First and last

In less than a week I’m going to have my first highschool graduate and my last kindergarten graduate! I’m excited about both! Life has been so good to us and growing up and getting older is a process and a privilege. It’s been and continues to be both. I can’t wait to see the future unravel for Isabel and I will especially treasure the next tender years with liam. Sandwiched in-between and following not to far along behind Isabel are melina and Lia. I will cherish and anticipate with joy the upcoming milestones ahead for them. But for now I will enjoy every precious moment the day brings.

It’s been and honor and a gift getting to raise all four of these children!

HAPPY 14TH BIRTHDAY!!!

Your birthday was yesterday but just like the day you were born, it was a hectic day.  Your birthday time will always continue to be in the middle of a hectic time of year…smacked in the middle of father’s day and end of school year stuff. But I want you to know how loved you are and what an important ingredient you our in this family. No one makes us laugh like you do!

I can’t wait to meet 14 year old Lia! I hope you have an amazing year! Dont head off to Hawaii just yet. They’ll be plenty of time for that!

Happy 104!

If you were still here on earth you would have turned 104 years old today! Incredible the difference in age that we were! 46 years old and my father would have been 104, that’s a 58 age difference. If you had been younger when I was born I would have had you for a longer time here on earth. But that wasn’t the plan and 37 years was not enough time with you. In the middle of raising a family, I tried hard ro be very intentional with my time with you and Im very happy that we made all of those trips to homedepot together!! I miss you every single day and I know we will meet again one day!

 

Highschool flash back

I created this piece for my highschool yearbook in 1996. 30 years and 4 kids later I almost forgot how much art was a huge part of my life.

I also almost forgot that I got my bachelor’s in visual arts communications! I worked in the field as a graphic artist for about 10 years and realized sitting behind a computer for sometimes over 10 hours a day was and is not for me. Art has always been a constant in my life. As a little girl I always had a sketch book a pencil and a box of crayons. I was obsessed with paper and the smell of paint. I loved that newspaper print and tempura paints I used to use in elementary school. I remember once while watching the Italian chanel with my parents there was an opportunity to draw a picture to be aired on the show. I drew a picture for my brother to enter and to my surprise, it got aired. I was very proud even though my brothers name appeared on it and not mine.

I also remember my classmates coming up to me and asking me to draw them dogs and bears to illustrate their stories during writing.

Creating covers for my book reports were always so exciting for me. And sometimes I’d put more work into my covers than the actual reports! I continued loving art all throughout highschool and having my artwork featured in the yearbook really built up my confidence.

With the guidance of my art reacher Mrs. Campbell, I decided to continue my education in art and long story short I majored in visual communication. I had created a sunburst in one of my art classes which was sent to a morning show and was picked to be aired. I never got to see it live but i got a copy of the show and again, felt proud of my achievement.

Looking back, I kinda wish that I had become an art teacher. I’m not sure why I didn’t, however during my years of raising my children there was always an art project or two ready to go almost every day. So, I guess in a way maybe I did get to teach art.

And now here I am. Working in a preschool and loving being a part of cute little art projects and it’s got me thinking that the next half of my life might be lesrning how to teach art to young children.

 

 

Pretty Eggs

Not only are eggs so yummy, but they sure bring so much joy especially around the time of passover and easter. Symbolozing not only the season of spring but life and new beginnings! Adding some color to them makes them even more extravagant! After their done looking pretty they become a delicious eggsalad!

On our way to St. Josephs!

One of four is ready to head on to collage! So happy she’s staying local. A nurse in the making, can’t wait to see your journey unfold.  And in a way it’s a journey unfolding for dad and I aswell. I love how our children lead us down unexpected roads. It was exciting entering the doors of a collage again. At 46 I still have so much to learn, but also feel like I know what I wamt to do now more than I did when I was 18. It’s definitely never too late to learn something new! Well Bel, I know one things for sure, whatever you end up doing you’ll do it great!!!