Max's costume

Well, the countdown has ended for a 6 year old. He's very excited about Halloween and getting to wear his costume that he designed. Kindergarteners get to wear their costumes to school so this is the photo I took of him this morning before he left.

Today is a very busy day. I have Sam's school Halloween party from 9:30-11:30 off school campus at a senior adult's facility which their class has teamed up with. Then, I have to help at Max's party from 1:00-2:00. Then, I have to be back at school at 3:00 for Max's parent/teacher conference! And, of course, tonight is trick-or-treating. Today is also my mom's birthday.... Happy Birthday mom!... but we are going over to celebrate with her tomorrow.

Halloween creeping up

Well, I have finished my boys Halloween costumes. They each designed their own costumes. They drew their ideas out, told me colors, etc... and I set to work. They are both insect alien creatures. Sam had a Halloween party this evening so he got to put his on and I snapped a couple of pictures. Here he is! Those are sorta' shark fin things on his arms and there is a large fin on his back. He wanted his candy bag to have a volcano on it, which it does, but he turned it a bit in the photo so it's not so noticable. I'll get better photos on Halloween. Max's costume is the same color but he got a little more detailed with his. He's VERY particular with his designs of anything and completely inflexible unlike Sam who is reasonable! I'll post both boys costumes with them together on Wednesday.

It has been a busy day with Max having a birthday party to attend this morning and Sam's Halloween party this evening. I stayed for both parties and am now officially pooped. I'm heading for bed!

p.s.

That single little girl at Max's party who can really hold her own with all those boys, is Emma whom I'm really hoping will be my daughter-in-law some day! Isn't she just the cutest thing? And what a sweetheart. I just love her. She and Max are big buddies and she's the only girl "friend" that Sam will even claim and he treats her like royalty. I'm crossing my fingers and toes for a "happy ever after" with one of my boys! :)

Survival mode

I am gasping for air after this past week but especially this weekend. My boys have been home on fall break, which throws me for a loop. My schedule gets all out of whack, I get no time alone, no art time, and I play referee to all the bickering and fighting and tell them to be quiet at least a thousand times a day. It's been exhausting. As the weekend crept closer, it got crazier. Max was having his 6th birthday party this weekend so there were things to get for the party, the goody bags, etc... AND, there was the delivery of the new dishwasher, scrubbing down the house before the party, grocery shopping, cleaning up the back yard since that's where the party was, baking a cake, getting everything out for the party and ready, and also gift shopping for the birthday party Max was invited to just an hour after his own party ended! All that on top of regular life stuff. I can't tell you how tired I've been. My head feels foggy and my body just wants to sit. Sitting is something I've done very little of lately.

Max's party was fun for the kids but I almost ripped out all my hair. It was planned to be a party of building box forts in the back yard. The kids had a great time playing with all the boxes but our swing set hasn't seen so much action in many, many months! Put 7 boys and one girl (the other girls invited couldn't come) all together and let them loose in the yard and they were like wild banchees I tell ya'! I have decided that this is the last of the major birthday parties at home. I just can't take the craziness. Doesn't a few friends at a movie sound nice? Nice and quiet! :) Anyway, Max had his Darth Vader pinata so that made him happy... and he got his coveted lifesabers so he's ready to take on the dark side of the force... or maybe not... he likes the dark side! LOL! Oh, and once again, Max had to direct every part of the cake making from the shape, kind, frosting design, etc... so here are a couple of pictures:




Max's party went from 10-1 and then we had to be at the other party from 2:30-4:30. After spending the whole day outside with way too many kids and tons of noise, I am 100% chicken fried. Today I have felt like a zombie and had a major melt down in tears. Now my eyes are still hurting and I'm totally ready for bed.

Unfortunately, next Saturday doesn't look much better as there is another birthday party in the morning and a Halloween party that evening with the school's fall festival in between! YIKES! Calgon can't take me far enough away.....

Tomorrow is Max's official real birthday so I'll be meeting him with McDonald's for lunch. Then, Chuck has the job of taking him shopping with his birthday money which he's thrilled over! He has big plans... but I think Chuck is actually going to take him to the bank and have him open a savings account to put some of the money in so we can start teaching them more about saving. Max just asked about getting a real savings account at the bank a few days ago so I think he may go for it. He's not the spender by nature like Sam is. Max gives more thought to spending his money. Sam can't stand having it and will spend it on anything. He needs the savings account worse than Max!

OK, I'm heading to bed to read a little. I'm reading a book called "The life of Pi". I just started it but it's good so far.

Reworked, finished, and for sale!

I have reworked my iris painting on Yupo and it is now declared finished. I have just listed it in my Etsy store should anyone be interested in owning this piece! My Etsy address is: http://Artvisionz.etsy.com

Breakfast Art

First of all, thanks to everyone for all the sympathatic comments on my book post as well as encouraging words. I'm getting over it...

Yesterday morning, Max asked for his breakfast and then gave instructions to make it look like a face on his plate. OK, so here we go... 2 poached eggs, sausage, and an english muffin!



I watched "Surf's up" with the boys yesterday. It was a cute movie. Then, Chuck ended up going out for a bit so I watched a movie myself, which is way overdue from Blockbuster and has to go back TODAY! It's called "The Ultimate Gift". I really, really enjoyed this movie and recommend it for those of you looking for a good flick.

We have finally made it through all the Star Wars movies too... I even watched some of the special edition bonus material on the making of Episode 3 and wow, is that fascinating! I was very impressed with George Lucas and he won a soft spot in my heart when I saw that amongst all the amazing technology in making this movie, he writes long hand on notebook paper! Amazing! Did you guys know that it took over 2 years to make that movie and over 900 people worked on it? YIKES!

OK, gotta' go get some coffee made.

I've done something so stupid...

OK, I'm just sick about this. Here's the story.... About 5 years or so ago, I purchased an old book in a thrift store for less than a dollar... probably a quarter, because I loved the paper in the book. I could tell the book was hand sewn and the paper used was heavier, more like watercolor paper, and even had hand torn deckled edges. My plan was to gesso pages and alter the book using it as a journal or something. It is in excellent condition considering especially that it was made in 1926. So, the title, I thought, was totally boring: The Spirit of the Union League Club. This book is about the history of the Union League Club of Chicago. It is still in full swing today and is quite a place, which is what I found out just this morning.... too late. Why, of all days, did I pull this book out and not even look through it before I started putting gesso on the pages, I don't know. In fact, I've never really even read through any of the book before. The title just sounded boring and I took it as that. Well, after I'd gessoed several pages, I started wondering what exactly is this club anyway. So, I take a short break and start looking things up on Google. Then, I started trying to track down info about the book. Only then, do I discover on the last page of the book this:
This book is number 1459 of a limited edition, being the property of Reuben A. Joy (name is hand written) presented to him at the opening of the new Union League Club House, May Twenty-first, Nineteen Hundred Twenty-six. (signed) W.J. Jackson, president. OK, so now I'm starting to squirm wondering what have I just done? Well, come to find out, what I have just done, is put gesso on several pages of a book worth $300.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now someone please just throw up for me.

Major lesson learned.... NEVER begin altering a vintage book until you find out more about it!