Kitty and Butch

Freeman Family Farm

2011-10-23T21:47:00.001-04:00

Occasionally there are days that seem close to perfect. Yesterday at the Freeman Family Farm was one of those days. The weather was warm and sunny, the kids got along well, the animals were soft and adorable, the pumpkin whoopee pie was delicious, and the pumpkins were giant and beautiful.

Ryan and the kids in the barn with the petting animals. Visiting the pony, pigs, horse, cows, goats, and rabbits made me wish for a farm. If only it was as easy as it seems when you visit.

picking out the perfect pumpkin

Catching a rare glimpse of Kitty's two missing front teeth while on the hay ride with Butch and Dad.

Butch and Kitty riding the toy horses in the barn.

Butch loved our ride on the "choo choo" pulled by a tractor, we went around and around in a circle. It is the simple things in life that can make it great.

Peden Farm

2011-10-05T14:32:00.000-04:00

We visited the Annual Children's Day at Peden Farm in Bloomington with some friends from Kitty's class. The children were entranced by the farm and the perfect 80 degree weather. There were many small animals to pet including rabbits, piglets, horses, donkeys, goats, chickens, and ducks. We went on a hay ride around part of the farm and saw presentations on traditional crafts. It was a fantastic trip.

Touching a variety of animal pelts.

Kitty and Butch fed the goats for quite a while.

A few of the children on the hay ride.

Butch and I on the hay ride.

A photo of all the kids who came with us pretending to be animals near the feeding trough.

First Party

2011-06-04T21:53:00.002-04:00

After canceling and rescheduling Butch's birthday party two times due to fevers, we were thrilled to celebrate our baby Butch's first birthday!

It was a glorious day, tremendously hot and humid. Many of the children wore swimming suits and splashed in the wading pool. The rest of us relaxed in the forest with lots of little babies while eating roasted hot dogs.

I made Butch a chocolate cake with seven minute frosting. My father, whose birthday is also in June, always has this cake for his birthday. It looked and tasted a lot like melted marshmallow.

We had two cakes for Butch's party. I made a chocolate cake with pudding earlier this week on Butch's birthday. The party was postponed until today because of illness in the family and the cake was kept chilled. There were s'mores, cake, and even more cake for our partygoers.

Butch's friend enjoyed playing with Bruno. Most of the babies crawled all over the forest floor until they were filthy and exhausted.

The older girls had fun jumping on the trampoline and creating fountains with the hose. Kitty took a break from the pool to eat a s'more that was made on our new fire pit.

Butch's party was sweet, chaotic, and great fun.

Many thanks to Joy for taking a few photos of Butch and his cake with my camera so I could enjoy watching my baby boy claw his cake and all the children blow out the candle.

Butch Turns One

2011-06-02T11:01:00.001-04:00

Little Butch turns one today!
He has added joy to our lives through his curiosity, tenderness, and delightful personality. He always has big eyes watching the world around him quietly observing and learning. He rewards all those around him with a smile and dimples.

At one he:
throw balls around the house and chase after them
watch his sister and laugh at her when she is silly
be near our pets
riding in the wagon in the forest
weighs close to 26 pounds and is adorably chubby
love the bathtub and will start yelling if he sees the water going in the tub and he is not in
when in the bathtub he likes the water to continue to run so he can put his hand and toys in the stream
bounce on the trampoline
digging in dirt
dances to the beat of music
says Hi, Dad, Mom occasionally
has eight teeth and is currently teething more
loves to eat oranges, pancakes, apple juice, pasta
throws things into a net as a game with his sister
likes to climb inside Bruno's crate
relishes going up the stairs
sucks his thumb
rubs his eyes and plays with his ears when he is tired
says ooo ooo and ba ba ba and da da da
laughs whenever his sister blows raspberries
loves chocolate cake and ice cream
enjoys looking at books that have pictures of babies and animals in them
cruises along the furniture and has stood by himself for a few seconds
can drink from a cup if someone holds it for him
hates riding in the car seat and throws his body around whenever he is placed in one
likes to look at the fish and bang on the aquarium
tries to splash in Bruno's water or throw toys in his water
loves to pull dishes out of the dishwasher and lick them
started to feed himself with a spoon and a fork
throws his food onto the floor to feed Bruno
tries to climb out of his high chair and is successful about half of the time
sleeps through the night and has two naps per day
when he is being held he pats you on the back
likes to fall asleep in his baby carrier

Spring Bubbles

2011-04-27T13:23:00.001-04:00

There is nothing I love more that a small child, bubbles, and warm weather. Seems to be the perfect combination. It has been RAINING for weeks in Bloomington and we finally had some sunshine for an evening. Kitty thought it was a good time to try out her new grape smelling bubbles that were an Easter present.

In the last photo you can see the white wild dogwoods in the background. So beautiful.

Quick Trip

2011-04-26T14:44:00.001-04:00

Ryan went to Utah for work and the rest of us decided it would be fun to join him and visit our families. It was quick and a little bit hectic, but totally worth it. I started to get serious mountain envy while we were there and almost did not get back on the airplane to return to Indiana.

Kitty and Butch going for a swim in Grandma and Grandpa Geddes' pool. Kitty had been talking about swimming here for months. We all had a great time and I cannot believe how big Butch looks.

Butch visiting Grandpa Israelsen's office at USU. He was quite taken by the many mounted heads in the room.

Butch with all the ladies, his Great Grandma Gutke, Grandma Geddes, me, and Grandma Knowlton.

It was raining all day but cleared up just long enough for us to get a family photo on the A in front of Old Main. We bought all matching hats while we were visiting Logan. It was fun to show Kitty where I went to school, when she saw the art building she wanted to know if that is where I learned to draw. She told me she was going to be an artist when she grew up, or maybe a doctor, or maybe a Mom. I told her she could be all three. She said, no, not a Mom or a Doctor but a dinosaur museum owner!

Daffodils

2011-03-27T15:51:00.002-04:00

It seems like Spring teased us for a week and now it is cold again. I broke my foot a few weeks ago and have not been able to get out much. We all went outside for a walk this afternoon regardless of the cold weather and my giant boot on my foot. There is not much color in the forest except for the yellow daffodils and the yellow straw we have laying over our grass seed because some of the grass from last year died over the summer while we were away.

Butch thinks that he is a big boy and likes to ride in the wagon. He flaps his arms and tries to grab everything that we pass by.

Butch and Kitty enjoyed some time among the daffodils. Kitty and I planted them Fall of 2009 when we first bought our home. She loves seeing them each Spring and picking them. She is planning on delivering a daffodil today to many of her friends. She loves the white ones with yellow or orange centers, she says that those are the prettiest and they are shiny. We will be planting more white daffodil bulbs this fall.

Kitty loves the daffodil garden and is very proud of the bulbs she planted. She claims to remember which ones she planted and which ones I planted. I am starting to believe her. She found Easter eggs in the garden last year, I don't think that they will last until this Easter.

I love this photo and seeing her sweet freckles. To me, she looks like an angel from heaven. I am glad to be able to stop and see that occasionally.

Butch and Kitty together in the flowers. Butch enjoyed crawling around in the dirt until he had to go inside because his fingers were getting cold. I love the hat he is wearing. His Grandma Gail made it for him and it is perfect for this.

Rain Days

2011-02-22T18:19:00.000-05:00

The past two days have been extremely gray, rainy, and wet. We managed to get outside when there was a break in the downpour.

Kitty wanted to ride her bike through the puddles. She outfitted herself with her green dinosaur boots and rain jacket. She made a few big splashes before her hands got cold.

Butch loved watching Kitty while she rode around outside. We both were happy to get some fresh air and to see that the daffodils are sprouting all over the forest. Perhaps Spring may be around the corner.

Matching Monkeys

2011-02-16T19:14:00.000-05:00

Kitty has recently decided that her little brother is pretty great. Tonight they played together, took a bath and wore matching pajamas to bed. She asked me to take a photo of her with him in their "monkey pajamas." Melts my heart to see them get along.

Valentines Party for Preschoolers

2011-02-14T11:05:00.000-05:00

We hosted a fantastic valentine making party with some of Kitty's preschool friends. Lots of children came and we had a great time playing, making, and eating.

All the girls and one little boy squeezed on to our couch.

Some of the kids climbed inside the tent to see how many could fit, five or six preschoolers is now the official capacity.

There were even a few babies for Butch to play with.

We made valentines in the studio. I have never had so many people in the studio, it was really busy and humming with joyful creations.

The children frosted and decorated heart shaped brownies and we celebrated Kitty's fifth birthday with a chocolate pink heart shaped cake.

Eight Month Old Butch

2011-02-02T11:25:00.000-05:00

Our darling little Butch is eight months old today. He is a happy, joyful baby who smiles at everyone showing his two dimples and two teeth. He loves to laugh at the cat, dog and most of all his big sister Kitty. He adores her and watches everything she does with great intent.

Keeping Butch fed is a full time job. He is always hungry and is a very big boy. He is near 23 pounds and growing out of his 18 month old clothing. Nothing stops him from moving where ever he wants. He gets where he wants to go by rolling all over the floor. He crosses the room in a few rolls and pushes himself with his feet to grasp things or turn around. He is very close to crawling, gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth.

-sleeps through the night.
-eats solid food and is growing bored of his bottle.
-has two teeth.
-hates riding in his car seat.
-loves to pet the animals and go on walks.
-says da da da and ma ma ma among others.
-grabs whatever food you are eating and puts it in his mouth.
-likes to stand up next to the couch or hold on to your hands while standing.
-splashes a lot with his feet and hands while in the bath.
-slowly growing some dark hair.
-eats, eats, eats, and sleeps.

We love our baby Butch and think he is the best baby boy ever!

Family

2011-01-25T20:50:00.002-05:00

We recently visited our family in Utah. Butch got to meet his newest cousin who has since moved to Hawaii.

Most of the cousins from the Israelsen side were there. These kids are really adorable and love spending time together.

Butch with his Great Grandma Gutke, he loved seeing her again. Baby Butch is named after his Great Grandpa Gutke who has passed away.

Sleeping Kitty

2011-01-03T11:29:00.001-05:00

Miss Kitty fell asleep last night watching TV. She rarely does this now that she is older. She is so lovely and peaceful while sleeping. I cherish these moments.

Kitty Creates

2010-12-28T20:26:00.001-05:00

Kitty loves to make things. She is busy all day long, every day making things or creating spaces for her cat or pretend animals. Yesterday she was working in the studio quietly and I had no idea what she was doing. She emerged holding some papers and asked me to staple them, but not to look at them. Kitty was making presents for her cat's birthday coming in four months and this book was one of them. After a little while she decided to show it to me so that I could write the story for her. She dictated the words and I wrote it all down for her in red marker.

Making Friends is about Bear and her new cat Ginger. Kitty told me that this story really happened except Ginger wasn't there. I told her that meant it was based on a true story, she was very excited.
Kitty makes books very frequently and I adore them. It is amazing to see how she perceives the world around her and the way she interprets space and creatures.

This afternoon I was working in the studio trying to finish up some drawings when Kitty came in and took supplies upstairs. She told me that she was making a surprise and that I couldn't see it. After some time had passed she told me to go look under the Christmas tree and I found this gift. She made me a late Christmas present of fuzzy animals, a mouse, a dog, and a cat.

Butch got this new toy for Christmas and it is great because Kitty likes it too and they play with it together.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-27T10:03:00.001-05:00

We celebrated our first Christmas in our home. Last year we spent Christmas Eve with family. This year we got a freshly cut Christmas tree and put lights on our house. It was nice to be home although we missed our family.

Here is the loot Santa left before it was torn apart by the children.

Butch loved his first Christmas. He enjoyed the wrapping paper and the shiny bows better than any gift. Kitty and Butch received new chairs that will go outside by the swing. Butch is testing out his new chair while looking at a book.

Kitty wasted no time in unwrapping her gifts. She was thrilled with everything and was so impressed with everything that the elves made.

Ginger, our cat, played inside the new tepee the most. Hopefully the children will enjoy it as much as the cat. We loved our first Christmas at home and our first as a family of four.

Montessori Birthday

2010-12-20T06:01:00.001-05:00

The past two years that Kitty has been attending her Montessori school she has celebrated her birthday with a beautiful tradition. The birthday child holds a small globe and she walks around the ellipse where the classmates are sitting, circling the sun in the center. While she is circling the sun a parent tells a brief story of the child's life. They follow with some songs and a wholesome snack, or chocolate cookies in our case.

Kitty was looking forward to being the birthday child and we enjoyed participating in her celebration and watching her "work" afterwards in the classroom. She helped prepare her story including things that she remembered and thought were important from each year of her life.

"Kitty" was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in December 2005. We lived in a small red brick house and had one bulldog named Bruno. Both Kitty's Mom and Dad were students and were very happy to have her join the family.

When Kitty was one year old she loved to visit the petting farm and see the baby goat. She loved to blow bubbles and play in the backyard.

At two years of age we visited Florida and Kitty enjoyed seeing whales and dolphins for the first time. She often took walks around our neighborhood to collect natural objects.

Our family moved to Bloomington, Indiana when Kitty was three years old. She loved our new house in the forest where she discovered frogs, caterpillars, insects, rabbits and deer.

During Kitty’s fourth year she became a big sister when baby "Butch" was born. She traveled across the United States with her family in an RV and took a special trip to Bear Lake and Disneyland. Kitty has spent her days riding her bike, practicing gymnastics and spelling, visiting the Indianapolis zoo, and making books. Kitty and her Mom worked together often in the studio making crafts and paintings.

To celebrate Kitty’s fifth birthday we adopted a kitten that she named Ginger. Kitty takes great care of her cat and would like to be a Doctor, Veterinarian, or Artist when she grows up.

Tradition

2010-12-20T05:40:00.000-05:00

At our house we decorate a gingerbread house each year. Kitty has always loved it, but this year was the first time that she participated all the way until completion. She has particular ideas of how the house should be decorated, Ryan and I are happy to collaborate.

This year we are spending Christmas at home. This is the first time we have bought a real live Christmas tree since the first year we were married back in 2000. Ten years, I think it is about time. Here is the gang out in the freezing cold picking out our tree.

Kitty's Fifth Birthday Party

2010-12-16T11:43:00.001-05:00

We celebrated Kitty turning five on her birthday with friends, games, and a beautiful cake.

Kitty's cake was made by our friend Claudia. She made it exactly to Kitty's requests with sparkly pink and purple frosting topped with kittens playing with yarn.

Her party was of course cat themed with an obstacle course in the basement where the children pretended to be cats, a fishing pond, a treasure hunt, and balloon animals.

Blowing out the candles.

Kitty wearing the felt crown that I handmade for her. She decided that she didn't want to wear it for most of the day.

Kitty received many beautiful presents from friends and family. We adore her and I cannot believe that she is five years old!

Colorful Insomnia

2010-12-10T03:42:00.000-05:00

I love colorful creations made by my family, they inspire me to sleep. Insomnia has entered my life again. My dark winter nights need some brilliance.

Kitty is painting in our studio, she has carefully drawn and painted our home with clouds, bushes, rainbow and a rain gutter. She pays special attention to rain gutters ever since she illustrated

The Itsy Bitsy Spider.

She wishes that we would paint our house yellow or blue even if brown camouflages with the forest.

Last Monday we made snowflakes from a kaleidoscope of origami paper. The three of us made many flakes and a giant mess. Now our windows are covered with a brilliant spectrum of snowflakes backed by the white snow.

Kitty turns Five!

2010-12-08T20:26:00.003-05:00

My darling daughter is turning five this weekend and I am so happy and proud to have her in my life. She has grown so much physically and emotionally. She started this life wondering how to breathe and now she ponders how large her lungs are in her chest.

Her determination and strength amaze me each day.

Kitty soon after birth in the University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Kitty right before her first birthday showing off her big blue eyes and toothless smile.

Kitty blowing out the candles on her second birthday. Her hair a bit longer and curly and her incredible love for animals and color is already apparent.

Kitty blowing out the candles on her third birthday with our special birthday ring.

My ambitious Kitty throwing leaves into the air at the Boston Common Park right before she turned four.

Kitty showing her Michigan pride at football game in Bloomington, Indiana. She is aged almost five years in this photo.

Kitty is a gift from the heavens that gave me strength to fight for my own life. She is not always sugar and spice, but she is everything to me.

Kitty Cat

2010-12-08T04:16:00.002-05:00

My daughters first word was dog, but since that day she has been constantly obsessed with cats. For years she has drawn cats, dressed up and pretended to be a cat, collected cat stuffed animals, made cat homes, played with our neighbor's cat, and asked me to tell her about my cats as a child. This is one reason I have called her Kitty.
We have been hesitant to get her a cat because we are dog people. We could always come up with a reason that it was not a good idea. One was our dog Gary. He chased cats and we worried that there would be no harmony between the pets. A few months ago Gary moved to my brother's family and I no longer had a strong objection to a cat. Her obsession grew and I began to consider a cat.
When I was a girl I loved dogs, but I worshipped cats. My room was decorated with cats and I painted cats all the time. On my birthday my parents got me a kitten and I was so thrilled. I don't think I had ever loved anything so much as that cat. For years I adored that cat and adopted a few more. Remembering the joy from my childhood made me want that for my daughter.

A few weeks ago we adopted a seven month old kitty from the animal shelter in town for her fifth birthday. It has been a wonderful cat and my daughter is in love. She carries the cat everywhere, makes homes for the cat, and plays with him all of the time. She always tells me, "I love the kitty, I am so glad that we got her." "Isn't she so pretty?" Anytime the cat jumps onto something in the house she comes running to me and wants me to come and see how cute it is standing there. Kitty relishes in her new cat's purrs and her quiet meows.
After we adopted the cat Kitty had a hard time deciding on a name for him. He was named Dale at the shelter but Kitty did not think that would work. At first she chose Spots, then it was Stripes, then it was Carmel, and Mika. She decided that the cat should be a girl instead of a boy. She then named her Sadie (what I named my orange cat as a child), then it was Crystal, then Diamond, then finally Ginger. I think Ginger is the name to stay.
Kitty says:
"It is my cat, so it is okay if I decide that he is a girl." "I want him to be a girl like me." "The kitty loves me, she thinks I am her Mom." "I am really good at taking care of Ginger. She is so lucky to be at our house." "I love her so much. She is so soft and so pretty."

We are hosting a cat themed brunch for Kitty's birthday party. She and I made the invitations to look just like Ginger. Kitty did all of the drawing and I did most of the coloring because she said that it takes too long. I think that they turned out nice and look a lot like our new kitty Ginger.

Even with a few scratches to our tweed couch, adopting Ginger for our daughter Kitty is one of the best decisions made in the past five years of child rearing. The love she shows to her cat melts my heart and brightens her world.

Thanksgiving

2010-12-06T10:47:00.000-05:00

We spent Thanksgiving with our some of our dear friends in Bloomington. The dinner was fabulous and so was the company. Kitty and I brought supplies for the children to make hats. They also made apple turkeys which Kitty is holding in the photo below.

Kitty and her friend that is the same age as her. Kitty chose her own outfit for the occasion. She told me recently that it is boring to wear clothes that don't have animals on them or are about animals. She was quite proud of this ensemble.

Butch tapping into his Native American roots from centuries back.

All of us, we have much to be grateful for.

Kitty and Butch in their matching owl shirts.

Winter has arrived

2010-12-05T14:15:00.001-05:00

Indiana has stayed quite warm through November and the beginning of December. We finally got a snow storm this weekend and it blanketed the forest.

We were all excited to go outside in the white powder. As soon as Kitty woke up she wanted to go outside. She got her snow clothes on and we gathered up our new sleds.

Kitty walked around testing the snow for a while. Made snow angels and threw a few snowballs. We finally talked her into doing a little sledding on our hill. Unfortunately I could not get her to wear my Mom's cool old skiing hat, guess I will have to.

First Ryan and Kitty went and then she went alone. I think that she had a wonderful time. We were stopped by a soft bumper at the end of the hill made from the mounds of leaves we recently raked.

All the while Butch was napping inside in the warm house.

Happy Fall

2010-10-15T17:55:00.000-04:00

Butch Eats and Kitty's Cat

2010-10-04T10:43:00.000-04:00

Our baby Butch is now four months old and a happy little one. WEighing in at 18 and a half pounds and growing. We just started feeding him baby food which he loves. Here are two photos of him while I am feeding him pears.

He still doesn't sleep that well at night and wakes up to eat. I guess it takes a lot of work to stay that size when you are as young as him.

Miss Kitty showing her beautiful freckles that I absolutely adore. My brother has a sign that says a face without freckles is like a sky without stars. Agreed.

These past few days Kitty has made friends with our neighbors cat Bear. He followed us home one day after our walk. He was treated so kindly by Miss Kitty that he has been by many times since. He loves to play with Kitty and he even left her a mouse freshly killed by the door.

Kitty is wearing her Michigan game gear in these photos. We took both of the kids to the Michigan- Indiana football game this weekend. Go Blue!

She really loves Bear.

Studio Time

2010-08-31T14:07:00.000-04:00

Kitty and I have managed to squeeze a little work time into our schedule. Hope to find some more pockets in our day to draw.

Afternoon Light

2010-08-21T23:50:00.000-04:00

Last night there was a huge rain storm that soaked our dried out grass and plants. The day was quite wet and muggy, we spent most of it inside unpacking and folding laundry from our long vacation. Kitty and I went for a caterpillar hunt in the afternoon and were succesful at finding a very hairy yellow necked caterpillar. She kept it in a box filled with wet leaves and sticks in her room. She spent hours watching the caterpillar and finally released him in the forest at night.

Kitty relaxing from her endless imaginary play.

Butch looks almost identical to his father as a baby.

He is showing so much personality and seems larger now that we have returned home.

Blessing Day

2010-08-21T23:39:00.001-04:00

While visiting our family in Utah we gathered together for Butch's naming blessing. Most of our families were with us as we celebrated his birth. It was a joyous day. I really love this baby.

Butch's adoring grandparents and Great Grandma

Bear Lake

2010-08-12T15:47:00.001-04:00

Every year my family spends a week at Bear Lake, Idaho. We have been staying in my cousins lake house the past few years. It is so nice to spend a lot of time with my family and for the cousins to get to know one another better. The lake is surrounded by dry mountains and is an amazing turquoise. The water is usually pretty cold but that does not stop us from celebrating.

Butch, Kitty, and myself testing the waters.

Ryan and I both spent many summer days on these beaches growing up, so I love bringing my children there.

Kitty and her cousins had many contests to see who could be the most sandy. She also made a lot of "sand angels" in the beach.

Baby Butch had his first dip in Bear Lake and he thought it was grand.

I love spending my days surrounded by this huge open sky. I enjoyed seeing the bright clouds, gray storms rolling in, wind blow the sand, and AMAZING sunsets.

Horse Riding

2010-07-30T10:43:00.000-04:00

While my parents were visiting us a few weeks ago we all visited Brown County State Park to eat dinner and let Kitty ride a pony. She loved riding the horse and especially loved that we were all there to watch her. She is filled with such joy and enthusiasm it amazes me.

Beautiful Kitty enjoying her time at the horses corral.

Kitty riding a horse while Grandma and Grandpa Knowlton were visiting.

Baby Butch cradled in Grandpa Ute's arms.

We enjoyed their short visit very much. I am so glad that they get to spend time together and know my children a little better.

Slow Summer

2010-07-20T14:47:00.000-04:00

It has been a slow summer. After our baby arrived we have been doing very little other than getting to know our new little one and Kitty becoming a big sister.

Kitty misses being the only child and never having to compete for time with us, but I know that she loves her brother. She has begun to show interest in helping take care of him and she can't wait until he becomes a "kid". She keeps asking me when he will be a big kid so that they can play together.

Kitty has started her preschool class again for a few weeks. It is great for her to be connecting with her friends and keeping busy all morning.

Baby Butch is a very sweet baby. He is very mild mannered and is starting to sleep better. He has started to smile a lot and is very happy in the mornings and evenings. He is still rather chubby and I adore it. Unfortunately his double chin is disappearing, but just look at those roly poly arms!

These photos are taken right after a bath.

We are happy to have Grandma and Grandpa Knowlton visiting us for a few days.

Imagine

2010-07-14T14:35:00.002-04:00

Kitty dressed up as a kitten named Sugar. She has been pretending to be Sugar for days now. She begins the game as soon as she walks out of her bedroom in the morning until late at night. Kitty wants her food in bowls and wears all orange because that is what color her fur is. She made sure that her collar has a bell on it so I can hear where she is. (Because cats can't talk, but they can tell me the reason for the bell.) When it was raining the other day, she needed to have two sets of rain boots to go outside because she was still pretending to be a cat and cats have four legs.

Kitty right before attending a friend's birthday princess party.

When did my Baby Butch get so grown up? He is a sweet boy, really calm and wants to eat a lot. He has started smiling and cooing when spoken to and melts our hearts.

Kitty holding her woolly bear caterpillar that she captured today. She has loved the fuzzy almost all off of him. She intends to keep him and rear him until he is a moth. We have not had much success with caterpillar raising before. Kitty is a real animal and nature lover.

Clean Studio

2010-07-06T14:55:00.000-04:00

A few weeks after the closing of my exhibition Delusions and the birth of my son, it is time to clean up my studio. It is in total disrepair and completely useless. Currently there are piles of things everywhere and shelves that need to be purged.
I have been look at some inspirational images on Design Sponge. Most of the photos are of offices but a lot of the ideas translate to a working space. The Studio Visit is another wonderful blog to see how other artist keep their spaces.
To see how my studio has been set up in the past you can visit my Studio Blog and Creating a Child Friendly Art Space.
Wish my luck in the next few days or weeks. I really need it and will post some after photos.

Parade

2010-07-03T19:59:00.001-04:00

Today was the Independence Day Parade in Bloomington. We watched it from Kirkwood Ave near the gates to Indiana University.

Kitty is anxiously awaiting the parade with her friend.

Baby Butch was wearing noise canceling headphones to save his hearing from the sirens and horns. He slept through most of it.

(Butch is his new web name chosen by his Grandma Gail. Butch was his Great Grandpa's nickname)

Updated Studio Blog.

Daddy's Girl

2010-07-01T15:56:00.001-04:00

Ryan getting some love from Kitty the day I came home from the hospital after giving birth.

Two of my most favorite people.

June

2010-06-26T16:08:00.001-04:00

What a month this has been!

My baby is growing fast and waking up to the world.

We went swimming yesterday with the whole family. Kitty practiced some of her new swimming skills and played in the kiddie pool. She has a short new haircut that she is so proud of.

Makes her look older and very adorable.

Yesterday we made cupcakes after breakfast. I never anticipated that I would be making frosting with one hand, holding a baby with the other hand, and the bottle with my chin. They turned out delicious. Kitty decorated them with green frosting, pink and orange sprinkles.

Her attention to detail while baking and cooking is amazing. Perhaps she will want to be a chef.

She tells me that she wants to be a Mom and have a baby just like me.

Bubbles and Bathtime

2010-06-22T19:46:00.000-04:00

Things have remained simple at our house. Spending our days taking care of our new baby and playing with Kitty. It has been nice to take life a little slower this summer.

We are giving Harry his first bath. I like this picture with three ladies who adore him: Sister, Mom, and Grandma.

Grandma Kathryn playing make believe with Kitty.

Kitty blowing bubbles outside after a rainstorm. I love being around to watch all the magic.

Family of Four

2010-06-18T15:26:00.001-04:00

Figuring out life as a family of four has been pretty exhausting. This past week has been trying and exciting, learning how to juggle the demands of both children and keeping up with "normal" life.

Ryan's Mom was here for five days after Mom and Dad left. She took Kitty out and about most of the days and I had some long naps. Ryan was home most of last week and the week of baby's birth. This week everyone is gone and Ryan is back at work. It is the first time I have had the two kids to myself. It has been exhausting because of the lack of sleep, but has been going okay. As long as both kids are fed, dressed, and happy I consider it a success. I know that it will get a bit easier in a few weeks when baby is more predictable and sleeps better at night.

Baby has been eating like a tank. If he is awake he wants to be eating. He has returned to his birth weight of over ten pounds. He really doesn’t look much like a newborn at all, he is so big. It is really fun to have a baby in the house again. I am trying to soak it all in while I can. I love the little noises he makes and the way he curls up into a ball. I also love how fuzzy and soft his skin and hair are.

Kitty has done well with the new addition. She has been sweet to her baby brother. She has been contrary to Ryan and I, but at least she is gentle and loving to Baby. The first ten days were the worst, but she seems to have chilled out a bit. She has been acting like a baby quite a bit. She wants to have milk in a bottle, or lay in her matching blanket by Baby. She sometimes pretends to cry to get attention. I assume this is all very common, and predictable. Thankfully it has been happening less and less as the days go on.

Sleep is a rare commodity in our house. Baby is up every three to four hours. I realize this is really pretty good for a newborn, but it is still hard for me. I wish I could sleep when he is sleeping, but there is big sister to take care of. Being a mother to two children is a lot of work and I always wonder how so many of my loved ones have raised children and made it seem easy! I now really appreciate all mothers and the sacrifices that they make and the joys that they have in their life.

The day I came home from the hospital I was offered a solo show in Georgia at Berry College. I am happy to have that to look forward to. The show will be January 2011. It is a big space and I will need to make a lot of new work for it. Right now, my studio work is on hold. Everything is a mess there since my last opening in May.

My friend Joy took the sweet photo of our new baby. You can see more of them at her blog. Thanks for the lovely photos Joy!

Sweet Siblings

2010-06-10T17:26:00.000-04:00

Ryan took a few photos of the kids today. We will be fine tuning some of them, but I couldn't wait to share them.

I was hoping to get some photos of Harry before he got too big, I think we are too late for that. He doesn't look like he is 8 days old, more like a month overdue. When you hold him on your shoulder he lifts his head up and looks all around. He has been sleeping well at night and for that I am grateful. Overall he seems to be a very mellow newborn and wonderful to snuggle with.

Beautiful Kitty loves her little brother. She has been very sweet to him. She has noticed the major changes in the family and has been struggling. Kitty is always right in her mind and has been contrary this past week. She always warms up and tells us all how much she loves us. I adore her and cherish her even more now that she is a big sister.

Welcome Baby Harry!

2010-06-07T20:30:00.000-04:00

Harold Ryan was born on June 2 at 10 pounds 3 ounces. He is a beautiful, big, healthy baby.

Our first family photo at the hospital right before we took Harry home.

Kitty feeding her baby brother a bottle. She has been adjusting well to the little one and thinks he is cute and hungry.

Kitty covered Harry with their matching blankets and pretended to be asleep. She wanted to do the same thing as the baby. She made sure to pose for all of the photos. Thanks Grandma Kathryn for the lovely new blankets for the kids!

Harry outside enjoying some fresh air with his Grandmas.

My parents came to help our family before the delivery and left soon after Harry came home. Ryan's Mom is here now busy playing with Kitty and taking care of things. I am trying to recover from the delivery and Ryan has been spending a lot of time with the new big sister. We are so happy to have such an awesome family. We just wish we were able to see them more often.

Grandma Gail and Grandpa Ute right before they left to go home.

Kitty holding Harry. These two children make it all worth it.

BTW anyone have any ideas for a web nickname for Harry? I use the name Kitty for my daughter and would like to think of a nickname for the little one.

Family Fun

2010-05-30T21:47:00.000-04:00

My brother Josh and his family came to visit us for the weekend. We had a wonderful time and Kitty adored spending time with her cousins. The weather was perfect and I was able to keep up with everyone.

Ryan, Abbi, and Lydia on a walk down our street.

We went to Brown County State Park and rode some horses.

And ponies, Kitty's was named Oreo.

Climbed a tall weather tower.

Hung out at an old cabin at the state park.

The boys did target shooting with their bb guns in the forest.

Set up the slack line between some trees, and Ryan gave some scooter rides.

Rounding off the day with everyone taking a turn on our swing, each getting higher and higher.

Only three short days until the arrival of our baby boy. Things are exciting and hectic in the house while we all prepare. My parents have arrived to help for the week and we are all enjoying each other.

The art exhibition that was on display at the Waldron Arts Center is coming down tomorrow. You can see some photos of the installation here.

Gallery Opening

2010-05-10T21:42:00.000-04:00

Friday, May 7th was the opening of my show at the Waldron Arts Center in Bloomington, Indiana. The space was small and very narrow. Ryan basically hung all of my drawings and did a wonderful job. The exhibition looked really nice and I had him to thank for that.

Here are a few photos from the opening. Quite a few people attended and I was really pleased with the support. I will photograph the space with the drawings this coming week and post them on my studio blog. I just wanted to show a little peek at how it all turned out and to thank everyone who attended.

I am glad that the opening is behind me and that I can relax and do some baby prepping around the house.

Cecropia Moth Farm

2010-05-06T15:01:00.000-04:00

We received some moth cocoons from Kitty's old preschool teacher. I thought they were beautiful and fascinating so she gave me eight of them. We have kept the cocoons in our outdoor sun room all winter waiting for them to emerge from the cocoons. May 4 the first two arrived. We were excited and a little bit spooked because they are so large and out of this world. The first two were a male and a female. After they dried their wings for about a day then began to mate in the birdcage in the night, they continued for an entire day.

This yellow haired girl was the fourth moth to emerge. The cage was getting rather crowded, so I built another cage out of wire netting and bird netting and we borrowed a cage from my neighbor so that we would be able to space them out.

Here is a photo of Kitty when we were rearranging the housing of the moths. We let the first mating pair finish up, then I kept the female for a day while she laid eggs and they were both released into the forest.

The moths are really stunning and large. Kitty kept saying, "aren't they interesting and beautiful?" She really likes the yellow haired one.

A few days later we had two more new moths, all female. We have had six females and one male. I left the females outside in their cage hoping that their pheromones would attract a wild male moth.

Another female that came out of the cocoon in the homemade cage. She is currently at Kitty's preschool for the children to see. We will release her this afternoon.

The three females that were left on the back porch int he bird cage did attract a wild male cecropia moth and they are mating all day today. One inside the cage and the male outside of the cage. As soon as they stop mating I will release all of them as well.

We were able to harvest some eggs from the first mating pair They are very small and in clusters. They should hatch in a few days. Then begins the babysitting of caterpillars for a few months. We have enjoyed seeing the moths emerge, dry their wings, hold them on sticks, and mate. Now that we have a set of eggs, we are going to set the moths free. We do not want hundreds of eggs to care for this summer.

How soon are you having that baby?!?!?!

2010-04-27T19:56:00.000-04:00

These are the words I hear many times throughout the day. I have the pleasure of resonding, "over a month." Then they feel pretty stupid telling me I look like I am going to pop. Oh boy.
I went to the Dr. this week and found out that it was not all in my head, I am giant. I am 34 weeks pregnant, but my stomach was measuring 38 cm. Meaning my belly was the same size of an average woman about to give birth. And it has only gotten bigger these past few days.

My daughter was a big baby weighing in at 8.8 lbs, but this boy is going for a record. For once I am glad that I am scheduled to have a c-section. At least no matter how big he gets I don't have to worry about getting him out. I just have to worry about walking around and getting stares.

The Doctor assured me that this is all good, and he is healthy and growing well. I am thankful that he is on the large side rather than being a bit small and worrying endlessly. I am always so grateful to be having a child because it is a miracle and I know first hand that it is not always easy to become pregnant.

I have been fighting a nasty cough this past week. I was prescribed a host of medicines to get better. We do not want it to turn into pnuemonia again. I am wondering what is going on with my lungs? I will be getting some further tests done this summer.

My drawings have all been framed for my upcoming exhibition. Ryan and I will be picking them up tomorrow. Hanging them in the gallery around May 1st. I have begun cleaning out the office to make space for baby boy, and criossing things off of my endless to do list.

We still have not decided on a name. I have decided not to worry too much about it because it was stressing me out. Hopefully one will seem right soon. I am up for any suggestions.

No big belly pictures this time. You will just have to use your imagination.

Preserving Children's Artwork

2010-04-21T14:44:00.000-04:00

At my church I am in charge of creating a newsletter for the women. A few months ago I put together this article about preserving children's artwork. This is something that I am passionate about because I adore my daughter's creations and because I am an artist. It is a bit lengthy and horrifically thorough. I hope that some of you enjoy it and get some ideas. Let me know what you and your family do with the special creations.

Ostrich, Feb. 2010, Colored Pencil on Paper, "Kitty" Israelsen.

Whether we are Mothers to young children, Grandmothers, Aunts, or friends we often find ourselves wondering how to preserve drawings, cards, stories, or other keepsakes from children. I am not proposing that we must keep these memories in perfect order. I do feel that it is important to encourage creativity in ourselves as well as others, young and old.

There are many different approaches to preserving childhood drawings and memories if that is something you are interested in. I will list a few of the many ways to save drawings. You will need to choose what best fits you, your family, and the space of your home.

1. Create books or DVDs from photographing or scanning the two dimensional and three dimensional works.
2. Compile them into calendars or greeting card either physically or digitally.
3. Frame the favorite drawings and hang together on a wall, rotate the drawings within the frames as the child grows.
4. Store drawings in plastic sleeves and keep in three ring binders along with special school work.
5. Place drawings in acid free portfolios or boxes to keep them from deteriorating. For a less expensive option you could store them in clean pizza boxes collected from restaurants.
6. Keep each child’s artwork in a manila folder in a filing cabinet for each year.
7. Digitally photograph or scan artwork, shrink the images and compile them into one poster or magnets for display. Print the large poster at a local printing shop.
8. Create a blog to share your children’s creations with friends and family.
I have spent some time looking over these options as the piles of drawings grow taller. Some things that have been important for me to consider are archival storage and space. I do not want to keep all of the original works of art and I am concerned about the quality of the paper and colors throughout the years. I have noticed the paintings startto fade within a few months and the paper begins to crackle. Children do not usually work with high quality materials and they do not keep well. I have decided to create a digital photo book of my daughter’s artwork which I will have printed every year or as needed.

Sorting through my daughters drawings can be a daunting task, it is important for me to have some steps and guidelines as I proceed.

1. Be Selective: There is no need to save or document every crayon scribble or drop of paint that they create. Document only the images that are important to the child or have significant meaning to you.
2. Name, Date, and Details of Each Work: You must record the name of the child, the date (preferably month/year) that the drawing was created, a title or any details about the drawing. I usually write these the back in pencil and include any stories, description, or notes that I want to remember. This makes sorting through the drawings at a later date much easier and you will not forget the special details.
3. Document the Process: I photograph my child painting or molding clay occasionally. I plan on including the photos in the book next to the drawn images.
4. Order Chronologically: The order of the drawings in the book will be in the order of their creation. This allows the child when they are older to see a progression in their creative thinking and making skills.
5. Get Started: Photograph or Scan the drawings on a regular basis. I edit the photos using Photoshop to create the best lighting and color for the work. Store the files in a separate folder on your computer. Begin working with photo book software, which can be found for free online, placing the photos of the drawing in order adding notes and important details. Once that information has been documented there is no need to store the originals.

Each individual can chose the best process to eliminate storing the original artwork, keep a limited amount of work organized by date, or display them in a creative way for all to appreciate.

Sunday Hike

2010-04-18T23:38:00.000-04:00

This Sunday afternoon we went for a walk on the trail at the end of our street. It was a little colder than usual but still really nice weather.

Ryan pulled Kitty in her wagon. You can see how many of the leaves have come out in the past two weeks. The grass on our lawn looks so beautiful thanks to Ryan's constant attention. Grass like that is a real surprise on our street.

The trees are so large all around us.

Kitty striking a pose on one of the many fallen trees along the trail.

I managed to waddle along the trail with Kitty and Ryan. We are taking a little break together.

This is me with my giant baby boy at 33 weeks. I am very rotund, it is amazing how our bodies can change to create a new child.

Another view of the lovely grass. We have done a lot of work to our land to make a place for us all to relax and for the kids to play.

Later, Kitty and I made cinnamon knots. This is something that I loved to help my Mom do when I was a kid. Roll it in the butter, the cinnamon sugar and tie. Pretty yummy.

Gymnastics

2010-04-08T18:42:00.000-04:00

Spring is very beautiful in Bloomington. Lots of bulbs blooming and trees covered in blossoms. The leaves are coming out in the forest, I bet it will be all green by next week. Kitty always enjoys a ride on her swing, especially if Ryan pushes her. He pushes her so high and she squeals with delight.

This past Wednesday Kitty's gymnastics class had a little show for the parents. Of course, they were awarded a medal.

Easter

2010-04-07T17:14:00.001-04:00

Our Easter Egg hunt with friends was rained out on Saturday. Kitty was pretty disapointed. She was thrilled to see that the Easter Bunny had created a trail of candy leading outside. She thought that the Bunny was really tricky to hide things outside. She followed the trail of candy into the front yard. She found some treats and eggs along the way. The best treats for her Easter basket were found in the daffodils.

In the daffodils the Bunny had hid some colorful play do and plastic eggs filled with Littlest Pet Shop animals.

Throughout the next few days Kitty wanted to play Easter Bunny. She would have her playmate (usually me) pretend to be asleep, then she would make a trail out of her candy to many surprises throughout the house.

Thirty One Weeks

2010-04-03T14:29:00.000-04:00

I decided I better get some more photos of my giant growing baby. It was a bit dark this afternoon because of a rain storm so we may have to try again. I feel as though the skin on my stomach is about to burst open from all of this. I have a lot more weeks to go and that baby boy is going to grow more. My Doctor said he is measuring ahead a few weeks and will be a large baby. All I know is that means I will be a large woman. This may be the last public display of bellyhood. I think that the purple slippers are a nice touch. :)

Springtime

2010-04-02T22:37:00.000-04:00

Today Kitty played a cat in "The Gingerbread Man" at her preschool. She was thrilled to participate and kept mentioning to me, "I have never been in a play before Momma, have you?"

These past few days our daffodils that we planted last fall are blossoming. It is really great to see our hard work pay off and to be able to enjoy the beautiful color in the forest.

This evening we all dyed eggs in preperation for Easter. It was a lot of fun and I was happy to be feeling well enough to do such celebrating with my family. Welcome Spring!

Best Stuffed Animal Storage

2010-03-30T16:37:00.000-04:00

We need to do a lot of Spring cleaning around this house. There are a lot of toys all over the place and most of them do not have a good home. My awesome sister in law Christina recommended I buy some over the door shoe organizers to put them in. I bought one today and it is PERFECT!!!!! I need to get a few more to house more stuffed animals. Thanks to my perfectionist daughter this one is only for Webkinz, the others can be for non Webkinz.

Unexpected Illness

2010-03-28T17:00:00.000-04:00

I have been really sick for over thirteen or fourteen days now. Spent four of those nights in the hospital because my lungs were filling with pneumonia. It was very hard to deal with another hospitalization that snatched my breath away and it has been physically hard to recover. I was admitted to the hospital two years and a day after being admitted in Michigan when I almost didn't come out. Thankfully this bout of pneumonia was caught earlier and I am recovering at home now. My kicking baby boy did fine while I was really sick. They monitored him frequently and he seemed to be having a party while I coughed my lungs out. I am so glad that there were no complications with him.

My sweet daughter also got pretty sick and has been in and out of the pediatrician's office. She seems finally on the mend as well. I am so grateful that my parents happened to be in town when all of this happened so they could be extra hands around this house and family.

Yesterday was the first day I left the house. I was awake for five hours. Things will get better in the next few weeks for sure. I am so glad to be getting better instead of getting worse. This proves to me that every time you have pneumonia you do not end up on a ventilator for weeks close to death. I can be admitted to the hospital for less than a week.

Things to do:

1. Get rest and recover
2. Take care of my daughter
3. Chose a name for my baby
4. Draw, draw, draw for my show that opens soon

It may not be a long list, but it seems like a lot of work. I am hoping for good health and beautiful spring weather to boost my spirits.

Our Family Is So Lucky

2010-03-10T11:14:00.000-05:00

It is supposed to be sixty two degrees today. The warmest so far this year. The sun has been shining this morning and the woodpeckers are making loud attacks on the trees.

I figured that since I spent almost all day yesterday cleaning I could spend most of my day today in the studio. I am working on a new set of drawings for my upcoming show. When Kitty woke up she came to me and said she wanted to paint. She decided she would paint sunny clouds and night clouds to go with her stormy clouds. She said that she never needed to wash off her brush between colors because we have so many brushes. "Our family is so lucky," Kitty says, "because we have SOOO many brushes."

She also said, " I know that your favorite color is pink." When I asked her why she said, "because that is the color you always paint your horses!"

Last night as I was tossing and turning trying to sleep with a basketball stomach I noticed that both of my dogs were snuggled in on the clean clothes in the hampers in my bedroom.

Our family is also lucky because we think it is appropriate to go to the recently reopened ice cream stand at ten o'clock at night. yummy treat.

Birthday, Cousins, and More

2010-03-05T14:16:00.000-05:00

We unexpectedly spent my birthday in Utah rather than Miami as we had planned. It turned out to be wonderful to celebrate with family. I had a few celebrations, one from each family..... I am a lucky girl.

Cupcakes and Aggie Ice Cream at Dwight's house.

Beautiful hand made cake by Kathryn and Freya the night before my birthday. I seem to have that blowing face mastered. I love it when the kids help me blow out the candles.

Ryan and Karl each got one of Grandpa Israelsen's hat after the funeral. The kids really liked them and we thought it was a good time to remember. Kitty and Eva striking a pose.

Eva and Samuel, cutest siblings ever.

Kitty and Samuel in their matching USU sweatshirts being themselves.

Kitty has been painting a lot these past few days. She did a few paintings of daffodils yesterday. She is excited because the 500 daffodils we planted last fall are starting to bud. In the second painting she told me that only two flowers had opened and the others were just popping out of the ground.

Pancakes that I made for Kitty after telling her how my Dad always made me A pancakes for me as a child. She loved the process and the finished product; however, she only ate three bites.

It is finally warming up in our forest. Most of the snow has melted and the critters are coming back to see us. This lovely deer was right outside our window while we were eating breakfast this morning.

Julie's Baby Shower

2010-03-01T13:40:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I drove to Detroit to visit a few friends and to help host a baby shower for my dear friend Julie. She is having a baby boy a few weeks before me. It was so much fun to see her and so many other amazing people. It made me miss my old life in Michigan. Of course I was not there nearly long enough to do the things I wanted to do and to see the people I wanted to see. I am so happy that I was able to visit with a few friends and see a few of my favorite stomping grounds.

I was in charge of the decorations for the party. I had grand plans to do more for the evening, but with the unexpected traveling this past week it ended up being a little less. I love the way that everything turned out and I have to thank Christina, my Dad, and little Eva for all of their help.

The baby shower was held at Amy's home in downtown Detroit. She was a beautiful hostess and made the most fabulous food. Her and her fiance Chris are currently restoring his family's old home from generations past. The home is mid restoration and has so many stories to tell. It is a fantastic space and I love the way that history of the surfaces responded to the colorful decoration and playful colors.

The mobiles were very fun to make. They were very simple but took a lot of time. I am keeping one for my baby's nursery and Julie is keeping one for her baby's nursery.

Time to Remember

2010-02-18T11:23:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is Ryan and I's ten year anniversary. The next day is my 32 birthday. Our ten year anniversary celebration trip to Miami has been postponed and we will be spending the weekend with family in Utah. Our Grandpa Israelsen had an unfortunate fall and passed away this week due to complications. Ryan is already in Utah, Kitty and I will be joining him soon. We are deeply saddened by his passing, but we are grateful to be able to celebrate his life together this weekend.

It is times like these that cause you to remember what is the most important about your life; my marriage, my child (ren), and family. Many of the things that I spend my time worrying about and thinking about in the end do not really matter. I learned this after surviving ARDS almost two years ago. When I was recovering in the hospital after being on a ventilator I was able to realize what really mattered. I knew then that the most important things to me were my immediate family, my artwork, and enjoying life. I love taking deep breaths of air and spending time outside. Everything else is minor details.

I feel lucky to have a new approach to life and to get a second chance. After all of this, I still manage to get caught up in it all. From time to time I try to think back to what really matters to me and refocus.
Grandpa's death and our anniversary of ten years is another reminder to love and appreciate those that are important in our lives and to get some fresh air.

Room Design Feedback

2010-02-09T11:22:00.000-05:00

I have been working on putting together the baby's nursery and Kitty has been pretty sad it is not her room. I thought maybe I should spruce her room up before I do the nursery. I wanted to put some wallpaper on one wall, but Kitty and I cannot agree on wallpaper. She wants pink and I am not keen. I love pink in my artwork, but not sure about wallpaper.

She has this bed and trundle by Argington, the dresser and nightstand will be in her room as soon as the baby is out of the crib. Kitty has this dwell studio bedding from Target that she really likes because if the pink birds.

Kitty really loves these wall prints by Amenity Nursery. I think that they are great, really graphic, and fit our forest home.

I recently spotted these adorable letterpress prints by Julia Rothman and thought that they would also look good in her room.

I am also toying with the idea of using this Marimekko Unikko fabric for some pillows or curtains. Everything has a green/yellow color except the bed. But she does want some pink! Perhaps I could paint one wall a coordinating green or golden yellow.

Kitty loves animals and thinks that all of the artwork is great. What do you think? Any other ideas of things that would look nice with the furniture and/or prints?

How to Keep Children's Drawings

2010-02-09T09:49:00.000-05:00

I have seen a few posts about this topic around the blog world, but I am still not sure what I want to do with Kitty's drawings. I have begun to weed through and keep only the noteworthy and unique drawings that she makes. But how does one store them all? Doesn't that seem like a lot of paper to store forever?
I realize that these drawings may mean more to the parents than they ever will to the child. My daughter's drawings are some of my most treasured things in the house. I adore them!

I do not want to store them in boxes or flat files like I have been because there are too many and I am already storing soooo many drawings. One idea that I had was to scan or take a photo of the best drawings and compile them into a photo book. That way they are all together, easy to store, and I can then toss the originals. I have created a photo book of one of my own collection of drawings that meant a lot to me, but were mostly sold. The book turned out great and I love having it in the bookshelf to look at occasionally.

Do any of you have other ideas? What has worked for you and your family? I am all ears!

Snow Days

2010-02-09T09:22:00.000-05:00

We have been having a lot of snow days this past week. I know a lot of the country has been having them as well. The difference is, we haven't been getting very much snow. I am surprised that they keep cancelling school, but I guess it doesn't snow much in Indiana so they are worried. I enjoy seeing the snow and watching it fall. It is very peaceful.

This photo was taken after the last snow day out the window of my car on our road. I thought the snow on the branches was so pretty.

I took this photo this morning while the snow storm is at our door.

Kitty likes missing preschool, but after a while she is bouncing off of the walls. She had a great time playing with her train.

After much train time she had chocolate pudding, her favorite snack.

Baby Belly

2010-02-06T17:51:00.000-05:00

I have made it to 23 weeks without posting any baby belly photos. Mainly because I haven't had any to post, so here is my belly in all of its glory. Thanks to Ryan for taking the photos. I hope to get these more frequently to have for the baby's photo book. I had them for Kitty and it is fun to see.
The little boy is growing and moving a lot. We are getting excited for his arrival. Kitty says he is getting too big to fit through my belly button. We may be in for some trouble.

Winter

2010-02-06T11:35:00.000-05:00

A small snow storm has hit Bloomington. It was promised to be gigantic, but beautiful all the same.

A woodpecker dining on our bird food. He later went over to a large tree and made four large holes. They are not very welcome at our house, but I love the red head in these gray months.

Kitty dancing around the living room one evening. I love this picture of her hair flying like snakes on Medussa's head. Ryan was throwing her in the air to her delight.

This week we finally cut Kitty's beautiful locks because she refused to ever comb them and it was a constant battle. She liked going to the salon and thinks that she now looks like a big girl.

We pulled Kitty's yellow ukulele out of storage and she loved playing it. Ryan was helping her with the fingering while she strummed.

Kitty's photo book

2010-02-04T11:06:00.000-05:00

Last week I finally finished the first installment of Kitty's third year photo book. I had put it off forever because looking at the photos from the time I got sick with ARDS and the months afterward were rather upsetting to me. Maybe enough time has passed, enough therapy, or maybe it was the 50% sale that got me to do it. Regardless of the reason, it turned out great. I love getting my favorite digital photos printed into a photo book. I have used my publisher and have been very pleased each time. The book would only hold 50 pages and Icouldn't narrow down the pics, so for her third year, there will be two books.

It is so amazing to look back at the photos from a few years ago and to see how much she has changed. She was so cute and little, now she is so cute and big, or at least bigger.

Cover of the book

A few of my favorite spreads. Above is from a day at Lake Michigan. Below is some photos from antique shopping with my parents and a trip to Dexter Cider Mill.

A few days ago, my neighbor brought over two of her three dogs to play with Bruno and Gary. They had a grand time and Kitty was very thrilled to have them visit. She loves Albert the Beagle, but she especially adores Jack the Pug.

She really really loves that dog.

Mushroom pouf

2010-02-03T10:46:00.000-05:00

This little mushroom has been swimming around in my head for some time. I would love to get it for one of the kids rooms. So fanciful and adorable. I adore that it is handmade and not by me! ;) Anthropologie recently started carrying it again. It has a steep pricetag so I was looking around on the web and found it less expensive at some places in the UK. Little Baby Company carries it along with some other really great decor items.

If only I wasn't trying to watch my spending! The good news is, I have started working on a new drawing that is really crazy and exciting. If only I could find a way to work in the studio without putting my little one in front of a video!

Drool...... Knoll Sale

2010-02-01T18:07:00.000-05:00

Time for the annual (or is it semi annual?) Knoll Sale going on at Design Within Reach. From Feb 1-7, 2010 they are offering 15% off and free white gloved delivery. If you have been eyeing any knoll classics now is the time to buy. My problem is that 15% off is not nearly enough to make them in my pricerange. But a girl can always dream.

Baby Girl Clothes

2010-01-16T14:34:00.000-05:00

I just went through all of Kitty's old clothes from when she was tiny. I am ready to give almost all of them away. I have a few big bags of baby girl clothes that would best suit a baby that was born in the winter. Sizes 0-3 to 18 months. Kitty's birthday is in December. When we were students I was always super excited to get hand me downs, so if any of you are interested, send me an email.
abbiisraelsen@yahoo.com

Unwanted goods

2010-01-16T12:06:00.000-05:00

Kitty and I have been going through some of her toys finding some to give to good will. I notice that she has decided she does not like the ones that I have bought for her as surprises but prefers the ultra lifelike moving (a bit freaky) animals. I bought this Clementine blabla doll when I was pregnant with Kitty and I have always thought it was adorable. She told me that I can keep it in my room since I like it so much. I am going to hold on to it a little longer hoping that they baby will think it is funny. Then I suppose there is no sense in me keeping it any longer.

This larger Lulu blabla doll is available for someone who wants it. She says that her cousin Eva should have it, but I am not sure if she will want it. The doll is pretty big, I think about two feet tall. I found it at the Ann Arbor Salvation Army for $2 and thought it was the score of the decade. Not such a great score because Kitty has never liked it. Christina, does Eva like it? If not, it is free game. I will send it to another child.

She also wants me to get rid of all of her baby dolls and Ugly dolls. (Also ones I picked out.) I am hanging on to them in hopes that the little tyke will like them. Wishful thinking.

We have ended up with a large lot of toys to take to Goodwill, however she still manages to have more stuffed animals than a toy store. She also informed me that she wants to keep the new sheepskin rug that I bought for the nursery. I told her it was for the new baby. She told me that he can have the small one because he is just little. I guess that the one lambskin will go in the nursery and the four lambskin will continue to grace Kitty's room. It is a pretty great rug, I was thinking it would look nice in my bedroom as well.

ITS A BOY!!!!!

2010-01-09T12:52:00.000-05:00

As most of you saw on Face book, I am having a baby boy! I am so excited to have a boy and a girl! I feel extremely blessed that the baby looked healthy and normal. The past two days have been filled with some shopping both online and in stores. I am also considering the Animal Farm pattern by Firm Living for the nursery. I have liked it for years and tried to put it in Kitty's room but she didn't like it. :( Has anyone used these baby hammocks by Kanoe? I really like them, but wish that it came with a stand. I am not keen on the fact that I have to drill a hole in my ceiling to hang it. I would probably like to have two spaces set up, in the bedroom and in the dining room close to all the action. If I were to buy this Kanoe does that mean I do not need a baby bouncer? I want as little baby gear as possible, but the baby bouncer was key to Kitty's happiness as a baby.

It has been snowing for days and the forest is really beautiful covered in white. I must get to my drawings. I have to finish up a few things to send to Minnesota for a show.

Please let me know if you have any great boy names to contribute to our brainstorming.

Set Design for Mad Men

2010-01-05T15:18:00.001-05:00

If you love the set design on Mad Men then you need to check out the interview with Adam Rowe, an art assistant for Mad Men on design sponge. Every year I am blown away with the attention to detail in the sets, the costuming, and the period objects. The show is like a time capsule from the the 1960s.

Boy or Girl?

2010-01-05T10:24:00.000-05:00

In a few days we find out if our baby is a boy or a girl, and check the development and health of the peanut. Kitty is of course hoping for a little sister and I am hoping for a healthy baby. I have been scouring furniture sites looking for some new digs for the little one. I finally ordered a new dresser and rug. Once I find out the sex of the baby, I will most likely chose a wallpaper to grace the large wall in the nursery. BOY

Little Whales design by Geoff McFetridge by Walnut Paper.

GIRL

Multi Stem Wallpaper design by Orla Kiely.

Moda eight drawer dresser by Room and Board. (I also ordered a bedside table for Kitty's room to match. This dresser will eventually find a home in her room.)
The tantalizing sheepskin rug for the floor. I think it will be wonderful for baby to rest on and to sink your toes into.

Anyone else have any recommendations for wallpaper and such?

Harmonica?

2010-01-04T10:10:00.001-05:00

This morning I woke up with a small harmonica around my neck. I do not remember wearing the harmonica at all, but I do remember Kitty was playing with it when she was supposed to be going to bed last night.
Yesterday the pipes froze under my house and we had no water. I was afraid that a pipe would break and everything would start flooding. Thankfully, a plumber came and warmed them up for me.
Kitty and I were drawing in my studio yesterday. She asked me to draw her a picture. She requested a den made of sticks with leaves for the roof. Inside the den she wanted a fawn, a mommy deer, and a daddy dear. After I drew this for her, she told me that they looked like dogs. "Why did you give them dog faces?" How dare I call myself an artist?
Kitty questioned me, Why does the earth seem flat if it is really round?
Last night Kitty slept under her bed because she wanted to be a fawn in her den.

Coming Up For Air

2010-01-01T13:54:00.000-05:00

I am slowly digging myself out of the hole I created while laying in bed feeling sick for weeks. I am doing some serious cleaning of the house, conquering one room each day. In theory, this should only take an hour a day; but because of messy neglect it has taken more like four or more hours a day. It feels good to be claiming my home again and living in a tidier space.

My renewed energy (about 80% normal) has also allowed me to begin my studio practice again. Hooray! My life may feel more normal as my body becomes more unrecognizable.
Ryan will be leaving for a conference tomorrow and will be gone for a few days. Thankfully it is sunny out and Kitty's preschool begins again. She has recently been accepted to the local Montessori program, now we need to chose between that and the preschool she is already attending. I am leaning towards the Montessori program, but we will see how she does.

I have been doing a bit of research about baby goods. When Kitty was a baby I was not aware of the plastic bottle frenzy. I am considering using glass bottles for this child. I am also thinking of using a "hybrid" diaper. Not totally cloth, and not totally disposable. Now that I am not in graduate school I can consider this option and feel better about not creating so much horrible trash. Has anyone used Gdiapers? The liners can be flushed, thrown away, or composted. The good news is that they actually disintegrate unlike disposable diapers. (I never expected to spend this much time thinking about diapers.)

Other baby news: We will find out what the sex of the baby is on Jan. 7th! I can't wait.

Happy New Year!

Park City

2009-12-28T14:41:00.001-05:00

Ryan, Kitty, and I just returned home from a fabulous trip to Utah to spend time with our families. Our first week was spent in Park City with my family. It was very relaxing and amazing to be so close to the mountains. Ryan and I went skiing a few times while we were there. Kitty loved swimming in the pool with Ryan and her cousins. her courage increased every time we went. I love this of her jumping into the pool.

Kitty making cookies with Grandma Gail. We all loved to spend time with her grandparents.

We went on the polar express ride offered by the Historic Heber Valley Railroad. The old trains were rickety and charming. The ride was very simple but impressed all of the little ones. This photo is of Kitty, me, and Lulu her prized cat given to her by Grandma Gail on the steps of our train car.

The look on her face while we were riding the train.

Inside the train car as the ride began. Kitty, me, Ryan, Mom, and Dad. It was a great ride with even better company. I am one lucky girl.

Santa visited all of the kids on the train after we made it to the "North Pole." Kitty would have preferred if Santa did not stop at our bench, but my Mom and I are excited to see him. Kitty thought that he had a neat beard, but not as pretty as Mrs. Claus' hair.

The view right outside the condo that we stayed in. My niece and nephew are on the bridge coming in after a day on the hills. We were at the bottom of Main Street which made for some good shopping and eating. Just across the street from our place was the town lift to Park City Ski Resort. We could hop on that lift and it would take us to the top of the runs. It was SOOOOO fun! Thanks Mom and Dad!

Birthday Time

2009-12-12T11:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was our dear Kitty's fourth birthday! I do not know how she got to be so old and as always adorable. We had a small party at our home a few weeks ago to celebrate her birthday but yesterday we had a cupcake party at her preschool with her friends. Kitty enjoying her first cupcake. She chose her shirt special for her birthday. It is one that she picked out while we were shopping in Boston. It was her second or third day wearing it, but I thought what different does that make?

At preschool all of the children make a drawing for the birthday child and they put them together in a small book. This is Kitty and the kids working on the drawings.

Kitty also got to chose a book that was read to the class, of course one that was about a cat. They then sang happy birthday and screamed for cupcakes. They were devoured and enjoyed by all.

Later in the evening we sang and celebrated with Kitty using her birthday ring. This has become a tradition at our house. We usually have cake and ice cream with friends and then the birthday ring on her actual birthday with family.

She has picked out all of the little figures for the ring and she blew out the four candles a number of times.

Ryan and Kitty enjoying some birthday time together. We love our little girl!

Catching up

2009-12-02T11:30:00.000-05:00

Since I have been feeling sick from the little peanut growing in my belly, I thought I would post a few photos of some of the things we have been up to. Kitty and I at the park in Boston. We were hoping to ride the swan boats, but they do not use them in the cold. We enjoyed the beautiful autumn colors and watching the ducks. Kitty was being a goofball and that is how I like it.

This one is from our trip to Ann Arbor for homecoming. Kitty is riding on our neighbor's old school skateboard on our sidewalk in front of the little red house. (Man, I miss our Ann Arbor neighborhood and our dear friends.) We went to the Michigan vs Indiana game that day and the Wolverines did us proud. One of the few times this season.

Kitty loves our old street in Ann Arbor, especially the sidewalks. She talks about them all of the time because our new street in Indiana has no sidewalks.

Alvar Aalto Home and Studio via apartment therapy

2009-11-29T18:44:00.000-05:00

Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto had an awesome home and an even more amazing studio space. The images on apartment therapy had me drooling, so I thought I would share a few here.

Desperate Plea

2009-11-29T15:15:00.000-05:00

Kitty has been a naughty girl and I don't know what to do. I am not sure if it is because of my exhaustion with this pregnancy, or the fact that Kitty hasn't been to preschool much in a few weeks, but she is in rare form. She has been angry, throwing things, hitting, and being mean to our dogs, to mention a few. I as usual, do not know what to do. Maybe I should sign up for one of those nanny tv shows. Until I get desperate enough to do that, perhaps you could recommend a book or website that would give me some new ideas. Apparently spanking and throwing her in her room are not working. I know, I deserve parent of the year award.

Baby Israelsen

2009-11-24T10:33:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Ryan and I got to meet our growing baby. The little peanut was moving around a lot, kicking and waving. Our new baby will be joining our family in the beginning of June. We are really excited for Kitty to become a big sister and to have a little child in our house again. Picture of the baby with legs stretched out.

Baby showing profile with arms and legs.

I am glad to be finishing the first trimester because I have been really tired and sick. I have a lot of catching up to do in the studio and around the house.

Love this bold room

2009-11-03T10:13:00.000-05:00

Saw this bright and bold room on Ohdeedoh this morning and I love it. I never do anything this wild in my home, but I do adore it here. Maybe it is just the blast of color I needes on a fall morning. I love the fabric and of course the womb chair. I am always a sucker for a little Saarinen

Last Days of October

2009-11-03T09:59:00.001-05:00

October has come and gone. I am glad that it is warmer here than it was in Michigan. I hate daylight savings because it gets dark so early, but it does make for beautiful mornings like this. Today is really sunny with a bit of chill. Kitty for months told me she wanted to be a cat for Halloween. At the last moment she told me she wanted to be a toad. We settled on this frog costume since toads are not too popular amongst kids.

You may recognize the hat that she wore at soccer a few weeks back. She really loved the costume and barely fit into it.

Trunk or Treat at our Bloomington church. It was raining hard that night, so we had the treats inside.

I wore one of her cat masks for the party.Ryan and Kitty carving a pumpkin. We had a fun party at our house on Halloween, but I will save that for another post.

Grandma and Grandpa Knowlton drove their Winnebago from Utah to see us last week. Grandpa Ute is giving Kitty a push in her new swing.

She loves it. Don't worry, she has only fallen out of it once!

Sweet Things

2009-10-25T19:58:00.001-04:00

I am lucky to have some very sweet things in my life. My little Kitty.

She is growing so much.

My other baby. Has anyone ever seen a more lovely scooter?

And of course Bruno. He is quite the dog about town or should I say forest.

Credits for the photos go to another treasured one, Joe Shmow (Ryan.)

Beauty

2009-10-23T23:08:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I spent hours mulching all of the leaves on our lawn then a big rainstorm hit and brought most of the remaining leaves down.
Today when I was driving up the road to my house I was amazed at the beauty. I felt so happy to live in such a amazing location. It was really breathtaking today with all the golden colors, the dark wet trees, and the road covered with fallen leaves. This is the view up our street to the dead end. Our yard is on the left.

This is our front yard. You can see a little of the house on the left of the photo. The little red tree in front was one of the few small trees that made it through our massive clear out.

Looking down the road on trash day. You can see our garbage on the road on the right.

Gary and Bruno investigating something in the leaves on the road.

Our house. Remember that lawn was completely free of leaves yesterday!

The view from the house of the front yard. Beautiful. I love the forest.

Frog playing soccer

2009-10-23T15:22:00.000-04:00

Have you ever seen a Kitty dressed as a frog playing soccer? Now you have. Kitty's costume arrived the same afternoon as her soccer practice/game. She wanted to wear the entire costume to soccer but we talked her into just wearing the hat. It was a big hit and it kept her ears warm. She is kicking down the cones with her ball.

The frog makes it into the net.

Go Cheetahs!

Leaf Blowing

2009-10-19T12:21:00.000-04:00

This weekend Ryan and I worked on the leaves that had fallen on our baby grass. We had to blow the leaves with a blower because the rake would rip the grass out. It was a lot of work for Ryan and I. Kitty took the opportunity to get some game playing done on my iPhone. A nice crisp fall day outside and she is playing video games. Already?

Me blowing some of the leaves out of my garden. This is only a small portion is what lies ahead of us! Beautiful though isn't it?

Any sources for shelves like these?

2009-10-18T16:54:00.001-04:00

I found this image online and I love the display shelves. I want to put some of these in my bedroom so I can change the framed images frequently.

Common Joys

2009-10-15T21:40:00.001-04:00

I know that all parents think that there child is the cutest and the smartest and the most talented. I am no exception to that rule. I would also add in that Kitty is the most clever, imaginative, and stubborn child on this planet.
She has never really been interested drawing or painting unless I encouraged it, but lately that has all changed. She is making things all the time. The things that she makes give me so much joy. I love being able to see inside of her head, I love her telling me what she has made. I know that most parents must love the things that their child makes, but I love it so much it deserves its own post. I really, really love it. I really do. Two large paintings done at preschool. The first is of a ladybug and a sun. The second one is of a big spider with glittery legs surrounded by crumbs for it to eat. She also spelled her name at the bottom. "AEFRY"

This little beauty she drew the other day at home while I was working on my paintings. It is a white salamander with spots. It is an axolotis like at her preschool and she included the pink ruffled gills. Surrounding the salamander are crystal rocks (better known as geodes) which I have included in two of my most recent paintings.

This one is upside down. woops. The painting is pretty nice, but I love what it says the most. It says, "CAT FREYA". Next to that one of her preschool teachers must have asked her what she was making and she wrote "Freya, turtle." I guess it could be either. I love how she wrote cat, it is so cute. She is writing a lot of words on her own now, it is amazing to watch.

This deer and fawn she colored the other night in a coloring book, then she asked Ryan to cut it out. She then folded it up and put it on my table next to my bed. I was taking a nap, she woke me up and said, "When you feel better you can see the present that I made for you." Adorable.

Where the Wild Things Are - Official Trailer [HD]

2009-10-06T15:20:00.001-04:00

I want to see this show for the costuming and the sets. Looks very creative. I don't think that Kitty is old enough to see it however.

Maurice Sendak on his work, childhood, inspirations

2009-10-06T15:17:00.001-04:00

Maurice Sendak

2009-10-06T15:08:00.000-04:00

Maurice Sendak has always been one of my favorite illustrators since I read Where the Wild Things Are growing up.But recently I have stumbled across some other little gems by Sendak. First being Dear Milli, an absolutely breathtaking book. The other book that Kitty and I really enjoy reading together is Little Bear.

Sendak's drawings are really whimsical and lovely. Bus since the creation of the new movie coming out, Where The Wild Things Are. There seems to be products swamping the market. Some of my favorites can be found on Urban Outfitters. I really want some of the pillows and possibly the LP.

Down the hill to the stream and a compost bin

2009-10-05T00:07:00.001-04:00

This weekend my brother Josh, sister in law Lydia, and their kids came to visit us in Bloomington. We were so happy to have visitors and Kitty loved having her cousins stay with us for a few days.

While they were here, we took a few walks down our hill to our little stream. It is quite steep, so this was the first time that Kitty had been down to the stream. They found lots of treasures, a water frog, three salamanders, fossils, and geodes everywhere. Above is a photo of Kitty looking at the water frog with her cousins.

Kitty and her cousin in matching dinosaur boots standing next to one of the piles of geodes we had found.

The gang walking through the riverbed. It is so beautiful there and the kids really loved exploring. Even Gary and Casey came along for the fun.

Me with all the kids and Casey.

A view from the walk in the riverbed. The hill on the right goes up to our home.

One of the many, many rocks that were filled with fossils. Almost all of the limestone in the river bed and around was made up of fossils.

Kitty's cousin holding a geode he found that had been broken open naturally.

Kitty inspecting a hole in a big log, looking for forest creatures.

While we were down at the stream, the men were hard at work building me a compost bin out of wooden pallets that had been left by our previous owners. I am so happy that they took the time and energy to put it together for me. I had created a pile in the forest, but Gary kept eating parts of it and then getting sick later. Not a pretty sight.
This is the view of our home from the compost bin. I think that is some pretty lucky trash decompose in this setting!

Thanks to Josh and Lydia for coming to spend some time with us. Thanks to Josh, Ryan and Big Q for building my compost pile. I will post some more photos of their visit later.

Little Taste of Bloomington

2009-10-03T14:43:00.001-04:00

Ryan and I went to dinner last night at The Runcible Spoon. I had seen it a few times and it always seemed crowded, so I assumed it must be good. Believe me it was. The food was fabulous and really diverse with excellent flavor. The best part about the meal was that next to us some musicians that were there for coffee began playing songs. I loved listening to the violinist. We stayed after our meal was done just to listen a little longer to them. I guess this sort of thing is pretty common in Bloomington because IU has a great music school. It was a real surprise and delight for us.

I Have A Horse Of My Own

2009-09-28T21:55:00.000-04:00

While I was visiting Ann Arbor I made a trip to Kaleidoscope Books and Collectibles. I had never been in the store and have always wanted to, so I thought that it was a good time. While I was there I bought a few books that I loved, but my favorite by far is "I Have A Horse Of My Own" by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by Yoko Mitsuhashi. The story is so charming and the pictures are spectacular.

"I have a horse of my own

He rides through the woods at night with me on his back

We race the wind when we come to the meadows

We swim across the river in the darkness

We follow the path of the moon up mountains and we wind downwards through the valleys as though we were just one creature made of him and me"

I really want a horse of my own in my dreams at night. Kitty likes the book, but I adore it.

Yoko has illustrated a few other delightful children's books that I must get my hands on.

Ann Arbor, we are coming.....

2009-09-24T12:28:00.001-04:00

We are headed back to Ann Arbor this weekend to attend the Indiana University versus University of Michigan football game. I won't tell you who we will be rooting for. I don't want to endanger Ryan's employment. We are so excited to go back and see our beloved town, friends, and our old home. We are going to sleep on the floor in our Ann Arbor home before we hand the keys over to the new owners in a few weeks.

While we are there I hope to:

See lots of friends

Take Kitty to Dominos Farm, her favorite

Eat at Angelos and Zingermanns Roadhouse

Visit Dexter Cider Mill

Feed the ducks at Gallup Park

Shop at Treasure Mart and H&M

Watch Football at the Big House

Movie at Michigan Theater, my favorite.

Massage at Bellanina Day Spa (maybe cupcakes across the street?)

Walk around my old neighborhood and all the big trees.... oh my heart swells.

The list can go on and on, but unfortunately, my weekend does not. Maybe I will have to plan another trip and book a hotel.

Hail to the Victors!

Garden Goodies

2009-09-22T13:13:00.000-04:00

Lately I have been a bit obsessed about gardening and planting. I have been working on uncovering my flower bed from the years of neglect in the forest. I literally had to dig with a shovel to find the border a few inches beneath the ground. I have since planted many shade and deer resistant perennial plants and laid down some bark. I am very satisfied with the results and can't wait to add more in the Spring.
I love working outside because you can smell the fresh air, hear the birds, and take your frustrations out on the dirt and roots. I would much prefer working in the garden any day over housework. It must be in my genes, my Grandfather was a farmer and my Mother an avid gardener. I found this post today on Design Sponge and thought it was pretty cool. This winter if I ever get my boxes all unpacked I would love to work on a terrarium.

This is a beautiful bird feeder that can be found at the MOMA store.

Ryan tilled up a large section of land near the edge of our grass into the forest. I have planted close to three hundred daffodil bulbs and hope to do 200 more. The winters get really dreary for me, so I would love to have those flowers to look forward to.

I have also become interested in composting and started a compost pile in the forest that I am continually added food, paper, and natural waste to. Hopefully in some time I will have some fabulous compost to add to my garden.

New Lights

2009-09-20T21:23:00.000-04:00

Our electrician is coming tomorrow to install some new lights in the bedroom ceilings as well as electricity and lights for Ryan's workshop/garage. I am really excited because the rooms are really dark, and we are going to hang Tord Boontje Shadow Light in Kitty's room. I bought it some time ago when it was on sale before they stopped production. I have been storing it because there wasn't room in our old house. I hope that the light makes some really magical shadows in her room.

I love Boontje's designs so much and I think I need to get myself a light, because I am a little jealous of Kitty's. We are putting recessed lighting into our bedroom, but this little Garland Light would be nice for a little bedtime reading.

Cecropia Silkmoth Cocoons and a frog

2009-09-17T18:43:00.000-04:00

Kitty's preschool teacher gave us eight Cecropia Silkmoth cocoons. She has been raising them for years and after I expressed interest, she had a few branches filled with cocoons for me. They are giant beautiful moths that are now in their cocoon state. In the spring they will open up and be Cecropia moths. We will then release them into the forest and keep any females we may have in a bird cage outside until they lay eggs. More info on raising giant silk moths.

Here are all of the branches with the eight cocoons.

I mentioned to my neighbor, June, about our moth project she gave me this lovely antique birdcage to house them in for the winter. I will be keeping them on the screened in porch or on the back porch during the winter. They need to be kept at a natural temperature for the area all of the time. We will keep you updated as they change and emerge. It will be a long wait before we see any movement.

Ryan spotted this beautiful red frog one morning outside while he was watering the grass. This was the third frog we had seen that morning. This was the largest and most unusual.

He blends in very well with the newly fallen leaves.

Kitty tried to catch this frog but was not able because he jumped very fast and far.

Cheetahs

2009-09-17T16:00:00.001-04:00

Kitty just joined the Cheetahs, a bunch of soccer crazed preschoolers. Her first practice or "game" was this week. She really loved it as you can see from the photos. Kicking the ball down the field.

Running around with some of the other kids, kicking the ball to the goal.

GOAL!

Kitty loves soccer and gets her talent from Ryan. I always ran around the field avoiding the soccer ball and hoping that it would not hit me on the head. I remember that clearly from grade school.

Go Cheetahs!

Kitty's Day at Preschool

2009-09-17T10:53:00.000-04:00

Yesterday afternoon was my turn to volunteer at Kitty's preschool. I have done this twice now and each time has been a blast and I come home exhausted from playing with all of the children. I took a few photos of some of the activities with my phone. I wasn't able to get everything because I was in charge of serving the snack.

It was one of the girls birthday so the children are all together making a drawing to contribute to her birthday book. This was followed by some celebratory Popsicles. The other photo is of Kitty and some friends pretending to be animals in the loft.

Kitty and her classmates are petting the axolotis, they are like giant salamanders. All the kids seemed to love those slimy creatures.

Playing with shaving cream and paint. This was a giant messy activity that Kitty loved and played with for a long time. They all tested how the colors changed the foam, how it moved, what patterns and shapes that they make, and how much they could get on their hands!

A line up of the shaving cream monsters!

Grass is sprouting

2009-09-07T16:07:00.000-04:00

The grass that we had planted is starting to sprout. We are so excited. This land has undergone a major transformation and we cannot wait to start enjoying the outdoor space more.

Kitty walking Casey my brother's dog that we are dog sitting for a while.

We took out a number of small trees and had the branches of the large trees cut up about thirty feet. The land was then raked, graded, and then seeded. We hope it will get enough sun to survive.

Last Child in the Woods

2009-09-06T03:36:00.000-04:00

This book, Last Child in the Woods, has been recommended to me by a few people. I am anxious to read it. Incorporating the outdoors into Kitty's life is important for her happiness as well as for me. I find the more time we can spend outside on walks, bike rides, gardening, coloring on the sidewalk, the happier we all are. I am anxious to read this. Has anyone else read it and have feedback?
The author, Richard Louv, is interviewed on NPR in 2005 when the book was released, you can read about it or listen to the interview online.

"Our children’s childhoods need nature. Our families’ well-being will escalate when we spend more time together outside. And the earth needs future stewards who know how to live within their environment in a respectful, appreciative manner.
Our culture is not headed in that direction. It’s up to individual families to ensure our kids have a connection to nature — studies have shown that direct exposure to nature is essential for a child’s healthy physical and emotional development." Simple Mom

Decor Maison Wallpaper

2009-09-04T12:22:00.002-04:00

Kitty keeps begging me to paint some forest animals on her walls. I would love to do so for her, but do not want to spend the endless hours that it would take and then have her change her mind in 6 months. I have been keeping my eyes open for some great wallpaper patterns that I might be able to use instead. These patterns look great. I love the styling of the photographs.

DecorMaison is a Swedish brand, sold widely in Europe but still not available in the US. Their Oas collection, one of the newest, was designed by Teija Bruhn, a textile designer who brought her love of texture from fabric into paper. Photographed in a cutaway trailer on the beach, on the forest, and against the backdrop of a cityscape, the Oas patterns do a good job holding their own any setting. via Dwell.

I am also considering getting a few stretched canvases from Amenity, and I also love the wallpaper pattern of Animal Farm by Ferm Living.