Monday

I haven't been blogging much of late.

I always have something to say...

sometimes I'm just not sure how to say it,

and lately someone is always on the computer.

Some Days

A soup bowl really isn't...
big enough....

Not talking about flu folks. :)

*on a side, nobody else got it...phew*

Talking about stress management techniques.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Pretend like you're blowing on a soup bowl.

I've been carrying my imaginary one around for a few months now.

I think it's time to lose the stress or get a bigger one.

All is fine.

It's just been a really long Winter.

Right now I have 27 minutes before I have a meeting at church.

I'm part of the design team.

Today we're talking window treatments.

Walls are painted.

Furniture is in.

We still have some major decisions to go.

In the remaining 26 minutes,

I need to finish this post,

clean the counter,

toss a load of laundry in,

deal with the mail,

make some decisions re paperwork,

find masking tape for the fun fair decorating,

figure out what I'm making for the bake sale,

decide on dinner,

straighten the art studio which hasn't been used for art lately...

just tutor,

push a million creative ideas out of my mind,

Clearly my focus needs more focus.

-23 minutes to do the above, including drive time.

Gotta go.

-julie

And another one

bites the dust.

Okay, not really.

Sofi got the stomach bug Sat. night.

Mark sunday night.

Izzy was sick with it last Monday.

I'm hoping it stops there.

Carl, Linnea and I are staying far away.

Like two levels away.

We've camped out in the basement.

Bored.

Lazy.

Afraid.

I could never be a nurse.

I can't stand seeing anyone hurting or in pain.

or blood.

Tomorrow is Tuesday.

I've had someone home sick almost every Tuesday since Christmas.

I've missed every Tuesday zumba class since Christmas.

I miss it...so I bought the wii zumba game.

Anyone else?

It's a great workout.

Off I go to clean some more.

Turns out the word "clean" was a fitting one for the New Year.

Hoping to be a better ray of sunshine tomorrow...

-julie

Apologies to My Future In-Laws

That would be my possible future daughter-in law and son-in laws.

I've been working hard to train your spouses on the art of picking up after themselves.

They are failing.

Miserably.

By the time you meet them,

it is my hope that they will know how to...

put their shoes in the shoe cabinet or boot tray,

put their coat away,

clean off the counter,

pick up their wrappers,

put away their personal belongings,

cook an amazing meal,

and many, many, other necessary life skills.

It is the dead of Winter here in IL in Feb. of 2011,

and I am trying to train them daily.

I am tired.

I am concerned for their potential future spouses.

Know that I will continue to work to help them be independent,

compassionate,

loving,

caring,

individuals.

Please be patient with them.

By the time they meet you,

I hope they will no longer be slobs.

-signed,

Your Future Mother In-Law

All That Remains

are Hugs and Kisses wrappers...

and I could use both right now.

It's been a long day.

I don't live in a cabin,

I'm not sick,

but I sure do have cabin fever.

No more saving for big Summer vacations...

we need to leave the state of IL in Feb. or March instead.

Sunshine.

A beach.

Water.

Good books.

I'm there.

Izzy's home sick....stomach flu and a tad of a fever.

Poor thing.

I'm working hard on my word for the year,

"clean."

Disinfecting.

Washing hands until they are raw.

Laundry.

More laundry.

More cleaning.

I'm done.

Time to plan a vacation...

-julie

When Was Your Last Personal Day?

I took one yesterday...and I highly recommend it.

Yesterday morning wasn't going swimmingly....

Dropped off the girls, and planned on heading to two classes at the gym.

Got a call en route,

and had to head home and do a few things.

Got to the gym,

went to my locker....and realized I forgot my sneakers.

Back to the car, -11 outside.

Headed home,

picked up the sneakers,

missed the class,

went to the gym,

and realized I needed a mental vacation.

I worked out longer than normal.

Even read a silly book while on a bike.

Sat in the steam room for a long time.

Showered.

Headed to my favorite mall.

Wandered a bit, picked up a few things at VS...

Little known fact- my first job was a clerk at a local lingerie store

I was 16

....loads of stories for another day

Poured over books and magazines at Borders,

Listened to "Lenka" on Pandora (trust me, best station ever),

Sketched three new birds,

Dreamed a little,

Came home just in time to pick up the girls.

It was a lovely day.

My batteries are recharged.

I so needed a personal day.

Today I will play catch up...

5 loads of laundry,

3 bathrooms to clean,

Floors to mop.

Meals to plan.

Shopping to be done.

Tutoring to plan.

Freezing again (-19 this morning)...

Oh well.

It was worth it.

I'm putting another one on the calendar right now....

-julie

(photo- Door County, 2/09)

Inspiration and Risks

Getting back on track,

after a few weeks of nuttiness.

Looking for a bit of inspiration today,

and remembered this bird I made in December....

Sorry for the head tilting exercise.

This little bird is now at a store in Naperville called Little Luxuries...

She's a funny little blue bird,

But I like her.

I love the frame...from the store.

It's reclaimed barn wood....

She came to be because I took a risk.

My friend Donje and I were having lunch.

We wandered into this beautiful store.

I could have moved in.

Many a day I'd like to!

I found this cute little e.e. cummings quote and many others by the cash register.

I lost myself in the words for a bit,

and spent a long time completely absorbed.

The owner asked what I was going to do with my ever-growing pile of quotes.

I told her I'd been making birds from old books, lace, and quotes, and these were perfect.

She asked if she could see my art.

I thought for a minute, and realized she could.

On my phone.

I loaded up my blog.

She liked what she saw, and took a chance on me.

She gave me a box full of frames to fill with birds.

She asked that they be in her shop for Christmas.

I walked to the car carrying my heavy box of frames.

Giddy.

Thankful.

Inspired.

Glad I went out on a limb and shared.

Grateful for the chance this storekeeper took.

I think these birds are still there....

I'm going to get back at it today.

Drawing.

Cutting little pieces.

Making art.

Giddy to have a little time to myself.

Thankful for some time to myself.

Inspired again.

-julie

Right Now

Can you hear me?The "feels like temp" is zero now.

We've had a little heat wave!

Two hours ago it was -7, but the sun was shining.

My son wanted to go for a walk to turn in his volunteer application...

Great idea.

Not today.

My daughter wanted to get the neighborhood kids together and play in her fort.

Great idea.

Not today.

We are going out of our minds.

We've cleaned our rooms.

We've practiced our instruments.

We had a 30 minute mandatory silent reading time.

We've made more cinnamon rolls....

which means I need to head to the gym when Mark gets home...

We've reorganized the laundry room.

We've played the Wii.

We've played games.

We've played teacher.

We've modge podged.

We've painted.

We've cleaned the art studio closet.

We've cleaned the floors.

Tomorrow is Friday.

My children are praying for another snow day.

I'm not.

We have family coming for dinner.

32 of them.

Please,

oh please,

can my sweet children head back to school tomorrow?

I need a little space.

I need a little time to bake and cook.

I need a little time at the gym.

Please?!

-julie

We Miss You Already GG Lil

What was to be a fun weekend minus the kids,

was a tough weekend.

Mark's grandma passed away Friday night,

peacefully,

in her sleep.

She was 101....

and although her vision and hearing have been failing for a long time,

she was really doing quite well.

I captured this moment at her 100th birthday.

It makes me smile.

These two were very close.

I've known Lil really well since I was 16.

When Mark and I were dating way back then,

he would spend the night at Grandma's apartment to be closer to me.

She'd make him huge breakfasts of bacon and eggs,

tiptoeing around him while he slept on the couch nearby.

She watched us head to Prom.

She wrote a beautiful poem for our wedding.

She was there for all of our baby's baptisms,

and was there at our dining room table when she learned Sofia Lillian was born...

and named after her.

Being within walking distance had its perks.

We could always head over for a visit.

The kids loved to go see her,

and my older two even rode their bikes for visits on their own.

They loved to help push her down the halls,

And even snuck animals in for a quick visit.

Shhh, don't tell.

We're thankful for the many family parties,

Christmas gatherings,

and the in the midst of life little visits we had with her.

She will be very very missed.

-julie