Christmas Update

Christmas has been busy, shopping, wrapping, baking, cooking, washing, running around. I feel like a mac truck slammed into me but I so far made it this far! I admit to being one of those that struggles during the holidays mentally but the busyness helps that though it hurts physically. SuperSpouse, BigBoy, VolleyGirl and I have had a wonderful time and will continue making memories for a week more before BigBoy goes back to school. The weather has continued to be atrocious with rain but it let up enough on Christmas Eve and Day to give us a dry holiday! I'm still not ready to return to cooking but apparently the Christmas meals have worn off and they are all hungry....

I have been unable to sketch or paint and have a bit of clean up to do before I can. Here's a very quick and rough pencil drawing I did right before Christmas. Christmas photos to come soon!

Always has been and will continue to be a Special Day

All my life, today has been a special day. Not just because it is the eve of Christmas Eve. It was the first family Christmas party, at my paternal grandparents' house, it was my mom and dad's wedding anniversary, but most importantly, it was my mama's birthday! Today, things are quite a bit different, of course, I will not be going to my grandparents house like we did my entire childhood, nor will I sing happy birthday to my mom and present her with a gift that I tried to wrap in order for her not to guess it first. She would have been 78 years old today. In 2000 we celebrated my parents 50th anniversary but in less than two years my mom would be gone and my dad was too, just over a year later. We refer to it as his "bonus year", since the doctor didn't expect it at all. He went into the hospital for the final time on the 23rd. The great thing is their oldest granddaughter's first son was born on the 23rd four years ago today. He was due on the 19th, as soon as we heard that, she and I both wondered if it would be possible. As Christmas drew nearer, her doctor wanted to schedule the delivery, naturally, she chose the 23rd. She prepared to check in the hospital the night before....and did, but she was never induced. She went into labor naturally that evening. So, little Finn came just when he was supposed to, on his great grandmother's birthday, just according to plan! It will always be a special day for sure.

The photo is mom with my daughter just after VolleyGirl's tearful pre-school Christmas program, at least 13 years ago. To be half the mother, I would be greatful.

Hot Holidays and Reverence

The weather has been atrocious here for days and days. Too warm and rain. Rain, rain and then....more rain. Frosty doesn't have a chance around here! Forecast: rain. The Canine Messiah (Apollo) had to check out the display of the real Messiah. No, he did not bring with him a gift of kibble.....he would have long eaten that. Colored pencil sketch.

Visions of Something........

I am enjoying the sketching this Christmas season. I am having visions of things I could sketch, still have several I would like to do. Cake...of course, like to bake (and eat) them. Like visions of sugarplums dancing in my head....except - it's not. I don't even know what a sugarplum looks like. Believe me, I need no more confusion going on inside my head! Yeah, what of it, I'm blonde, but it isn't all natural these days. This was created with colored pencils.

Christmas Sketching

I did the header photo last week. It is in colored pencils. I have completed a couple of them now. Many of you have inspired me to sketch, I have really enjoyed it. See Christmas Kitty layout below!

Does He KNOW He Matches The Tree???

Finally....his first pictorial......and obviously he knows how to work it, work it, work it! Honestly, this cat has not had previous modeling training. There are many more of these but they have been sent off to be printed up for his portfolio!!! This is VolleyGirl's kitty, he is a ragdoll cat. This Dec. 23rd will be eight years that he has been with us, arriving at 10 weeks old. We brought him home on a busy day, as it was my parents 50th wedding anniversary, I had a cake to pick up, family dinner to attend, then family came over to the house afterwards. He was great. Oh, his name: Dudley. He is a people person, but NOT a lap cat. I have begged that cat to sit in my lap, but he does not, that I kind of miss. He does visit me each night, waking me up. He loves to aggravate His Royal "Hine"ness Apollo on the staircase since the Canine Messiah is not allowed on them. He does love to mess with the tree but will finally settle down and lay under it, perhaps knowing just how lovely he looks beneath it!

Yes, he does climb up the inside middle of the tree.......

Working on the "Christmas Extravaganza"

I have only had time for a little color pencil sketch..this was just before Thanksgiving. I will have a difficult time in the next few weeks to paint. Decorating, shopping, cooking, cleaning, washing...recovering from decorating, shopping, cooking, cleaning, washing!!!! Wish I had taken photos of the two cakes I made, "Lipsmackin' Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake" and a carrot cake. I have increased pain and problems in my leg from my back but treading easily to avoid a major problem as I had last year on Thanksgiving weekend. (Holding breath, fingers crossed, saying prayer!)

That's BigBoy and VolleyGirl the day after Thanksgiving. We were all out working in the front, trying to get as much done as possible since BigBoy was leaving that day to return for school. He and his dad LOVE to put out LOTS of decorations in the front. I have yet to get any up inside but will have them complete before BB comes home for the holidays a week from TODAY!