What I've been up to...

It's no secret that I've been in a bit of a creative lull lately.

I blame it on the fact that my studio has shrunk to miniscule proportions.

(As in, it doesn't exist.)

And the fact that my poor man's studio--dining room table--will hold 3 dinner plates at a time with no room to spare, doesn't help. Seeing no change on the horizon, I finally schlepped my supplies out into the middle of the living room, stopped making excuses, and started sewing.

Several hours (and much sweat and tears, but no blood thank goodness) later, my new pillows were born.

I'm quite smitten with them. Of course, I'd be smitten with anything made out of linen. Especially white linen.

"It's my favorite," says the ten year old in me.

I love how it is wrinkly and heavy and drapes beautifully.

I'd eat it for breakfast if I could.

Oh yes, and buttons.

I love buttons too. Especially mother of pearl buttons.

I used buttons of all different sizes and shapes and shades because...

Well...

Because I could.

That's why.

That and the fact that I really hate things that match.

(It could explain why my fashion-conscious sixteen year old refuses to walk next to me at times.)

Kleenex and character...

I cried last night for a long time. Cried and cried. I laid down on my bed with tears streaming down my temples and puddling in my ears. I went through a half a box of Kleenex crying. My eleven year old laid on the bed next to me with tears running down his cheeks, trying not to let me see that he was crying too.

It was wonderful.

There are moments in life that one wouldn't trade for anything. Among my favorites are the sweet, stolen moments, serendipitously found between the yellowed, dog-eared pages of a book.

We shared one of these last night, my sweet boy and I. We were reading the book "A Day No Pigs Would Die" by Robert Newton Peck. In a hurry to finish a book report for school, we picked the shortest book we could find in our bookshelf and launched into what we thought would be a quick and easy foray into the life of a backward Shaker boy in the early 1900's.

What we got was something completely different. True, the story was about a backward Shaker boy in the 1900's, but what we learned, felt and shared was so much more than that. We learned that it is more than age that makes a man out of a boy. We learned that some things just have to be done no matter how hard or painful it is to do them. We learned that life is not always fair, but that the character built in a man in the face of unfairness is the hard-won prize.

And we learned that reading and crying together creates a bond. I loved my son more after sharing that time together than before. And I like to think he loved his teary-eyed, runny-nosed mom just a little bit more too.

These are the moments I will never trade.

Oh, yes she did...

Darn right, I did.

Blogged twice in one day.

Must mean You-know-who is coming home and there will be other activities keeping me busy for a while.

You know, activities like cooking...and cleaning...and darning socks and such.  

Mmhmm...that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

  

So...

I've been experimenting with Photoshop and I must say, "WOW!"  What a difference it can make in a photo.  Given my technological handicaps and less than stellar photography skills, I'm amazed at what it can do.  Okay, okay, you all know this already.  I'm a little slow in the cool new stuff and gadgets department, but I must comment on it, simply because it's news to me. 

I'm boosting color and increasing exposure and contrast like crazy around here.  I'm especially fond of the effects toolbar that lets me see it in antique and sepia and black and white all at one time.

A little slice of heaven on earth.

By the way, the magazine in the photo above is one of my favorite publications.  It is published by Somerset Hill who has a number of really unique magazines that it puts out quarterly.  They're a little pricey, but worth every penny if they feature a favorite artist or two.

  "Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities."

(Frank Lloyd Wright)

Amen.

 

Stacks of lovely white color-boosted linen and computer faded florals.  

Even glitter looks better in high contrast.

It's the little things, really.

Now go ahead and do what the sign says.

Laugh it up.

When in Rome...

You know what they say, "When in Rome, do what the Romans do..."

  

Well, in Maui, they paddle.

That's right, paddling. 

 Unlike canoeing, which is done in murky ponds and mountain lakes in Idaho.

Not one to be left out of all the fun, Child No. 3 has taken up paddling.

  

(He's the little brown speck in the 2nd seat from the front of the canoe.)

Take a look at the size of those paddles, would ya?

Awwwww, a hug from his coach for a job well done.  

It was fascinating to see all of the canoes lined up and the teams warming up and getting ready to go out.  The regatta was held in Lahaina and there were teams of all ages competing, from middle school age to adults.

  You should have seen the guns on some of those big guys paddle teams...

I'm thinking of signing up to get in shape... 

Yeah, right.

   I'm signing up just to watch!!!

Early morning thoughts...

I woke up this morning at 5:00 a.m. for no good reason at all.  No seminary today.  No walking buddy waiting on me.  Just awake.  Thinking.  You know, that dreamy, guazy, can't-get-back-to- sleep thinking.  I like it.  Some of my best ideas, most profound thoughts, and greatest epiphanies come during these times.  I can't share what I thought specifically about this morning, it's too personal, but I can share what it made me feel.  

I feel so incredibly grateful for motherhood.  What an incredible gift we have been given as women.  The ability to create life.  A little God-like science experiment going on inside our bellies for 9 months--and then, presto!  A real-live human being.  Ten little fingers, ten little toes.  A body and spirit--ours to mould into a beautiful, moral,  intelligent soul.  Powerful and heady stuff.  

What I am most grateful for is that knowing that even when things don't turn out perfectly, when things don't go according to our plan, it will be okay.  Because there is Someone who is in charge of the real plan.  The best plan.  Not everyone can say that they know this.  I feel lucky to know what I know and to have been tutored at the knee of humble parents who knew and loved me enough to share this gift with me.  Blessings to them.

SHE"S BAAAAAACK!!!

Back to blogging, back to Maui, and back in the saddle.  Yessirree.  

My only excuse for not having blogged for so long is that I have been so busy living life, that I haven't had time to chronicle it.  Clearly, I could NEVER be a scrap-booker.  I would have piles and piles of photos laying around languishing in heaps, waiting to be scrapped.  The guilt and shame of it would kill me.  No, an empty blog is enough. 

 So you wanna know what I've been doing?  Well, most of you who care enough to read this blog already know, but here goes.  A summer spent in Idaho included:  Rain, a dusting and cob-web-ridding binge, swimming and canoeing in the pond, COLD early morning walks, thunder and lightning storms, girl's days (although not enough), dinner with friends, trips to Alturas, lots of mosquito-slapping,  play-time in my studio, a family reunion, antiquing, dirt-bike riding, 4th of July parade, bbq, and fireworks, airplane rides, a trip to Blackfoot, a girls only trip to SLC, gardening (or as I like to put it "playing in the dirt"), swinging in the hammock, a community picnic, water-skiing on the Snake, dr. and dentist appointments, sewing, weeding, trips to KB's, 24th of July parade, oh yeah, and enough cleaning of the homestead to satisfy this neat-freak for a long time.  Needless to say, it was immensely satisfying and waaaaaaaay too short.  Kind of like eating an ice-cream cone in the summer-time.  I already miss it. 

 Sigh...

I think I'll go have some shave ice.    

What really matters...

You know how when something bad happens, all the unimportant stuff in life seems to just melt away?

 

 And you remember that the only things that REALLY matter aren't things at all.  

In the end, it's all about people.

And love, of course.

The Beatles were right about that one.

 I've been thinking... 

There are a lot of things that I love about my sweetheart, and I don't think I've told him lately.  

So...

I thought I'd make a list:

E-

• You are the perfect left-brained compliment to my right-brain-ness. 
• You like ice cream and so do I.
• You pay our bills faithfully and on time, avoiding the late payment notices that would probably fill our mailbox if I were in charge of that task.
• You fix stuff.
• Especially stuff that involves keyboards and cords and anything electronic.
• You allow me to decorate our bedroom with flowers, pastels, and ruffles.
• You have great taste in cars and bathroom faucets.
• You make difficult phone calls that make me sweat if I have to make them.
• You take our kids to the beach to skim board and body surf with them, even though moving the next day may take an act of Congress.
• You tolerate my stopping at every flower-stand we pass to drool and take a picture. ( See below.)

• You are good at not getting lost in strange countries.
• You appreciate art, and I appreciate that you appreciate it too.
• You give our children blessings when they are sick or scared.
• You forgive and ask for forgiveness quickly.
• You don't hold grudges.
• You think that I'm beautiful first thing in the morning when I haven't showered, brushed my teeth, or put make-up on.
• You keep an excellently groomed lawn when we have one.
• You dazzle me with your eloquence when speaking in front of a group, whether it be your Gospel Doctrine class or a city council meeting.
• You take me to the temple.
• You take me to other beautiful places.  (See below.)

• You pretend not to notice when I buy yet another purse.
• You take me to Barnes and Noble late at night on our dates to inhale the delicious smell of coffee and books.
• You aren't mad that I haven't "taken" to golf like I know you would like me to.  
• You love my parents as much as I do.  (And I yours.)
• You know how to build pretty much anything.
• You never think I'm fat, even when I'm pregnant and I've just eaten my way through a box of powdered donuts.
• You like my girlfriends ALMOST as much as I do.
• You're not embarrassed when pictures like this show up of me on the internet.  (See below.)

• You know how to work hard and play hard.
• You cry when you bear your testimony.
• You plow out our driveway all day on Christmas day so my family can come visit, even though I know you would rather be inside taking a nap.
• You're not embarrassed to tell strangers that you're the janitor when you're fixing the toilets in the building that you own.
• You're generous to a fault when somebody we know needs help.
• You're funny and you just get funnier when you're on a roll.  (See below.)

• You have some of the world's sexiest legs.
• You still call me your "Girlfriend" even though we've been married for fifteen years.
• You willingly move me and our children to a tropical island because you knew how tired I was of being cold.
• You fly overnight every month, staying awake for nearly 40 hours in a stretch, and work hard in both places we live in order to feed our family.
• You REALLY DO like romantic walks on the beach.
• You like to take me places alone--without short little demanding people around.
• You trust my judgement when it comes to educating our offspring, even when there's utter chaos in the living room as a result.
• You like to shop in The Body Shoppe right along side of me.
• You are curious about all kinds of things.
• You are smart--where did you learn everything you know?
• In short, YOU ARE AWESOME...

I know you've had a bummer week, with big, bad things happening.  I agree with Aristotle:

"The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears

with composure one heavy mischance after another,

not because he does not feel them,

but because he is a man of high and heroic temper."

You are my hero.