1 to 50 Joyous Things

1. Ivy’s chubby hand holding mine.
2. The way G always runs to me to tell me the story of the latest thing he’s seen or learned.
3. A nice cold glass of water.
4. Reconnecting with an old friend across miles and year, through the internet.
5. Dreaming of good things in a new home.
6. Laying down in a nice air conditioned room after a day spent in the heat and humidity.
7. Making a dinner from scratch that tastes delicious.
8. The sun glowing through a corona of strawberry blond curls.
9. Ivy starting to draw people.
10. G starting to draw elaborate plots and dreams and stories.
11. Singing songs at bedtime.
12. Making up songs at bedtime.
13. Playing our new game of “wiggle wiggle” where I tell them to do something and they do it.
14. Figuring out a game that has them clean up their room without protest. (make it a race and see who can put 10/20 things away first.)
15. Learning numbers and letters all day long, as part of the day.
16. Finding myself in an etsy treasury.
17. Curating my own etsy treasury.
18. Reading a book that sweeps me away.
19. So You Think You Can Dance.
20. So You Think You Can Dance (second night)
21. Talking about So You Think You Can Dance.
22. Painting a new painting that really hits home.
23. Meeting new people via the internet who will be in the neighborhood of my new home.
24. Good conversations with S.
25. Good “conversations” with S.
26. Cuddles with the kids in the morning before they start yelling and/or fighting.
27. Every body going to sleep at bedtime without drama or escapes.
28. Long afternoon naps… them, not me. Ah silence.
29. The rain.
30. Figuring out technology.
31. Building a blanket fort in the living room.
32. Clouds and the shade they bring.
33. Lotus flowers in the fish pond.
34. Bare feet on warm wood floors.
35. Kids playing in the rain.
36. Tank tops.
37. When the mail comes and there’s a package/letter for me.
38. That the kids seem to love creativity, reading, singing, drawing, stories…. just by virtue of seeing me take part in those things.
39. Helping people.
40. New notebooks.
41. New art supplies.
42. Ivy with her dolls.
43. Gabriel making sets/scenes with his animals and figurines.
44. “Arr, I be a baby pirate!”
45. Tang.
46. Fruit off of the trees; grapefruit, key limes, carambola, lychee nuts.
47. coffee
48. That other people are getting something out of my 100 paintings in 100 Days.
49. Having a breakthrough and catching up in my 100 in 100 creative challenge.
50. The number 50 and being half way done!

See more progress on: List 100 things that bring me joy

More than a weeks worth of happies, and I've forgotten so many. Damn.

Rain, and the cooler weather it brings.

Going over my thousands of photos and deleting masses and finding gems.

The relief when what you thought was a disaster either resolves itself, wasn’t that bad to begin with, or is cleaned up and just bloody over with.

A nice shower after said disaster.

So You Think You Can Dance. Seriously. So good.

Getting surprise packages in the mail. I never get snail mail.

Finding long lost friends. I love Face Book.

Relaxing and coming to terms with the fact that it does not all have to be done right now.

My made up pork tacos… these things came out GREAT. In a crock pot. A pork roast, a chopped onion, half a chopped pepper, a couple of chopped garlic cloves, a spoonful of pureed chilpotle con adobo, a small can of pureed tomatoes, tbs cumin, tbs chili powder, tsp oregano tsp adobo… on high for 4-6 hours. Shred. Fill a flour tortilla with meat, sour cream, guac, diced jalapenos, scallions, tomatoes, whatever floats your boat. YUM.

A call from my cousin in California.

Cuddling with the kids.

See more progress on: Write things that make me happy, daily

6/14/09 The Day of Impromptu Birthday Party Planning

Mom coming for a short visit and playing with the cuckoo kids.

G and Ai having a blast, playing football, hide and seek, chase, just generally laughing ridiculously.

planning an impromptu birthday party for G on thursday, although his bday is net months (so we can celebrate with S before he goes to California) and finding martha stewart to be a great example.

Birthday menu: parmesan chicken fingers, french fries, greenbeans, juice, berry tarts, strawberry ice cream cones.
Birthday decor: balloons, birthday banner, pennants, wading pool, sparklers

G saying, “That’s exactly the ice cweam I’ve always wanted!” strawberry, in a sugar cone.

Ai agreeing and saying pink ice cream was necessary.

playing in my Wreck this Journal.

Finishing today’s painting and having the kids say it was wonderful

See more progress on: Write things that make me happy, daily

6/12/09 The Day of the Mini Bookstore Retreat Morning

wrote a few words in my revision of my novel, despite having read the first page and feeling singularly unimpressed.

thinking that this Star Wars meets Jane Austen novel might actually be a love story… but not between people.

watching G grow up before my eyes and turn from a baby into a big boy.

G told his first knock knock joke, created all by himself.

that I can bake a mean roast chicken, despite my many years of being poultry shy. Not only did I meet the goal on my 40 before 40 list, but I kicked it’s chicken butt.

My morning reading and musing in the bookstore. it happens rarely nowadays. but it helped me get some brains wrapped around my novel.

new book and journal.

working on my Wreck This Journal. Slowly she is wrecked.

See more progress on: Write things that make me happy, daily

Untitled

Smashing mosquitos. Damn buzzing devilspawn.

Reading on the couch and not forcing myself to work work work.

Bagel w apricot jam and butter while doing the Sudoku.

Hugs with Cuddly Ivy.

Conversation with wiggly Gabriel.

S in a happy mood.

Another night of SYTYCD tonight.

Doing a Tyra photoshoot. find your light. novocain mouth. tension. smile with your eyes smile with your eyes. And having fun w black and white.

See more progress on: Write things that make me happy, daily

6/9/09 The Day of the Margaritas and S's Pork Chops

Spending the day reading an book, instead of rushing to “be productive” and get things done. And doing it with satisfaction, instead of guilt or depression, or out of a need to hide. Just reading for enjoyment.

Comments from my blog readers on how touched they have been by my 100 in 100 creative challenge project and my paintings.

Yummy mango.

Making margaritas and relaxing before dinner while…

S cooks dinner all by himself. Pork chops in mushroom sauce. Was yummy, too.

New show on tv: The Mentalist. I like it. I like when a new show comes on to replace the ones that have been cancelled.

See more progress on: Write things that make me happy, daily

Two Kids, Growing Every Day

The kids are growing. Growing. Every day. Look... can't you see them slouching around High School hallways?

did you know that if you melt chocolate chips with some sourcream and a touch of flavorings (sugar, coffee, whiskey, vanilla) you get a lovely, yummy dip for your green apple slices?

I just thought I'd share that, because that's been a recent happiness.

And the boy yelling "Go robot! Go robot!" as his longed for Christmas robot spins around the room.

And the girl asking for "wipstick" so I give her some lip balm, and she says "mama!" so I put some on myself, and then we kiss, tasting like pomegranate oil and beeswax.

(sorry for my long absence from the happy pages. I'm trying to play more.)

How to create a painting a day for a month

"First it was fun and invigorating, then it was exhausting and felt like work, then it was a great sense of accomplishment."

How I did it: Every night I would sit down in front of the tv with my journal and my bag of acrylic paints and I'd paint.

Sometimes I would have sketches and ideas from the day, sometimes I would go into it cold.

Painting sessions were often accompanied with or preceded by chocolate, ice cream, or sherry.

Lessons & tips: Just do it.

Look for inspiration everywhere.  Stick with one them like my theme of "Flying Girl."  It took some of the choices away so I didn't get overwhelmed. Write or sketch notes as you get inspired. Keep a blog where people are waiting for your next entry.  Then you feel like you have to be held accountable for what you are doing.

Resources: Hard bound sketch book. Golden's Fluid Acrylics, Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pens, Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils. Blogger.com, ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX, and whatever UPN/WB turned into. And DVDs. And Klondike Heath Bars. And Reeses PB cups. And booze. :)

It took me 30 days.

It made me exhausted and amazed

See more progress on: create a painting a day for a month

11/24/08 The Day of Doggie

Dog sitting my brother's dog while he and his wife go on their honeymoon. Kids love dogs. Plus she cleans up all the cheerios on the floor!

G taking his little sponge letters and laying them out, pretending to spell words.

Cute outfit of mine... sometimes I just have to remember to try a little harder. Throw a little plaid button down over the long sleeved tee and skinny jeans. Slip on white sneaks.

Parmesan chicken. So easy and tasty. Chicken legs in dipped in eggwash then covered in parmesan/salt/pepper. Bake for 45 minutes at 350.

CHUCK on tv. That show is rising in the ranks as one of my favorites. Plus Heroes.

Klondike Heath Bars. What do they do to make it so tasty?

11/19/08 The Day of the Birthday Giveaway

It makes me happy to giveaway a painting on my blog. http://warriorgirl.blogspot.com/2008/11/happy-birthday-to-me-giveaway-flying.html
come over and give it a shot. I miss you guys.

Dancing with the kids and making music with a play saxophone, a harmonica and a maraca.

A call from Patty. A call from Dad. A call from Sean.

Plans to get my printer so I can sell prints on etsy.

Making corn muffins for breakfast.

The inspiration of two paintings, from out of the blue, this morning.

So far, so good for my birthday.

See more progress on: list three things every day that made me happy

11/17/08 The Day of Reading, 'Riting, and rrr...Art.

Painted one painting, an oracle that I made up, drew another, (Nox and Comfort) and wrote over 2 thousand words for nanowrimo. Still went to bed early, and read a new book.

A new author who does not bore me. I have a hard time finding science fiction and fantasy authors who are good enough writers to keep my attention. The curse of a s/f geek who got a literary education.

Writing during nap time, which is the only time I get to do so, nowadays, G woke up and came into my room. I thought I was done for, since I’d just started and did not have my word count. But instead, I asked him if he wanted to lay in my bed, and he did, and as soon as his head hit the pillow, his eyes fluttered closed and he went to sleep. Yay. The benefits of not having a separate office.

See more progress on: list three things every day that made me happy

10/9 The Day of the Harmonica Rising

Woke up to G playing Harmonica in his room. It was kind of nice, even though he can’t play, and I could ignore it until I wanted to wake up.

G then came into bed with me. He’s finally figured how to work a doorknob and we cuddled until one of the littles forced me awake.

Dancing with the kids. First to Sesame Street (Ivy loves to dance) then to some Dan Zanes. How we cut the rug all the way around the room.

Felt very productive at nap today. Did some cleaning, some posting, made some important emails. Sometimes, I feel like I have a handle on things, just a little.

I liked my daily paintings from the night before. And I did TWO, which I’d never done before.

See more progress on: The Happy Pages

October 1, The Day of Dancing, Drawing and SInging

Who doesn’t love Sesame Street? Nobody in this house. We spent the whole hour dancing and counting and laughing

Singing songs at bedtime. Itsy Bitsy Spider, Row Row Row your boat, Mares Eat Oats, and I tossed in a little Moon Shadow.

Dancing the wiggle dance in the garden.

G and Ivy hiding together in the garden, drinking their milk.

The drawing I did last night, my little witchie poos on their night out.

Showing the kids my drawings.

See more progress on: The Happy Pages

9/17 Photoshoot

9/16 B&W G

9/14 Tazer Loves the Garden

Ivy "Paints"

9/13 Late Birthday w Uncle Emilio

9/12 The Day of A Kind of Renaissance.

Saw Hellboy II and it was great. Much better than #1. You forget that this is the same director who did Pan’s Labyrinth, and then you watch and you’re like, “oooooohhhh!” It’s good to see a movie you love. It doesn’t happen often.

Hugs from Ivy at bed time, she hangs on tight and pats. Nothing quite like it.

Ivy likes to be tucked in now. I tell her to get in her crib and get comfortable and I will tuck her in, so she lays down and squonches up until she’s happy and I put the blanket on her.

G is getting better at potty. No accidents today!

G discovered how to take photos with my digital camera and spent a half hour wandering the garden snapping away. Oh the big smile on his face.

We made birthday cards for the kids’ Uncle E. It was my new project with geometric construction paper scraps. I painted their papers with glue and they put the scraps down. I made something that looked like balloons or flowers. G made a car. He was very happy with his car. I bet he won’t want to give it to his uncle.

Dinner was yummy. Whole wheat pasta with shrimp, mushrooms and peas. I should write the recipe down, because it was good.

Painted a picture in my journal according to the Inspire Me Thursday prompt of “yellow.” Yellow is not my thing, but I thought I’d try, and I struggled for maybe two hours. Layering paint over paint to try to get the colors and the outlines right. I started out liking it, then moved into hating it, then went back to liking it, even loving it.

Reread my 9/11 Memorial post. It’s sad, but it feels significant.
http://warriorgirl.blogspot.com/2008/09/iswas.html

I feel kind of like I am having a renaissance. Just a little. It’s been so long since I had my creativity flowing without stress. Even if I was writing, I have been unable to incorporate creativity elsewhere. Finally I feel like I am getting somewhere with being a mom. Finally I am getting some creative projects with the kids going. Before, I couldn’t even conceive of them, now I think of them, I collect supplies and I do it. Unheard of for the last four years.

See more progress on: The Happy Pages