"Heaven...I'm in Heaven"

My first mixing bowl that has survived to this point.

A few of the other attempted mixing bowls, that will become serving bowls instead...(and my first sake set attempt)

If anyone ever wonders why large handmade bowls are never sold for less than $50, believe me, there is a reason...

*I can't imagine not working with clay, next semester is going to be hard :(

a weekend worth repeating, which I have every intention of...

love when boys get along!
Josh has been helping grandpa transform our backyard. (out of selfish reasons, he is trying to earn money for a guitar so he can take lessons)

This is what I plan on repeating, at least once a year.

I really didn't think I would cry. I made it 13.1 miles with out stopping to walk once, and as soon as I saw the finish line and heard my name, I just lost it.

Jade said "awesome mom!" and "you smell like sweat, ew"

Jade and Josh both said they want to do some runs with me in the future after seeing me finish my first half marathon. Eddie kept saying over and over "mom! I saw you win the race! I saw you running and you win the race...and yeah, you were crying". Thank you to everyone who said I was crazy but awesome, I LOVED this!

Random old pics

Eddie loves helping! (and doing E V E R Y T H I N G himself)
When we watched Beckie's little Zane, Eddie took charge of "nap-time", which included putting Zane in his bed, giving him his bottle, reading him "3" books, and making sure he stayed there...that latter never happened once Eddie left the room. :) Sweet cousins!

Old pic of Jade and her best friend Natalie on our summer visit to Utah.

Josh and Eddie waiting in line on Joshy's first day of school. Eddie was ready for his school too, (that he LOVES to go to, next to "Mommy's big college")

On a visit to Aunt Jodi & Uncle Ric, the boys had fun driving the mini-version of ONE of Uncle Rics toys.

....and zipline fun at grandma and grandpas...

new projects

Yesterday I stayed home from school with "sick Eddie", and started to work on a new mother/daughter collaboration...
She is going to do some silly drawings on the white sections, something along the line of monsters, aliens, robots, or animals... and of course her 13 yr old humor captions.

yeah...REAL sick...

halloween yogurt eyes

Apparently, the yogurt didn't like sitting in the refrigerator so long with out being eaten. "Eyes" grew in wonder...

Catch up 2010 #1

Ok, I know it's not the best profile pic, but it more accurately shows my wrinkles. :)
These are all out of order, but they are of my trip to San Francisco with Josh for the Ceramics Annual of America expo. Good memories...

China Town fun...

lunch time at Fort Mason

Cool art in the parking lot. I think my dad would build stuff like this if he was an artist.

The ceramic art was amazing to say the least...

Kids 'n' Clay put on a workspace for kids. Josh LOVED it.

fun on BART

It was awesome. We decided we need to make a trip to the city at least twice a year together and stay with my good friend Paul. (they hit it off...the power of video games is a bond among men)

lazy blogger.... I mean BUSY lazy blogger...

LOTS happening in my life......L O T S.

*have been making lovely new friends.....
*getting involved in the community....my hometown is not that bad! I actually like this place!
*starting school in 2 months....for the next 3-6 years
*kids on their first summer break from school in 2 1/2 years.
*enjoying the fact that you can love life/yourself, even when really hard challenges jump out at you
*ALSO love how unpredictable and unexpected life can be.....

So that's all about my perspective.
Kids are hanging in there as usual, enjoying my mom-dances, frustrated with mom room-cleaning nags, still missing Utah but getting used to this place, and LOVING their lazy summer.

As usual, not many pictures....

Josh enjoying clay.....it's in his blood....
A short visit from Bill

Jade's science camp trip to Albian, she fell in love and wants to move there.....
I will try to be better at taking pictures.......try ;)

kid stuff

Jade's recent dragon sketch
Eddie's favorite snack, pb & banana

Beckie's son, Zane, came to hang out with us for an afternoon. Cousins are fun!

Wish I had taken some pics at Earth day festival. I'll try for the next one. k, gotta get back to being busy busy!

CAFE is OPEN!

The Cafe By The Spa, in Thorton Village, Stockton, is OPEN!

I have been helping with design/color/remodeling in exchange for a place to sell my art. I posted the bookmarks I have for sale so far. I hope to have pottery ready by the end of the month.
If you live in Stockton, go check it out sometime! I love how it looks so far, still a little construction and decorating to do, but it's a great little cafe!

Pictures of my bookmarks are posted HERE.

way behind, busy woman!

We spent 9 days in Utah for Spring Break.
NOT ONE PICTURE!
I'm horrible!
Here is a sum-up.....
*kids stayed with Bill the first weekend, giving me my FIRST weekend break in 8 months! (thank you Jodi for letting me have a retreat at your beautiful home!) YAY!!! (can I say I was feeling desperate?) (and technically, it was my first weekend away from the kids in like....years)
*I made a bunch of bookmarks, sold them all....another "YAY"
*had 2 "GNO" at Red Kiln pottery studio in Sugarhouse with some of my favorite people/artists, I made a pitiful collection of 3 bowls to contribute to Empty Bowls project. As well as a perfect saturday pottery workshop by artist Brian Jenson
*Thank you De, Dennis, and Cheyenne for wonderful "neighbor" mornings
*Jade had a few sleepovers with her best friend Natalie
*I spent the week helping Bill move into his new, super cool, (and now super organized), condo in SLC. Kids enjoyed the rooftop hot tub and access to the city.
*Jade enjoyed a gorgeous-ly snowing ski day
*kids were sick half the time
*I got sick saturday and drove home.


I am almost unpacked, house is nearly back in order, and I have some pictures of the bookmarks and "wine theme" earrings I made for my best friend's bachelorette weekend.

Her "party" is a weekend of wine-tasting and tours in Sonoma, which is why all the bookmark backgrounds have wine in them, and the earrings are the colors of red and white wines. :) I'm just waiting for the final selection and then gift packaging starts!

Eddie has been on a scooter since he was about 20 mo old. The kid has great balance. This doesn't really do his skills any justice, but it's all I have.

And he is all about dressing himself these days.....it's not my fault.

Happy BD Eddie!

My baby, my last born, (EVER), turned 3 last friday. We celebrated a little birthday party at my parent's house tonight. It was tiny, really tiny. Kind of sad actually, but I don't think he noticed. :)

I made gluten-free pasta, and a gluten/dairy/egg-free cake. It was interesting.

But it was HIS "special" cake, and he loved it.

His one and only BD present came from Uncle Ira. He saved the day. Although it was a gift kind of for all of us.....sort of. He wrapped up some "pet treats" for Chewie and Potter, in a "Mario Bros" game box. :) I love my brother so much, he is certainly one-of-a-kind.

This is a gorgeous painting by the most adorable local artist.......Jade.

I just had to throw some bragging pics of Jade's art. She is amazing for a 12 yr old getting professional art lessons for the first time. :)

I know, I know, I shouldn't show-off, but this is also my "mom journal", and I can put whatever I want to keep as a memory, right? :)