Sshhh

Quiet Sunday mornings in the fall bring me joy. Waking up before Shannon, sitting outside in fresh air that's *almost* cool, watching Gracie sniff every square inch of our little yard, soaking in the silence... simple blessings, you know.
Speaking of simple blessings, I'm taking my mom to play Bingo today with a few friends. I can't say I am looking forward to it necessarily, but I know my mother will have a great time. Just getting out of the house to go someplace other than a doctor's appointment is so meaningful to her. Doing the right thing is easy for me... it's having the right attitude about it that's a struggle.

Shannon and I did squeeze in a little artsy fartsy time last night. She worked on a few bracelets for her (hopefully) upcoming jewelry show in November. I worked on this frame. Taking the kids to Science Camp is my very favorite part of being a 6th grade teacher. But when I bring my camera, I either a) forget to use it, b) take pictures of students - sweet, but not really personally relevant in the long run, or c) end up with pictures of scenery. Last year, Mrs. Clare came up for a spontaneous visit and served as our camera happy camp historian. She grabbed this shot of me sitting in real, lush grass dappled by sunlight. Ahh, dappled sunlight. I found it last night and had to create a way to display it. Thanks for the creative button consultation, Shanni. :)

Time to start the business of the day. I'm thankful for the leisurely start. G 53. BINGO!

Home again

Mom came home from the hospital this evening.... again. This was her 4th stay in a bit over a year. We can't seem to help her understand that it's her choices - the no-shoes, the improper diet, the ignoring minor cuts on her feet - that keep putting her back there. This time, she's been dealing with a wound on her ankle that's been grafted a number of times, looked healthy on the outside, but the infection had reached the bone. So 5 days in the hospital receiving intense antibiotics, and we'll continue that regimen at home now for the next 6 weeks.

This aging, ailing parent thing has to be one of the hardest phases of life. Wanting to honor their dignity, but needing to intervene so often for their own safety. Some days I handle it well, some days I cry, some days I rage. Today I just chose to make her a card with an honest, heart-felt message inside. Just trying to find *something* that will make it sink in. Please just pray she quits ignoring the fact that she's diabetic and starts protecting her poor feet!

A Weekend's Work

Shannon and I set out this weekend with a goal of spending NO money on shopping for anything besides food. We *almost* made it - only spent an extra 16 bux at Scrapbooks, Etc. for some paper and ink. BUT it was soooo worth it! I finished my Halloween banner, and I couldn't be more pleased.
Shanni is feeling much the same way about her Fates. She finished panel two today, after two straight days of work. Her back aches and her fingers are stained, but her painting is amazing! She'll post it when they're complete.

I love these weekends we spend creating. I know if we had our way, and a limitless supply of money, we could happily quit our jobs and dabble in our respective arts full time.

It's the most wonderful time of MY year...

I LOVE fall. I love leaves, I love the weather, I adore pumpkins, Halloween makes my heart sing, and just *thinking* about Thanksgiving dinner already has my mouth watering. So, to kick off the season right, I've created a few fall-themed goodies.

First, was the banner. I must admit, I have a serious thing for banners right now. In fact, I plan on spending most of today working on a creepy Halloween banner for my mom.... unless I love it too much, then I might just have to keep it. :P

Then last night, was a Halloween card hootenanny. Since we have to weigh-in on Saturday mornings, Friday nights can no longer revolve around happy hour and big dinners. So Shannon and I decided to dedicate them to staying home... crafting, cleaning, watching movies, or whatever strikes our fancy. Last night, creating these struck my fancy!

Shannon has also been on a bit of a creative spree as well, designing more gorgeous jewelry (which my colleagues at work can't get enough of), and she tried her hand at a cut paper collage piece. Last Sunday night, she spent hours pouring through page after page of etsy art projects. She said it was like visiting the world's biggest an art gallery right at her own kitchen table. Well, she fell in love with a few pieces by thedreamygiraffe.etsy.com, particularly The Girl with the Most Colorful Umbrella. So she reinterpretted it with paper. As do all of her projects, it turned out to be AMAZING! Shannon would like to graciously thank the original artist for the inspiration.

Crafty Goodness

We're in the midst of enjoying a wonderfully relaxed Labor Day weekend....

Shanni was so wise as to suggest cleaning the house on Friday night so we wouldn't have to think about it the rest of the weekend, so we did. We spent yesterday eating and crafting and eating some more. The day ended with a mixed-bag visit to Barro's Pizza - perfect honey hot wings, crappy pizza (where was the light sauce and fluffy crust we love you for?).

Today we took a short jaunt up north to Payson, just for a change of scenery. We enjoyed a tasty lunch at the Buffalo, toured some neighborhoods for a potential weekend house, and finished our afternoon with some freshly scooped ice cream.

Now, we're crafting again. Shanni is making her gorgeous, sought-after beaded bracelets....
And I just finished an ATC-sized minibook about all the things I'm focused on in life right now... some that bring me joy and some that I just know are the right thing to do. Long live 3 day weekends...