The difference a friend makes

Elizabeth is very much a part of our family. She has a birthday-this year she will be 5, a bed, clothes-she enjoys argule socks, and a best friend. That best friend is Olivia. Olivia friends great comfort in her best friend who listens to her worries, troubles and laughs with her. Elizabeth loves playing hide and seek and it often takes the entire family to seek her because she is such a good hider. Someday there will be college, and boyfriends, and careers-but first there was Elizabeth.

Yes, Chef!

A cold icy morning starts our weekend, and I wake to find a roaring fire and father and daughter in the kitchen making blueberry muffins. Of course, in a house with a teacher and school administer nothing is what it seems. Baking is a great way to incorporate math and reading skills into the daily life of children-so the kitchen has been turned into a mock classroom.Complete with a vocabulary words such as "seux chef" and "folding batter".  Lots of learning on this 30 degree morning-what will the rest of the day hold?

Members only!

The new year has arrived and with it all the toys and amazing presents that came with the Holidays. My husband and I took our weekend to clean out the children's rooms to make room for new exciting treasures. As we were making piles Olivia walked in and observed the piles with her keen six year old eyes. She is generous in giving up things that will go to others in need, but she looked at one pile with questioning eyes.
"You can't throw out that stuff, those are my members," she expressed.
"Your what?" we asked.
"My members, I don't want to give those away."
"Olivia, what is a member?"
"You know when you member stuff, special stuff about things you did," she said as a matter of fact.

And I have laughed for days! So folks in our house, memories are just members of the family. Enjoy your days and keep warm. We are hoping for snow-to make new members.

One more blanket please

I am not sure if Winter is offically here yet, but it sure seems as if She has arrived on frosty feet. The babies are cuddled together in our room under blankets and the little heater begging for hot cocoa. I am trying to decide what pair of amazing socks to warm to keep my toesies from falling off.

In two weeks we will be warm under the Floridian sun, but for now we have a great excuse for snoggling together with a book, a blanket and each other.

 PiBoldMo was a success! I have lots of ideas and I can not wait to flesh them out. I am trying hard to budget my time between ideas and asseblages. I am still planning for a one woman show near the end of January and I have several pieces to finish. So I best grab some glue, cozy socks and my own cuppa cocoa.

Enjoy!

Sidling up

I have joined PiBoIdMo. It is a 30 challenge by an amazing blogger, Tara Lazar, and if I could figure out how to post the badge on this blog I would. We, those who accept the challenge, write a story/idea for a picture book every day for the month of November. What a fabulous and scary adventure.
Yesterday there was a grand post from Emma Ledbetter about sidling up...how she begins to read and the children gather around to listen. In our house that happens when ever a book-sketch, lined, published or otherwise appears in somebody's lap. What a great thing to share with the world, our child friendly ideas...sometimes with adult themes or kid tradgies. My daughter decided that she would take the challenge with me and busted out one of her many spirals and began an illustrated story about a dog. I am grateful for the talent God granted me, that my mother shared with me that I can share with my children and so many others. I hope that my pictures as well as my words are something to sidle up alongside.

One less, is one moore

Never did I imagine that when I sent "Before I met you..." to the Spartenburg Artist Guild Show, that it would be the last time I laid hands on her. To my delight, and a small saddness that feels, I imagine, like when a child leaves the nest, she was sold last night. How wonderful it felt as I watched them place a red sticker on her. She also recieved the Upcycle Award, which I feel a special honor with because I enjoy giving new life to disgarded elements and objects. My children sealed the night's joy with their big smiles, and glorious hugs. What a fan base I have acquired!

Halloween manners

This Halloween my son made me think of something very important: Halloween manners. He made me so proud as we walked down the street in the holiday fashion from door to door, he was very careful about being sure to say thank you when he was given his treat. It may have been more adorable as he would yell walking down driveways, i said thank you again! As candy is his favorite food group, and what could be finer than a holiday created for giving away free candy, i was super proud that he used his manners.