I'm Too Sexy for My Undies

Overheard from Theron's room, as he opens a new package of underwear:

"Fashion briefs!...  As if they're significantly different than regular briefs!... Oh, no...Camo! ...Look out!"

Work and Play

These boys love to stay in a hotel.  They both pooped out at the same time.

 These are composition book covers I made for Kati who wanted bears.  I couldn't find bear fabric I liked so I did some drawings myself and had them printed at Spoonflower.  The bear above was a sketch that I then cut out of paper.  I scan the images into Illustrator and use Live Trace to make them vector images that can be manipulated. 

Catching Up

I don't really know why it took so long to get back to this - we've had a few things going on I guess.  Still there's time for fun.  Theron and I made cookies tonight, for instance.

 His team, the Blue Ninjas, are undefeated.  In this picture you can see the banner Ashley and I made.  I don't love it, but it'll do.  I was really hoping Theron's suggestions of Blue Sharks or Blue Serpents would have won, but it's a democracy and ninjas are big.  I really wish I could have done the banner for the Purple Cat Princesses - how fun would that be?  Anyway, no more for me unless they happen to name themselves something like the Red Wine Stains. 

 Ash and I both went to Portland to speak at a conference.  We were all going to go up together but Theron got an ear infection at the last minute - so - flights were changed.  I went Friday through Sunday, Ash went Monday through Thursday.  I was happy to have some unencumbered shopping time, but everywhere I went I just felt sad thinking how much Theron would have enjoyed it.  So I brought him home some joy in the form of Voodoo Doughnuts.
I had to stand in a long line and it was worth it.  I got him some voodoo dolls (raspberry filled chocolate eclair in a doll shape), one topped with Capt'n Crunch, and a maple bacon bar. 

 While it rained in LA the whole time I was gone, Portland was sunny and gorgeous light sweater weather.  Fallen leaves and acorns, long, long midday shadows, and green, green everything. 

It's a heavenly place.

And now we are 9

9 years ago a fair-haired little baby was born in the West Village. Grandpa Flip, Grandma Mary and Grandpa Richard came to Brooklyn to meet him. He was 2 weeks early.

He had beautiful feet and he could hold his head up right away, all the better to look around at everything.

He has always loved to read.

And he has always loved to laugh. He used to laugh in his sleep long before we saw him do it awake. And he still laughs and makes us laugh. All the time.

The Happiest Season

No snow in LA but lots of color and spirit
Christmas tree pinata

We spent Christmas Eve with Grandma Mary and Grandpa Richard. Legos were had. Then we drove to Santa Maria to see Grandpa Flip and Grandma Rita. More Legos. Oh my. I actually can't even say how many more Lego sets. Theron hit the jackpot for sure.

Next, up to Morro Bay to see Joan and her family. We ate a Thai buffet extravaganza made by Joan's step-mother, Rose. Theron played Wii.

The next day we took Oli for his first trip to the beach, both at Morro Bay and Montana de Oro. Oli says, Thumbs Way Up!!!

Their feet barely touch the ground. When I think "Happy" now, I will probably picture this. We hit Morro Bay first, then Montana de Oro.

Where all the puddles were jumped into

All the seaweed was tasted

All the waves were chased

And all the waves were dodged

Service With a Smile

Wow, I'm really behind on posting. Part of it is that I can't get the pictures off my camera right now. Always one thing is missing for this to happen, always a different thing. I thought I would post a recent interaction between a restaurant owner (Theron) and patron (Daddy) - I was reminded of it because the restaurant popped up in the living room again tonight. I think it's some kind of scam. What would you think of a place that charges $2 for a banana and keeps all its money in a ziplock bag?

Here's what happened: Ashley ordered food from the "restaurant' (yeah, right!) and after eating he burped and did not excuse himself. In a later interview Theron told me he runs a polite restaurant and he demands manners. So he created this document.

Name. What happened: with three check boxes - Didn't Excuse, Ran, Stole Food. He checked the first one.

He gave it to Ashley who wrote his name and then wrote on the side, "I am sorry. I don't mean it."

So Theron persisted. He handed it back with his own note, "Say Sorry" with an arrow pointing at a line for Ash to write his apology.

So Ash writes, "I am not sorry! Really!!!!"

Theron hands it back.

Ashley writes, "I am sorry I came here to eat".

One last time, Theron hands it back and Ash writes, "I am kind of sorry - a little tiny bit. not much".

At this point Theron either accepted this or gave up because there was no where left to write on the form.

Oh, and as I look up the restaurant is GONE off to who knows where. And I gave him my credit card for a piece of ham and a root beer.

The Numbers

This last month I helped with the PTA Holiday Boutique.

They gave me some flannel and I made 16 pillowcases.

With my own stash I made 30 pocket tissue holders.

For our staff potluck on Monday I made 3 Martha Stewart meatloafs (one for home).


For our department lunch today I made 3 pans of Martha Stewart avocado enchiladas (one for home). I was able to do it by getting a deal on avocados at Superior Market - 14 for $2. That was $1 for 7, limit 21.

For the Secret Santa exchange I made one doll and one bag for the doll.
Ants I killed today - zero. I don't know what that's about.

Number of times Theron yelled out for us to come to his room last night because he was scared - I want to say 7 but I think it was more like 4 until Ashley gave him something else to be scared about. It was quiet until 5 a.m.

The Season Ends

Saturday was Theron's last soccer game of the season. Somehow this time it seemed sadder. It was such a great group of boys and they really played well. Last year was a little chaotic but fun. This year we could see they were learning real skills and making friends.
The night before at practice the coach surprised them with the announcement that they would be playing against the parents. They thought that was GREAT. Unfortunately in the first round Ash and Theron took a tumble, and Theron cut his lip. But he got back in. Then he was shouting things like WATCH OUT FOR MY DAD! HE DOES TRICKS! I had the ball and he came at me. I said, "Oh, no!" and he said, "we're against you, Mom!"
When we first got out there I just had two hopes: that I wouldn't slip in the mud and that I wouldn't get kicked in the shins. After about five minutes my only hope was that my lungs wouldn't pop.

Multi-tasking Crash

This was a VERY busy week.

Let's see, Monday Sophie helped me get on the road to making one hundred bean bags to give away at a workshop on art and artifact handling on Friday. I was going to do them on my own time, at home, but the whole thing spiraled out of control and by Thursday nearly everyone around me was put to work. But Monday was the craziest day. Sophie downed an eggnog latte before work that gave her a headache, then we stuffed ourselves at India Sweet and Spice for lunch. We had our own little sweat shop going, I didn't let her stop for a minute: cut that, fill those, iron those, go to my car, etc. By the end of the day I could barely lift my arms. "I'm so tired, are you tired?", I asked her.

"Yeah, and I think I'm gonna barf".

Polypropylene pellet bean bag ready to have the tag sewn in.

Labels we made using twill tape and iron-on transfer paper. My helpers and I cut and ironed down 100 sets, and they came out so nice. It was totally worth it.

We had researchers in to photograph petroglyphs, that was interesting.

Ozge greets the researchers.

Anyway, the workshop Friday went very well and both Ash and I were relieved it was over. He was having sympathy stress so we were both ready to skip away. Everyone loved the beanbags and oh, yes, the presentation was fine, too.


We filled the weekend with soccer, a trip to the Observatory, and the yearly shopping trip at Felt Club where we saw the Gem Sweater lady, Leslie Hall, in person, selling spandex pants and cds. I went up with the plan to touch her but then I decided not to act like a weirdo. I guess I'm a little sad about it now.

Theron with the Hollywood sign in the background

On the Observatory stairs

We're also sad because Theron and Alan were supposed to meet for a movie this weekend but the fires closed the roads between us. Safety first. Madagascar 2 will still be there another day.

Halloween!

Here's our little pirate. Earlier in the day he had a beard and moustache. I carved five pumpkins. I really tried to make sure that black widow had eight legs, but it's still scary, eh? To the left is our little Obama-lantern.I hate that this is hard to see, I just couldn't get a good picture with the bats in the air.

Theron designed the cyclops.
We went out trick or treating right at dark, saw some amazing displays, but in the end we only probably hit about 10 houses. This is what I don't understand about this kid. In our day you got as much free candy as possible! After about 6 houses Theron wanted to look in the bag to see if he had enough. Enough? Can you still carry that bag with one hand? Then, no, you don't have enough. In our day we filled that bag and there was good stuff that parents would never allow now - pomegranates, home-made candy apples and popcorn balls. You had to get as much as possible because it faciliates a successful sort: there's the GOOD stuff, the stuff to trade, and then the pile for Dad, because just like earthworms on the forest floor, Dads are the mulchers of Candyland. They eat the boring candy, the black candy, and anything else disgusting, and they like it because they know, like everyone else except my son, that nothing tastes better than free candy. After the sort you ate candy everyday at a rationed rate so that you were still eating it when the Christmas tree went up. Ashley just thinks Theron's never been candy-deprived so he can't appreciate it. Another parenting failure.

Ashley went to the school costume parade. Theron appears at about 16 or 17 seconds into it.