Day late

Happy birthday Dad. Hope you're having a wonderful time, miss you bunches.

And for those of you who do not know my father...the above is obviously him...and below is where he will be checking this blog. This is BJ's Internet Cafe - but to give credit, when this picture was taken it was not yet an internet cafe (it was just a bar/restaurant), this was probably taken a good 10 years ago but on short notice it was the only picture of BJ's that I could put my hands on. So hello to BJ and to Carmen too... Hello to Sandy, Watson and Keyna (and the kiddos too), to Yolanda and Edgar, Nevin and Amalie. Hello to the whole gang...from Rocky Point, to Helene and beyond. Looking forward to mom coming home in 2 days (dad, you may not want to tell her it is currently 23 degrees here). Love you, love you, love you all. Hugs and kisses.

Sunday afternoon

Sunday afternoon. Lots going on around here. John finishing up the kitchen painting, then moving on to stairway, then the dining room (not all today). I finished a little project I've been working on... I got the idea for the butterfly mosaic from a well known scrapbooker, Ali Edwards, (it's totally scraplifted (yup, that's a real word in scrapbook world)). My new office seems to be taking on a butterfly theme so I thought this would be perfect. Here are a couple more photos of the project... Trying to pick just the right butterflies was not as easy as I thought it would be...I was punching from not only my huge patterned paper stock, but from magazines and anything else I could scrounge up. The butterflies were mounted with 3D foam stickers to give them that "flying of the page" look. It was actually a lot of fun - the pictures don't do it much justice. I wanted to finish this project because my Comfort Keepers Quarterly Meetings are this Tuesday and every meeting I have a theme - something to make the meeting more fun. This meeting's theme is going to be hobbies. If my employees are anything like me, they have made New Years resolutions to get organized, be more healthy, be better with money, etc. But I want everyone to add "take time for my hobby" to their list. I really think that taking care of ourselves includes taking care of our minds, not just our bodies. The butterfly mosaic will be a nice example to be able to show at the meeting. I really wanted to try and update the side of my blog today too...not sure if that will happen or not. I plan to share a bunch of the websites/blogs I visit. One of the ways I find great websites and blogs is by other websites and blogs...duh. I'm sure you all do that too. Also started reading a new book - Water for Elephants - love love love it so far. Made me laugh out loud and cry in the first chapter so I was hooked. Also having John's parents for dinner in about 3 hours... Lasagna Soup + Apple and Pear Crisp = perfect dinner for a cold February evening.

You are a marvel

Pablo Casals : Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michaelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.

Monday thoughts

"Look mom, I not crynin this time". Poor Dunc has been living in time out lately...having a tough case of the three year olds lately. Today he vowed to try harder. (That is a grape in his mouth). On my nightstand, among many items (chapstick, tissues, books, coaster, clock, various bookmarks) I have a little journal that I jot down notes in. I do not write about my day or anything that elaborate, more just notes to myself. Often times it is a conversation I have had with the kids that I want to remember (maybe to scrap later), I have tons of lists, things I want to do, see, buy, check out etc. Last night's entry was something I also do from time to time...I do a "what is going on right now"...this is so I can look back and remember what was happening in our lives at a given time. Then I like to do a "what I'm thankful for" or "what I am loving/enjoying right now". It definitely helps me to concentrate on what is good. So here was last night... What is going on around here: 1.) Cooper is learning to add and continues his fascination with letters and words - very cool to see him learn and love this process. 2.) We have painted the kitchen yet again. I have lived with Tequila Lime for about 4 years and have loved it, but was looking to update. So started the process. First Sesame...too bland...next Abington Putty (which is in the bathroom and we love)...it needs to stay in the bathroom...so I start thinking I really like the green, lets stick with that but just update it. So we now have Rosemary Green (as seen it Pottery Barn magazine). We like this, but it is too dark for the entire kitchen and because we have a chair rail we figured we would do a two tone thing. Hmmm, having problems with the top color...poor John...so glad I have such an understanding husband. 3.) Duncan has been living in time out, living without blue blanky, without toys and without special treats. Problem is, he doesn't seem to care? Make note...need to explore new discipline techniques for this one. 4.) Just found out beach vacation is booked for last week in July...cool, but 5 months away. 5.) We have the preliminary plans for our house and have been mulling them over. Things that I am loving and making me happy right now: 1.) Huge sales at Old Navy. 2.) Found a couple new food blogs that I am enjoying. 3.) Sports Illustrated Swim issue is out - love this! 4.) Discovered a new recipe for potatoes with mint and lemon that we love - definite keeper. 5.) Coop curled up sleeping next to me right now. So there you have it...some Monday thoughts.

Shark

tattoos are soooo cool. When you're 4. Happy Valentine's Day all.

Valentine's Eve

Trying to fight off some rough flu like symptoms over here, but still managed to whip up these... Looking forward to tomorrow with the kids and John...we are having heart shaped pizza from Bart's and cupcakes...how yummy.

Snow storm activities

Busy tonight working on Valentine's... And the first one goes to...

Come on...you can't say you're surprised?

On the bookshelf

preschool version. Shaping up to be a perfect lazy Sunday in the Larson household. Sending John to the grocery store (love that), it's Shark Sunday on The Discovery Channel so Cooper is pulling on the sweats and getting comfy, John is pulling my sewing machine out of the attic so I can work on a little Valentine project I have going, and I think Butchie is coming for dinner - love love love these days that are just filled with relaxing, cooking, hobbies and family.

Pictures of life stuff

I've been playing with my camera and taking different kinds of pictures lately. First I realized that probably 95% of all my photos are of people, but when I go to flickr the photos I love are those of things and stuff and landscapes etc. I look at other peoples photographs and think "now why didn't I think of that" or "I could take that picture". The other thing I am finding out about myself is that I really like photographs of ordinary things like a cup of toothbrushes or a pair of shoes or a stack of books. And because I scrapbook, I am enjoying using these kinds of photos on my pages...they help to tell my story above just the people - and personally I like the added interest of photos of people mixed with photos of life stuff. I am also trying to learn my camera - most of what I do is in automatic mode, which works just fine but I'd like to know a bit more. I'm thinking I might love a macro lens, but I don't even know where to start...anyone have any suggestions? My father has been a good source of information for me (my love of photography and weather definitely comes from him), but he is in Roatan for the next few months so he is a bit, well, unreachable.

Tea

Tea...is a religion of the art of life. ~Okakura

If you know me, you know that I am almost never without a cup of tea. I easily drink 10 cups a day - either hot or iced (usually hot) and always caffeinated. The teapot above is my best friend, my "most used appliance". This christmas my mom got me the stainless steal version - I did have the exact same pot in copper, which, don't get me wrong, was gorgeous...when it was polished, which was basically only when my wonderful Aunt Carla felt sorry enough for me and would break out the copper polish. My copper pot moved on to it's new home at my mother's and I now have this beautiful stainless one. Tea is my coffee, my cigarettes, my addiction... Tea helps me through February. And March. And January and December and June and...

Enough kisses

One regret, dear world,

That I am determined not to have

When I am lying on my deathbed

Is thatI did not kiss you enough. Hafiz