Zoom and Super
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

yo.

you takin' to me?

oh yeah, I'm talkin' to you

you got a problem or sumpthin?

don't make me take you out there

(this is my interpretation.. we'll see Parker's next)

goin' green

365:20 ~goin' green
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

well.. the dryer is making some pretty funny noises too.
Jonathan took a quick trip to Rural King over the weekend and soon we had a clothesline. There were already attachments to the house, so he added a board to the back fence, grabbed this 2x4 (or whatever size.) and for 12.00 (line, pins & handy bag) we have a energy saving dryer!

process
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

Originally the idea was for me or maybe Parker and me to paint these four wooden dolls to be superheroes. But once Grace and Lucy saw them they wanted to join in too!
Here they are nearly done:

I'll add a finished photo in a few days!
for some really adorable ones look here
they look like Lucy and her friend Clarice!

Thoughtful Friday

Thoughtful Friday
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

"The very least you can do in your life
is to figure out what you hope for.
The most you can do is live inside that hope, running down its hallways, touching the walls on both sides."
~Barbara Kingsolver

An interview with Grace, age 12
*Editied to add links...she found a couple of movie clips :-)

Me: So my blog needs some excitement.
Grace: It does? What's wrong with it? Are you going to interview Lucy and Parker?
Me: I've seen a few other blogs where moms or dads interview their kids and I thought that was cool. And yes, I'll probably interview them at some point.
Grace: But wait! That's not a question!
Me: I'm getting there!
okay ~ interview begins:
Me: What is your favorite movie?
Grace: I like the original Parent Trap, it's one of my favorites.
And I like the Zoom movie. (Zoom: Academy for Superheroes). Here's a clip!
Me Are there any movies or DVDs you would recommend to other families?
Grace: Of what age group?
Me: Well, how about your age?
Grace: Dirty Jobs collections, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Avatar, The Goonies,and Akeelah and the Bee.
Me: Good suggestions. We all love Dirty Jobs.
Where do you think Mike Rowe should go for another dirty job?
Grace: He could work at a newspaper, or I know..
he could be a grape stomper!
Me: like Lucy and Ethel?
Grace: yes!
Me:What are you reading right now?
Grace: Amazing Flight of Darius Frobisher by Bill Harley. I haven't finished it yet, but it is pretty good.
Me: What's it about?
Grace: His father disappears, so he goes to live with his aunt, (who is mean, but not evil). She really doesn't like kids, she is one of those people who always thinks she has problems, the world is a horrible place, people are horrible.
Me: Does she think Darius is horrible?
G: She calls him, "Mr. Snooty Pants".
M: that's pretty weird! Any book recommendations?
G: For my age group?
M: No for families, maybe for read aloud?
G: Audio books count.(okay) Nancy and Plum, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Rats of Nimh and Lemonade River (wrote by a friend, not published yet-- our fingers are crossed!!!).
M: What are you looking forward to?
G: Possibly getting a service dog for a year.
M: How about explaining that?
G: Certain programs you can sign up to raise a puppy for a year. To socialize it and teach it basic commands.
M: Then what happens?
G: They will go into more advanced training to be a seeing eye dog, or help stroke victims or a service dog.
M: Don't you think it will be hard to give up the dog?
G: No, because it will be going to someone who will take care of it. Not to a shelter or something.
M: Thank you for the interview.
G: Your welcome. (flips the t.v. back on... she's watching the Partridge Family on dvd)

yet another source of inspiration:

Ressurection Fern

and at flickr

Click now! Be inspired!

Just a quick post to share with you all one more thing
I've added to my wish list ~
Little Travelers !!

from a seed

365:11
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

first (dwarf) sunflower...and a sweet friend

Thoughtful Friday

Thoughtful Friday
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

“I've decided that people are just as happy as they've decided to be."
~ Abraham Lincoln

Joy Jar

Joy Jar
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

Somehow I missed the "joy jar" the first time I read through The Creative Family, but saw it today and knew we had to start on one right away. My dear grandmother, 90, was diagnoised with colon cancer this week... this is a perfect gift for her today.
I began with a salsa jar and foil. I choose foil because my other grandmother used to wrap jars in foil and fill them with cookies for us for Christmas. Always, always made me smile!

the beginnings of my joyful notes...

it didn't take long for the kids to come and see what I was doing.. they immediately joined me in making their own joyful notes. My favorites were Grace's that said, "See you Wednesday!" (they have spent every Wed. together for the last 12 years)
and Parker's "Be Happy" note that was covered in smiley faces.
I know this Joy Jar is the right thing for her right now, but the kids and I plan to make many more for friends and family ~ just because!

da girls

da girls
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

isn't life just grand when you can match your dog?!

shopping with Mom

shopping with Mom
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

One day of shopping thrift stores with my mom yields an assortment of goods!
There are two items in the wings for upcoming birthdays.
A roll top child's desk for the boy (who loves to draw and write) and an old wooden play cabinet for the youngest daughter. Which will be awesome with this

which I already have set back for her!
It all goes along with my theory of getting rid of the crap & plastic!
My goal for the next few days is to get more junkie toys out of the house, organize things that are staying (playmobile & a few super heroes), and rearrange their bedroom to fit the new furniture.
The next step ~ figure out how to gently tell aunts, uncles and a sweet grandma that we don't need any more crap......
any suggestions?!?!?

six one way week twenty-five
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

~discussing the Wild Ass at St Louis Zoo

~jumping & skipping in a baby pool

~posing on a very scary insect

365:5

365:5
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

Flickr has a group called "Project 365", the goal being one photo a day for an entire year. I thought my birthday was a good day to start such a project!
This photo is from day 5, showing the book stack on my bedside table. Artist's Palette magazine is under The Unschooled Mind, and then a blank composition book. I have expectations for that composition book to be filled with stories someday.
The Nature Reader is there because of the cool illustrations I thought I would recreate in my own sketchbook and I thought my 7yo would like to read through it.
The Tao of Pooh is pretty much a standard bedside book for the last year. A friend and I bought twin copies one Saturday morning when we meet for coffee. Before that it was often there as a library book.
I picked up girl meets GOD several months ago and have only read a bit of it. It is patiently waiting for attention. Here's a bit of one teaser:
"Raised by a lapsed Baptist mother and secular Jewish father, Winner feels a drive toward God as powerful as her drives toward books and boys. "
I started reading Swallowing the Golden Stone to my son one night, and after he fell asleep I took it with me to read on. Interesting mythical tales amist Wangerin's thoughts about writing and publishing as well as other short essays. I picked up Miz Lil at a garage sale for a dollar.
I Love Dirt is one that I initially passed by, thinking my kids were too old for the activities. Not true.. they do still love dirt. How could I forget that?
I've been on a Sark binge lately. I just finished Transformation Soup: Healing for the Splendidly Imperfect and started Make Your Creative Dream Real last night.
Strange Dreams:Collected Stories & Drawings by Brian Andreas was given to me not long ago. And was quoted by Sark in Transformation Soup.... love it when that happens.
other randomness.... WALL-E watch left there by one of the kids for me to set the time.. it wasn't easy.
Purple drawing pen and watercolor pen at the ready..
what's on your bedside table? in your stack of books? I'm willing to be you can inspire others by sharing!

bach turtle
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

click to enlarge

a new little character created last week.. there is a stamp and another page in the moleskine filled with turtles
trying to get just the right size, shape, legs, smile..
my dear husband thought (at first glance)
that it was a "stinky turtle".
boy is he funny.

doing hair
Originally uploaded by hsmom2luge

my goddaughter, Reese, giving me joy just when I need it....
really people, children are amazing gifts.
wish jar



*Nin-Nin is my newly appointed name..love it!