ramblings, part 2

Since my child left my camera case in the motor home used on the 24 hour practice ride, I am without my usb port to hook my camera up to my computer to transfer photos.

Not like I have any new photos to share...

Not like I made great strides in the art world this weekend to share with you....

But I did rent and watch the Justin Beiber movie with Brenna and her friend.

Twice.

Although we didn't have pizza for breakfast this weekend, we survived pretty well on chili and I made breakfast burritos instead.

The crew and riders took on 50 mph winds during part of the bike ride and we think our team is ready to take off June 18!

 

That said, may I take a moment and ramble about hormones, or lack there of?

'Cause I don't have any art to ramble about....

It's a strange sensation, this slippery slide into Menopause. I think it should be called Brainpause. Frequently, I find my poor husband looking at me with great concern on his face. It is usually followed by a comment such as, "Wow. You really forgot _____?" or, "Seriously? You don't remember______?"

My doctor basically sent me on my merry way and suggested I read up on the subject and said to call her if sweating at night got really awful.

She didn't mention that each month I "pause", new symptoms would appear and cause myself and my family to be dazed and confused.

I have decided the way to combat this is to cash it all in, leave our home of 20 years and go live at the beach.

I would probably walk most everywhere.

I wouldn't mind walking my dog.

If we didn't walk, we could bike.

(Doug is really good at bike riding.)

I think better at the beach. 

I really believe salt air and water is the best alternative replacement for hormones.

I'm pretty certain I wouldn't mind doing laundry if I didn't live at the beach.

I'm CERTAIN I would sleep better living at the beach.

Creativity would abound....

and my sea shell collection would be A.MAZE.ING.

Wow.

Let's hope Lauren finds that camera bag soon....

xo

lynn

Random-ness

Note: Just remember the title of this post when you read this.

I'm proud to say for the first time ever, my sweet Brenna did not gag on stage!!! There were only tears one time, which she snapped out of with some fun with a friend. She sang like a trooper and remembered every single one of her dance steps. Did I remember to bring my camera? no.

I logged in 14 hours sitting to watch and or wait this week. 

My eldest left home again for three days, but left all her stuff at home. I'm looking at it as a positive thing, you know, making memories of messes and such. It's such an odd time for her. Do you remember being 20? Your world revolves around your friends and all that awaits for you to discover. Not so much revolving being done around little sister and parents, but I will take each moment I can get!

this is her dorm room the first year she moved in, but you get the idea.

The TEAM is getting ready to do their practice 24 hour ride. They will drive down to Oceanside Saturday morning and then bike to Arizona. This ensures the whole crew and team will get a feel of what it will be like to do this for 3,000 miles. My eldest child has volunteered to take my position on the crew for the weekend. Yes, I am cherishing this moment as well.

Have you ever driven a motor home? It's not very easy. The first time I did, it was on the Race Across America three years ago. It was 2 a.m. and I got lost. It was pretty dark.
This is what happened last time on the race, and no. I was not driving.

Let's just say the trip is very long and gas stations always win. 

Always.

I think it's a good thing that my child took my shift on the crew this weekend. I found out my time to be in the follow vehicle was from 10 p.m. until 4 or 5 a.m. Being in a follow vehicle basically means you stay behind the bike rider for that many hours. The usual pace is between 16-20 miles an hour. Since I am in my pajamas these days by 8:30, I think my child will do a much better job of this than I would because there is a good chance the motor home might look like the one above.

I am dying to get more art time in and this weekend I am determined to ignore the mess my house is in and play. I think it's a good weekend to order pizza. Do you think they deliver breakfast and snacks as well? My house is a pit right now, so I don't think it will matter much if I add this mess to it:

I have a good reason to get an I Phone. Do you have one? I don't and I really think I need one. I figured out that I could post more often, because I could take random pictures of things and then post them on the blog and share them with everyone.

Which makes me think....have you ever ordered groceries on line and had them delivered? I might look into that as well. Too bad dry cleaning can't be delivered.

Did you like who won American Idol this year? I thought for certain it would have been between Lauren and James, but what do I know? Except that I am usually on target in this area.....did it throw you into PTSD when Steven Tyler sang Dream On? I was back into junior high so fast I didn't know what hit me.

Why is it when you have your pool heater fixed, the time you notice that it's broken again is when you start to get into the jacuzzi and the water is freezing?

Do you ever have thoughts of what turning 50 means? I'm ten months away and I can't believe I'm thinking of this. 

Do you think it's o.k. for your child to watch the movie, Tangled 85 times since Easter? Wait. Let me rephrase that.

Did you know Brenna has such a knack for music that she has memorized every word to every song in the movie, Tangled?
Maybe I'll just mosey into the other room and turn the volume down.....

Have a fabulous holiday weekend!
xo
lynn

linking to Heather and Vanessa for

and 

Alison over at Stuff and Nonsense

Sitting On The Bleachers

I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a lot of "quality" time with Brenna today.

However, I could look at it as an opportunity to let my behind get wider.

OR...

I could look at it as an opportunity to do a little art work.

What was this opportunity, you ask?

Ahh...spending 4 1/2 hours on the bleachers at Brenna's school today.

I took my sketch book for the heck of it.

I had some ideas for the "She Art" class...

These are from the a.m. bleacher sitting. From 7-10 a.m.

Brenna is part of a "show" choir and was part of the chapel at school this morning.

She joined the other choirs for singing worship and she was a trooper for such an early morning practice.

Then I stayed for 1st period, as her regular shadow had finals today.

 First period is choir. 

In the gym.

More practice for the big recital performance on Wednesday evening.

Then I had to stay for chapel to see how she did.

She tends to love performing, but has developed a bad case of nerves while up on stage and will start to cough, then yawn, then take a big breath and, well, gag. 

Doug and I often wonder why we continue to let her do choir.

Thank goodness it didn't happen today. She actually had a blast!

We were back at the gym after school for more practice for the big night.

She seemed to be doing pretty well, having fun..so I sketched some more.

And made myself laugh

with my little doodles.

I'm hoping they will show up again with colorful paper to outline them in some way.

But not tonight. I think my head might roll right off my shoulders.

I'm just glad I'm off the bleachers!

Sweet dreams...

xo

lynn

linking to Heather and Vanessa's

Working Through...

I am more than happy to report that my Italian daughter is home safe and sound. Every day her sister says to me, "Mom. La-la is still here." Yeah. Pretty cool.

Jet lag is getting better. There's nothing quite like watching your child's eyes close during a pause in conversation at the dinner table, and then watching her head slide toward the kitchen chair next to her. Sleep is good.

So is having your child HOME!

I continue in my class of She Art, enjoying each time I put some paint to paper.

Here's my question:

When you begin a project and don't particularly like the way it's turning out, do you stop and move on or do you continue working the project until you like it?

For example:

I want my backgrounds to be much lighter than in previous works.

Somehow, the yellow just didn't cut it with all the other colors to me.

And the green...yecch. Not with that peach from the (xeroxed) book page.

My question to myself is,

Leave it and move on?

Work some more and see what happens?

Cut it up into fourths and re-work each section?

Or, just get over it and start again!!

What do you do?

Happy Monday,

xo

lynn

While I know my sweet girl is in love with Italy,

I'm sure we will never find a decent cappucchino here in the states,

Her walks along the Ponte Vecchio are finished.

And she will be winging her way home today.

Even though in my heart,  I know she will be longing to go back, I will be one happy Momma.

xo

lynn

Canvases

I do believe my She-Art

has turned into

Bird Art.

Not sure what it is,

this new obsession of mine...

It used to be bunnies.

Ask my husband. 

He had the nerve to question my sanity and asked me at one point if we could hold off on the collection of rabbits in our house. 

Huh.

I don't think he has noticed the birds yet.

But I won't hold my breath.

I'll just keep putting little birdies up and their nests all over the house...

And if he notices and says, "Isn't this a little much?"

I'll go back to bunnies.

Happy Monday.

xo

lynn

A Quick Post

Just a quick note today, as my hands have been covered in PAINT and GLUE and PAPER and....

Can you see the smile in my face??

After washing off my hands later, I'll be heading over to one of the team mate's houses and joining the TEAM and the crew for a night-time practice ride.

The crew will drive the guys up to the point of Oak Glen, a climb of 1,690 feet in 4.8 miles. Then the team will take off in pairs with a follow vehicle behind them and ride DOWN the peak so the follow vehicle drivers can practice, well, following! This is important, as the rules are the cyclists are to have a follow vehicle behind them at all times at night.

Oh, wait. Didn't I tell you they are practicing all this at NIGHT?

It's really fun when you get to follow CARL or BOB.

They have no fear and like to go as fast as possible down hill. Ha. Even at night!

Buncha knucklheads. 

I also got to take pictures for my neighbor's daughter for her big PROM night!!!

We love Sarah, she "hangs out" with Brenna all the time. Not sure what we will do without her once she heads off to college!

Umm, yeah. Closest Brenna will get to Prom this year.

Too cute!! And I thought I'd miss out on all the Prom fun....

The other new is that if you haven't visited Heather and Vanessa at their sweet blog, 

At The Picket Fence.

They took the time to feature the post I did about the guys.

Thank you, Heather and Vanessa, for spreading the news!!!

O.K., I'm off to paint and get ready!

Happy Saturday!!!

xo

lynn