My Momcave

Is here.

My art studio downstairs.

As in the basement.

It's not this clean right now.

I'm painting.

Sketching.

Painting some more.

Cutting.

Finishing.

14 more days until they need to be hanging.

In a gallery.

Gulp.

I think I can.

I think I can.

PLENTY of time, right?

In between Halloween parties,

baking cookies,

assembling costumes,

helping with homework,

tutoring,

driving around and around town,

cleaning,

making meal after meal....

I need to create.

It's a form of meditation for me.

It keeps me sane.

Back to the depths.

-julie

Sometimes

You just need to laugh.

Here's Linnea and Cody, the weasel.

Hysterical shot that makes me laugh.

That's all.

Enjoy.

-julie

The Fix It Job

Sorry to leave you all hanging on the bad hair job.

The day after two dear friends saw it in person, and said,

"You have to go back to the colorist."

Hmm...and I only thought I needed to go back to a new stylist.

And...

I washed it.

What a difference that made.

The crazy red streaks toned down considerably.

A week later I love it.

The cut?

"Nothing that can't be fixed with another 8 weeks," to quote my stylist.

Lovely.

It's not lop-sided anymore.

The back is still a little goofy,

and the front is a little fringy and weird,

but....

she'd have to cut more off to make that disappear.

So...

I'll wait another 8 weeks and it will all be good.

Thanks Izzy for the pic,

and letting me borrow your spelling words.

As for the 8 weeks,

I have plenty of things to do.

There are always dishes.

Always stacks of paper.

And always a counter that needs to be cleared.

-julie

Sisters

Meet Madison and Java.

Madison is ours.

Java is my sister Katie's.

Four years ago,

a "chocolate lab puppy" sign in Door County

prompted a turn around,

and a life altering decision.

Sure, why not potty train "twins" and a puppy?

I was nuts.

Most days I don't regret the spontaneous decision.

I'm glad I'm not training a puppy today!

Katie and Mike were fresh home from three years in Indonesia.

Three years of my heart aching for her to be home on U.S. soil.

She is now, but miles upon miles away in Seattle.

Things have changed since this pic.

Katie and Mike have two year old Eli,

and are expecting a baby GIRL in March...

and my baby girls are big now!

My dream for my girls is that they'll be close as adults...emotionally and nearby too.

Close enough to hang out and have a cup of coffee together.

I caught these two sipping cocoa on the swing just yesterday.

Today Katie is the big 3-0.

I'm nine years older.

Many times it seems like a lifetime.

For one year we will share the same decade.

Happy birthday Dear Sister.

Sick Day

Nothing like a little soup,

A few cups of coffee,

(side note...I'm really getting good at making it! Just had to slow down and check the steps!)

and a little bit of dark chocolate

to help get one through a child's sick day.

The little pumpkin on the right isn't quite herself today.

I'm using this pic to show her usually spunky self.

At almost two she had no fear of countertops,

and ran so fast I couldn't snap her up!

So today she is resting.

She's always had a knack for falling asleep,

in the most unusual positions and places.

Hopefully tomorrow she will be back at school....

and her three siblings will be too.

Had to postpone the fix-it cut till tomorrow.

Oh well.

I'm kind of enjoying a day in my sweats,

drinking coffee,

eating soup,

and nibbling on dark chocolate.

:)

-julie

Just Call Me Rainbow Brite

Nothing like a little foil to brighten one's day....

Here I am, amused by my locks.

Things were going well at this point.

Three hours later I left the salon and burst into tears in the comfort of my minivan.

A cup of coffee.

A good read.

Hanging with a fun girl.

I do this twice a year.

It's a little red.

Rainbow Brite streaks.

Usual girl.

I think it will be ok in a few days.

The bigger problem was the haircut.

I'm getting it fixed on Monday.

My usual girl wasn't there.

I should have waited.

But today was wide open.

So...I took my chance with a new girl.

Simple instructions.

Basic clean it up hair cut.

Said it three times.

Tried to be patient.

Finally said, please stop cutting.

I've never said those three words before.

In the ten years I've visited this place it's always been a great experience.

I complained.

Not about the color...

just the cut.

The side tucked behind my shoulder is that way for a reason.

It's pretty lopsided.

I pointed it out several times.

Very nicely.

It kept getting worse.

One hour and twenty minutes sitting in the chair.

That wasn't including the color, or the shampoo.

She even left me there for a bit.

Not sure where she wandered off to!

So...we'll see what Monday brings.

Tomorrow is our family picture.

I'll either wear a hat or push it over my shoulder.

Oh well, it's only hair.

Feel better now that I've shared about my day....

The 80's are coming around again.

Maybe Rainbow Brite is really in.

-julie

My Ruffly Burlap Day

Phew.

It's over.

The dreaded dental visit to fix a few things.

All is good.

One hour and 49 minutes of sitting in THE CHAIR.

Playing Zenses to keep me calm.

Listening to Lenka on my Pandora station.

Feeling so relieved to have that off my calendar.

I've decided my mission in life should be to invent a silent drill.

It's too bad I don't have a technical bone in my body.

Perhaps I could paint ceiling murals for dentists instead.

Imagine what Michaelangelo could have done for the modern dentist office.

Came home.

I can finally feel my mouth again.

What an awful feeling.

Made a ruffly burlap pillow to feel a little better.

Notice I'm not showing my seams.

They are horrific.

Don't be too impressed by the ruffles.

They weren't mine.

They were off of an adorable pair of jeans that Sofi and Izzy refused to wear.

"They're weird Mom!"

My day started rather scratchy, kind of like the burlap.

One of them, who shall remain nameless, has had horrific tantrums nearly every morning.

Today was no exception.

The issue?

Shoes.

Really?

She has 4 pairs.

I'd gladly wear any one of them.

But they aren't cozy like her sisters.

In other words, missing the fur.

Really?

I almost insisted she wear her rainboots.

And it's not raining.

She wore these instead.

Ugly aren't they?

I needed Calgon by 8:30 a.m.

A glass of this would have worked too.

But instead I walked Miss Polka Dot Sneaker Girl and

Miss Dramatic Fashion Queen down to school.

She dressed herself during the aforementioned tantrums.

Good thing they carry my heart with them wherever they go.

Here's hoping for more ruffles in the remainder of the day than burlap.

-julie