sounds,
toilet running, keyboard [backspace is a popular
sound] telephone ringing, turning pages and
coffee slurping. as the day moves forward, you
will hear the bus stop, kids voices, sometimes
arguments, doors slamming and nightly walkers

but my favorite daily sounds are those that keep
me sane...here is what i am listening to -

jack johnson - lullabys [curious george]
ben harper - anyone of his cd's
matt costa - my sweet rose, sunshine [songs we sing]
jimmy buffett - need i say more
tom jones - its not unusual
bob marley - is this love
ray charles - [duets]
and so many more....

if you want to witness more sounds then skip your way over
here....

enjoy your weekend - take time to love the ones you love.
slow down, breath deep and live life

happy friday!

busybusybusy

long last week...i am dreaming of a
warm sandy beach. running my feet
through the rough sand - instant
pedicure. i am sure i am lazily coddling
a strong margarita...yum!

i am finally finished with my graduation orders,
and once i get my two estimates off to clients
i get to take a deep breath.

bryce is running the mini this weekend. he has
really been kicking ass on his training. i don't
know how he does it...i suck air just watching
him. gabe shot a 50 today at his golf meet.
so he hit his goal and earned back his #3 spot.
he was happy. clancy is out on the porch with a
friend and i am loving the fact that i can see my
studio floor again.

i frantically pulled it together this morning - i had
a student come and shadow me this morning. she
is only a freshman and i hope that i let her see that
the world is hers. as i talked to her about design
options, i realized that 25 years ago [are you kidding
me...25 years!] when i was entering the real world
my options seemed to be teacher, nurse and secretary.
i majored in child development. i would rather jump
off a cliff! i made it through 2 years and i think my
gpa was a 1.7. but i could play a mean game of
quarters and drink any guy under the table. however,
this is no longer true. today...3 beers and i am done.

so to round out this day of babbling i will leave you
with some funnies...i am totally being a copy cat.
miz kelly rae was kind enough to share hers
[btw - check out her paintings - i dig them]

so here they are!
1. when i was little - i could walk on my hands, forever!
i was so limber that my feet would skim the floor. today
i can't even touch my toes.

2. i have quite a sassy mouth and most people don't
realize how shy insecure i really am

3. i dream of having my own stationary/textile design business

4. i hate when i hurt someones feeling

5. i will drive past my house and around the block if steve miller
band's [jungle love] is on the radio. i can't get out until it
plays all the way through

6. i am a closet dancer [outkast - hey ya! is a favorite]

7. i start a painting and struggle to finish it - this really isn't
funny. but it is one of my querks. i think i am afraid
of the result!

8. i can pop my hips out of joint.

9. when i am sitting around with my kids...they crack me
up. i wish i thought they were as hilarious when in public.

10. i make bitchin guacamole!

happy tuesday!