Just waiting

Perfect split.  Living room on left, tiny kitchen on the right.    Gotta love 60s architecture.

 My sister made this beautiful autumn wreath for me last year.  I left it up all year, and it's held up nicely.  Can't believe Fall is already here again. 

 Photo/ art arrangement that I'm quite happy with.  It's nice to finally get a "look" you like.  Seems to take me a lot of time and a lot of cringing to end up with an outcome I like. 

                                                                     Tranquil bedroom

 Serenity, a.k.a. "Kit"/ "Serenity Mon Jennity" (don't ask... Vasi came up with it), "Fatty mon Jatty", etc., etc., guiltily peering from her cozy spot in... drumroll please:  The Baby's co-sleeper.  YEP.  She sneaks into it any chance she gets.  There she is, her Royal Fatness, curled up on the quilt I made for New Baby.  That's right, Cat, just make yourself at home.  I made this bed up just FERYOU!!!  I've scolded and removed her too many times already-- I've given up.  Once the Baby comes, I'll get really mean.  Just you wait, Kit. 

 Updated front entry way.  Being that our house has a mid-century, split-level design, this little hallway makes for an unsuspecting focal point of the house.  We pass through this area often, as we hike up/ descend down two sets up stairs, and rush through as we head out the door.  Naturally, it's the first thing we see when we arrive home; the first "room" that greets family, friends and visitors.  It once was home to a Dollar Tree adhesive key-ring hook, a thrifted mirror and a sorry little coat rack.  Not to mention lifeless white walls smudged with wee handprints.  I never assumed this area could aspire to much more, until I drew inspiration from DesignSponge "Best of Entryways" photo collection.  I may not have a complete mudroom with room for a charming bench and cubby holes for shoes, but that's okay. 
 I shared my wainscoted vision with my dad, the DIY mastermind!  He put in the bead board and the molding.  My mom helped me with the glossy coats of white paint.  Job even cheerfully pitched in and helped me paint the remaining walls a happy yellow.  New light switch panels and a  proper child-friendly coat rack were installed by Dad (already in good use, as you can see), as well as a key ring.  Now I plan to add some framed art, some icons and a nice mirror to finish it up.  Oh yes, the wainscoting supposedly needs a second coat of paint (hence, the blue painter's tape), but it's almost done.  Ack.  Excuse the trashy "Baby Bratz" stroller-- hahaha.  I really need to cover up that dumb "Bratz" character with fabric.  we've had that thing for nearly five years now.... I guess it trumps any "classiness" I'm going for with this home improvement.  Ha!  Oh, how kids keep you humble... :)

And here I am, working on waiting.... growing bigger, bigger by the day.  I think I have a dismorphic view of my body... I look down at my belly and I don't "feel" huge, but then I see pictures or look at my reflection and wonder who that large pregnant lady is.  Trying to enjoy these last days/ weeks of pregnancy instead of begrudge them.  Trying not to play too many mind-games on myself and convince myself I'm going into labor after one or two Braxton Hicks.  Trying, trying to finalize a name.  It's hard, though, when there are so many wonderful Saints and Feast Days in September... kind of makes me want to stay flexible and wait to see what day she's born on (Saints Faith, Hope and Love, perhaps?  St. Euphemia?  Could I have a Stavroula on my hands, here?  :D).

And just to update you, my sister had her baby a week and a half ago!  She was the one who waited to find out the gender, and she gave birth to a sweet little GIRL!  We were all so delighted and shocked-- we were convinced she'd have a boy :)  So that makes three girls, one down and two more to "go"!

Just wanted to share some of these pictures.  This September afternoon light is so gorgeous, and I love the way it fills the house.  I hope you are well!  Thanks for reading, and please continue keep me and Baby in your prayers!  I can't wait to meet her...!  :D   

Busy little scrawlers

The "art bug" has officially infected Vasi. She is constantly coloring! And when she isn't coloring, she's asking me to print off "princess" coloring sheets for her. Susy, who I didn't really think liked to color, does have an attention span for it. It seems that 3 is the age where kids get bored and frustrated with drawing, because they can't get it "perfect." Vasi, at least, grew out of it, and I think Susy will too. Her Sunday school teacher commented that she does, indeed, love to color and always insists on finishing her coloring sheet. And look! It's my boy, who just scribbles, but looks awfully convincing as a hard-at-work budding artist. He clenches the marker (egads, I know... what kind of mom am I?) in his fist just so, and he hunches so very industriously over his "art". Or, even better, he'll sprawl out and draw, looking like a big boy working on his homework. He may grow up to be a great artist... or a great pantomime, since he seems to pick up on and imitate many of his sister's antics. "One" is such a fun age (and interestingly, lately he's preferred drawing with his left hand).




And then there's me. Drawing, making messes, scanning, squinting at the computer screen and editing... having fun. The woman who heads up our parish book store asked me if I had any Nativity cards to offer this year. So I've spent my spare time working on making cards, and today I had a chance to add some 6-packs to my Etsy shop! I know it seems way too soon to think about Christmas, but with the Nativity Fast beginning in just over two weeks, it's sort of nice to shop early and get preparations out of the way. Plus, if I can earn some extra money, I can replace our old camera with a new one, and stop taking cruddy pictures on my phone! :D So really, it's for a good cause. *wink*

Visit my art blog and leave a comment! I'm doing a drawing on November 4th, and the winner gets to choose a pack of greetings cards from the shop!

On Forgetfulness

Question: Do you ever wonder if computers and the internet, in all of their relatively brand-spanking-newness, will have an impact on our mental health in the future? We know that the instant downloads, uploads, payments, tweets, updates and our general lightening speed access to EVERYTHING is not doing much for our patience quota. These days, if I start to sing a song, V. instantly says, "What is that Mom? Can we watch that?"-- referring, of course, to youtube and its ability to bring us practically anything and everything of a videographic nature into our homes.

But what is it all doing for our attention spans? The constant and literally endless string of links provide a bevy of bunny trails that end up drinking up our time and sometimes, leading in directions less edifying than if we'd never done it at all. And how much "information" do we absorb in a single 15 minute coffee break into the "interwebs". E-mail is one thing alone, and a valid source of information, communication, etc. But tack onto that yahoo news (or whatever is comparable), blogs, facebook, twitter (no, I don't do social networking), hulu shows, youtubin', random link-following, plus other task-related online "chores" (bill-paying, ordering products, and finding general information)... Convenient? Heck yes. But will it eventually take a toll on our mental health, specifically short-term and/ or long-term memory and increase our forgetfulness, distractedness and rob us of our ability to perform simple mental exercises (i.e. memorizing a ten-digit telephone number)?

Hoo boy. Just thinkin'. It's Friday. My mind is shot. These are the kind of blog posts I belch out when my brain is fried and I myself need a distraction (HA!)...when in the end it's probably more beneficial to just say nothin' at all. Really, though, have you noticed changes in your memory, in your ability to focus and stay in the present? Do you think it has anything to do with this digital, instant-gratification age that we live in? This internet thing has only been mainstream for 10 years. We don't know what long-term effects it will have on us.

The evil one wants us to forget. Forget, period. Forget to stay in the present, forget our responsibilities, and even more so, to forget God. How does he do this? Through distractions of course. And when we live in a world where a new-model Lexus has better reflexes than it's human operator (to offer just one example), then you have to step back and wonder when the heck humans were no longer expected to think anymore. Let alone respond and engage in our surroundings, to be fully present, to embrace and finally, to worship as creatures created in God's image.

Ahh... and now, back to real life.