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I DID IT!

We moved Kyle into the dorm at Sac State (California State Univ-Sacramento) yesterday (happy dances for everyone!) and yes, I am taking all the credit for this monumental occasion. And I don’t even care how that sounds. I have gotten a lot of things accomplished these last 8 months, but nothing took more of my psychic energy than Kyle. The stress that kid put me through caused full-on panic attacks, more sleep-less nights than I can count, and it has taken quite a toll on me mentally and physically. There were several times earlier this year that I tried to write a post about all the shit going on, but I was unable to get past the second sentence. There was just too much and I wasn’t ready to share it on this or any other social media platform. I still don’t feel like suffering the  carpel-tunnel that I would inevitably get trying to write about “all the things”. But let me tell you the story of Kyle. Kyle, whose graduation ceremony was on a Thursday night and we didn’t know if he would even graduate until Monday afternoon of that week! Let’s let that sink in. The child almost did not…

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Think Happy Thoughts

It is Halloween and I spent the morning listening to Kyle complain about how uncomfortable thong underwear is. wow. They really do grow up so fast. So, to try and erase the images of him and his teammates at last night’s costumed volleyball practice – sports bra and thongs oh my – I have been clicking through my computer files looking for cute and innocent pics of Halloween past. I wasn’t finding what I was looking for, but ran across this series of images from our Florida trip in 2012.   Sure, it has nothing to do with Halloween, but it made me smile. I mean really, who hasn’t wanted to chase Kyle around with a big stick!

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Duh Duh Done!

My semester is over this week. 2 days of critiques and them I am done until fall. Free to focus on painting, volleyball tournaments, and swim lessons! Speaking of painting, I haven’t gotten to do much these past couple weeks as I’ve been  finishing up the  triptychs for class. But I am still in Mindy’s year-long True Free Spirit class, starting a week-long Gelli Print class today with Carla Sonheim, and wish wish wish I could take this class with Mindy and Alena Hennessey. But before I go clicking any more ‘Add to Cart’ buttons, let’s go back to that second sentence up there. Volleyball tournaments. Yes, plural tournaments. In fact there are 3!! June 13-17 has Kyle and I in Anaheim for the SCVA Jr. Boys Classic. Then 2 weeks later we go to Reno for USAV Junior National Championships (also known as the Junior Olympics!) And that is the end of the NCVC club season. But Kyle went and got himself a position on the NCVA High Performance team and is going to Ft Lauderdale at the end of July for the USA Volleyball High Performance Championship. USA Volleyball!  And just so you know what that is all…

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NOT MY BABY!!

Remember these kids? Christmas 2008 Hells bells. Kyle was just a baby! And look at how short Erin’s hair was. crazy. And there is our old cat Bodhifattba! And while putting together the slideshow for the Uber’s 50th anniversary party I found these pics from 2009. Apparently that was the year no one wore shirts! Summer 2009 And now? Today? Today Kyle is 16. And he doesn’t want me taking his picture. Maybe because I do things like this: And this: But he’s okay taking selfies in my bathroom mirror! I see how it is. I managed to get this pic last weekend. Kyle is the big one. 16!! ::thud::

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Erin the Artist

Last week I had a  “ooh look at this post on Facebook from Roseville Arts!” moment and signed Erin up for free painting workshop yesterday at Blue Line Gallery. Turns out the workshop was for the upcoming NATURAL WONDERS FOREVER Children’s Open Show. “Natural Wonders Forever – Inspired by the Natural Wonders of Placer County… This fall, share your artwork depicting the landscape and natural beauty that is Placer County. Rivers, grassy hills, flower patches, the beautiful blue sky-it’s up to you what to paint!” Cool! Erin got to paint and her painting will be in a gallery show! The show is sponsored by Placer Land Trust and will run from Sept 28 – Oct 6, 2012 at the Blue Line Gallery in Roseville. That’s 2 shows for her this summer. The first one being the University Art “Kid’s Art Contest: Birds, Bugs, and Butterflies”. Not bad for a 5 year old! The classroom: Excited to paint! (She brought her own apron) Doin’ her thing. She was instructed to fill in all the white space. And done! Pretty awesome! There is a door. That leads to the farm. I don’t know why. Portrait of the artist with an extra head.…

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