Swan Song...

Another one done....this one was a lot of fun learning water and shadow. Tricky. I just love the process of starting the painting and working on it for days a little at a time. Cathartic! Scroll down to see what it used to look like when I first started.....big difference!

Spaghetti Dinner.....Marissa's Favorite!

Tatiana and Marissa my "second daughter" being silly at dinner. Marissa has to eat with us whenever we have spaghetti, it is her favorite! It has become somewhat of a tradition. =)

Sunday breakfast at Sara's

The phone rang at 9:15 this morning and it was Cassie inviting us over to her Mom's house for breakfast at 10:00. We were still in our Jammies snuggly on a rainy Sunday morning but we said what the heck let's go! Notice Jamie is absent...he stayed home warm and snuggly in bed reading the Sunday paper. =) Joy's family, Rosanne's family and Kathy's family were there as well. Thanks Miss Sara for the great food and fun!!!

Stuff....

More painting of course...old world pitcher.


Mmm...good!

Tat and Destinee making a cake for Brenna's party. Nice face Tat!

Which razor will pop a balloon first...Tatiana's Science project....

nothing like playing with balloons and shaving cream...can you say mess!? =) Grade A-....yeah!

Pure joy.....painting.

After everything that happened this last year it is truly a joy to just have some fun. Painting gives me just that....fun and joy! Here is the beginnings of 2 swans. So far just working on the water. More to follow.... I am also enjoying displaying some of my artwork as well. The iris's are on the back mantle along with a candlestick that I made years ago..and the candle painting is displayed just inside the den. Jamie is afraid I am going to take over the house! =) Where will the swans go? Hmm?

Better than therapy! =)

My art teacher says painting is better than therapy...I have to agree! It is the most relaxing stress free activity ever! It is wonderful! One more to add to my collection.....I have a bunch of candles on my coffee table so this one was inspired by those...thanks Miss Corinne for all of the candles! More to come...can't wait for our next assignement. I just keep making them up in between classes. It is so much fun I could do it all day. =)

Dance Dance Dance!

Tatiana just finished her Winter Recital and what a great show it was! 3 nights of dancing! She can't stand taking pictures so I only have a couple to share. Teenagers. =) Her classes this year are tap, jazz and hip hop. She informed me yesterday that hip hop is her "calling." I love it! Her calling. She wants to move to New York to go to college and to dance. Can you say scholarship? Rhea you might have a frequent weekend visitor in 4 1/2 years. =)

Painting is too much fun!

Okay I am really into this now....I can't tell you how relaxing painting is! I painted this "funky" cross today and I really like how it came out. I have a cross on the wall that is similar to this one so that is where I got the inspiration. I can't wait to go back to class to see what project is next. =) I just added a vase painting to my new collection and finished the iris as well. This is addicting!

Party Time!

The girls taking pictures at Alyssa's birthday party. =) Tatiana and Brenna front row. Alyssa Miss Birthday Girl in the middle. Mariza, Angelenna and Taylor back row L to R. Dinner, movies, staying up late, breakfast, mall, shopping, pictures, what a weekend. Thanks Angela for giving the girls such a fun weekend. You are a true trooper!!!! Really! =)

Art Class! =)

Now that a new year has begun...I promised myself I would do the things I love and have always wanted to do. One of those things is taking an art class. I started a watercolor class yesterday and I am so excited! I met a class full of women from all different ages and backgrounds and had a ball. I am a true beginner so bear with me. These pictures are the beginnings of an Iris. I will post the final painting and some from the class when it is done. I am just so excited to be taking the class I had to share! January 17th.......I have added all of the steps of my painting and I am now done with my first official class painting! Too much fun!

Hangin' with Friends!

One of our favorite things to do is to hang out with friends. Here we are enjoying a wonderful dinner at the Mallorys with Arnold, Nancy, their daughters Cec and Alex and of course Tatiana. No photos of the girls they were hangin' out without us of course. =) Teenagers! We always have so much fun when we get together!

Christmas 2007 Sunriver Oregon

What a fun time we had in the beautiful Winter wonderland of Sunriver Oregon! 29 relatives and 2 friends! Food, games, snowball fights, 3 beautiful cabins, laughter, gifts, tears, drinks, shopping, singing, dancing, sledding, staying up late, sleeping in, cooking, and so much more. What a great family experience!!! Fun, fun, fun! Happy New Year everyone....to a wonderful 2008 for all! Checkout the slideshow of our trip by clicking the link on the top right....festive, festive!