Journey's of An Artist Mom

A Summer in Photographs

2009-08-09T22:03:00.024-06:00

Tap, tap, tap.....Is this thing on?

My almost two-month absence here has left me intimidated as where to begin. So many stories, so many family memoires and busy sunlit evenings. For now I leave you with this.

Family trip for some freshly prepared ice cream from the Marble Slab Creamery

Where we waited in line impatiently for over 1/2 an hour. The anticipation was killing [one of] us.
Escaping the heat in shady places with a passion tea lemonade and an adorable comrade.

Endless pushes on the swings at the park.

Lovely summer walks.

Visits from Papa. He always brings the best treats.

"Pound it"

Cooling off at the Spray Park.

Many days enjoying the outdoors and learning about nature at the Little Bird Big Bird program.

On a hunt for frog's, Eva would do a little happy dance and exclaim "frunks!" every time she found one. Here she holds the adorable paper bag frog puppet she made.

On the lookout for bugs this time.

A few tears were shed as were were not so happy about walking anymore.

Until we made our own bug...then the world was made right again.

The little tag along.

A wonderful trip to the mountains

Where we dipped our toes in the frigid glacial waters

And lounged on the beach

We collected and sorted, and we actually weren't afraid of the rocks this year

And we said goodbye to Grammy for another year.

Summer has been busy but oh so full of memories. I'm looking forward to slowing down a bit.

Sawadee Ka

2009-06-18T14:35:00.002-06:00

I've really been slacking on blog posts lately, including our Secret-Secret Geography Club dinners. I finally wrote about our night of delicious Thai food at Meal Planning 1o1 if you want to read it. I also have our French night from April in the drafts waiting to be blogged.

Oh well, one of these days.

This Girl Sparkles

2009-06-04T16:08:00.002-06:00

Grace In Small Things: Sixteen

2009-05-27T23:08:00.000-06:00

1. Making it out alive after two days of subbing middle school.

2. Finding out my baby's raspy rattly breathing is NOT in fact pneumonia, but a mere ear infection.

3. Generous babysitting.

4. An understanding husband.

5. Sisters who love each other.

Wage a battle against embitterment and take part in 365 days of grace in small things.

Grammy's Home

2009-05-24T14:36:00.006-06:00

My Mother-in-Law is a full-time missionary nurse in Guatemala, and is currently back for 3 months (check out her blog). The girls are lovin' having their Grammy home.

There's been lots of hugs and kisses around this place.

Grammy brought them back pretty Guatemalan dresses with ornate embroidery on them.

Welcome home Grammy! It's good to have you back.

Punk Rocker

2009-05-10T08:04:00.003-06:00

This is how she sleeps. If she were any more precious I would scream.

Those chubby baby feet are melting this mom's heart.

Happy Mother's Day Mom's!!!

Anchors Away

2009-05-02T14:51:00.004-06:00

I bought Eva the most adorable nautical red shoes with anchors on them. I found them online from a lady in town for only $2. Eva thought they were the greatest things ever.

She's such a girl in every sense of the word. She LOVES shoes and is constantly saying "shoes?" "shoes!" "shoes on, shoes on, SHOES ON!" as well as "hair, hair HAIR!" and "pony", "brush", "barette? peeeese!"

Combing her hair in nothing but a diaper and her new red shoes.

From the moment I came home with them she said "shoes on" in her teeny little mouse voice so I couldn't resist. She didn't take them off once yesterday, not oven to nap. I heard "clomp, clomp, clomp" everywhere she went....it wasn't until she was in Pizza 73 with Daddy and she barfed all over herself and her new red shoes that she finally agreed to take them off.

They're in the wash now, but as soon as they are back in commission I'm sure I'll hear a tiny "shoes on?"

Sick 'uns

2009-04-29T10:04:00.007-06:00

Last week before we left Vancouver Isabella's eyes looked red and watery. By the time we arrived home she had developed a full blown slimey, green, snot-running-from-her-eyes eye infection. While it doesn't phase her at all during the day and she is her regular joyful self....nighttime is a different story.
Since the eye infection she has decided to revert back to a newborn schedule with her night feedings, waking up EVERY 3 HOURS. Are you kidding me? One phase of newborn wakings a year is my quota....twice in the matter of months and I stop functioning like a human being.

Yesterday after Isabella's 4am feeding I tossed and turned and realized, yes indeed I WAS WIDE AWAKE. By the time I was tired again there was no point in going back to bed since Isabella would be awake and demanding another feeding in no time. So I stayed up and folded laundry and washed dishes and baked bread....all before 9 am. It's a good thing I was so productive so early in the morning. By early afternoon Eva woke early from her afternoon nap to tell me "hurt". When I asked where it hurt she just flopped her head on my chest. All the sudden she threw back her head and BARFED ALL OVER ME. Stinky curdled milk barf. On me.

Despite my own urge to hurl, I managed to get us both cleaned up, get another load of laundry going and curl up on the couch with my girl and some movies. Neither of us moved until another round of bile made Eva lunge her shoulders forward and me make a mad dash with the bucket. That's pretty much how the rest of our afternoon and evening went. More changes of clothes, more laundry, and more episodes of Seinfeld.

We've had no explosions today, but after a rough night of sleep with Isabella and bad naps from both girls today, this Mom needs a latte.

And maybe a shower.

In Memoriam

2009-04-24T21:20:00.003-06:00

It's incredibly refreshing to be home.

The last two weeks have been a stressful, head-achey, heartbreaking blur. Just to recoup I spent the entire day in my sweats without showering or combing my hair and sipped coffee on the couch while doing my regular routine things like meal planning, grocery list making, budget balancing and drinking in the simplicity of hanging out with my sweet girls. It felt so good.

While I do plan on writing about the last couple weeks, my brother-in-law Shawn wrote an amazing tribute to his Dad (my father-in-law) and I wanted to share.

Barry you were so incredibly loved.

***

My dad died unexpectedly last Thursday (April 9, 2009) in a hospital in New Westminster. He was 57 years old. He died without pain. Basically, his heart just stopped. Barry James Birss had a hard life, and it did a lot of damage to his body. Though he has been very diligent to live healthy and active for the last eight years especially, some damage cannot be undone.

My dad was a relationshipsmith. That was his trade, and he was damn good at it. He loved deeply. He loved honestly. He was a man who wanted to know you as you were, and would take the time to get there if he had to. He spent a great deal of his life having all his weaknesses revealed. All of that pain and hurt was fashioned into a golden instrument of healing in the lives of all around him. You didn't need to pretend around Barry. He'd lived it all.

I have rarely seen a life of pain like I saw in my dad. It was said in this world that he would never return to us free. But he didn't remain there. Having been rescued and restored from the deep pits of mental illness and despair, he chose to return to the places of his greatest pain, and shine hope like a lighthouse to those suffering in the storms he had endured. He left his prison, and returned to it as a free man to show others the way out.

Every night as a child I prayed to my Heavenly Father that my dad would be healed. I didn't know it would take twenty years, but my prayers were answered. The last time I saw my dad, with his strong and gentle voice and his clear eyes, he thanked me for those prayers.

My dad was not a great man. He was not a man of vast accomplishment by the standards of this world. He was a simple man. A man who lived and loved and laughed . . . with outsiders, with people locked behind thick walls, with friends who'd lost everything. He kept a friend for fifty years, though his friend has no phone or address. He let his broken self be seen by the broken, and through his cracks spilled the healing life of a loving God.

He was a lover and a fighter, in the right measure of both.

***

Thankyou Steve. Thankyou Kate. Thankyou Uncle Rob and Aunt Dorie and Grandma and Sharon. Thankyou Stan. Thankyou Ken. Thankyou everyone at Burnaby Mental Wealth. Thankyou all who loved and were loved by Barry. You are his legacy.

***

2 Corinthians 4

7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."[b]With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

My Head & Heart Hurt

2009-04-18T23:28:00.002-06:00

I'll make this short because my patience and my energy have been ground very thin.

My father-in-law died on Good Friday. He was a good man and I can't even begin to describe how much he will be missed. We canceled our Easter plans and flew out to Vancouver. This trip has done nothing short of turn my brain into mush from all the funeral planning, estate settling, and nasty cold and flu Eva and I both got. She has been incredibly whiny and sometimes unbearable when our emotions have been especially fragile. After all the "business" we've had to take care of in the last week, our family finally got to enjoy some down time at Stanley Park. We had 3 blissful hours where we could laugh, smile and have our shoulders feel light again....only to return to our rental vehicle having been broken into and my husband's back pack stolen which held his laptop, bible that I gave him for Christmas, the girls birth certificates and a bunch of other stuff. On top of the huge load of things that need to be taken care of before we fly back on Wednesday, we will also be making a trip to the police department, dealing with car insurance and the rental company.

Vancouver is kicking my ass.

A Bucket of Joy

2009-04-02T10:27:00.012-06:00

Oh my little Bella Bean.

She is just a few days shy of being 3 months old. I still can't get enough of those cheeks and her big blue eyes that look around in wonder.She has always been so joyful and friendly and will smile and coo at whoever is holding her, but she began this full out babbling coo this week that sounds like she is on the verge of giggling. She lays under her play mat and coo's and half giggles at her fish hanging down. It is one of the most precious things I have ever seen.

I'm always trying to drink in her absolute sweetness because it's just so thick and juicy. I'm quite certain I will see actual sugar oozing out of her one day.

Big sister Eva is just as infatuated with her as we are.

Whenever she is laying down for a nap Eva is asking for her "Bella?" And at least 53 times a day she's saying "Bella. Sisto." She tries to make her feel better when she cries by putting the soother in her mouth and has on more than one occasion layed down on the play mat beside her and chatted and giggled along with her.

Eva likes to point out "eyes....nose....mouth" each time poking her sister in the facial feature mentioned.

"Belly Butty"

Most of the time Isabella doesn't mind the poking and prodding. Including when Eva uses her own finger as Bella's soother and then laughs and squeals with delight as she feels the sucking sensation on her index finger.

I can't imagine life without her in it.

Malaysian Night

2009-04-01T14:20:00.000-06:00

On Sunday our Secret-Secret Geography Club got together for some Malaysian fare. We wanted to do a country that was really quite foreign to us, so we had to research recipes and use ingredients we weren't familiar with. I was really looking forward to trying food that was totally different.

Our group delivered the delicious goods as usual. Lindsey brought a Malaysian Spicy Fruit Salad called Rojak. It was a combination of cucumber, pineapple, jicama, mango, and green apple tossed with a dressing of chili, sugar, lime juice and shrimp paste. But after Lindsey opened the jar of shrimp paste and smelled it, she decided to skip out on it. It's REALLY strong smelling and I can understand why she would shy away....kinda almost like fishy dog food. But stronger. Anyways, the whole mixture was topped with ground peanuts and black sesame seeds. It was really interesting. The combination of spicy, sweet and sour seemed to really work. It was refreshing.

Lindsey also brought a dish of chilied eggs. Yes, I know it looks weird. There was just no salvaging the look of it for the picture. It's essentially eggs in a chili-coconut sauce. The eggs were first hard-boiled, then fried, then simmered in the coconut sauce. This one was just a little too weird for me. I think everyone felt the same.

I made Beef Rendang from Rasa Malaysia's website. It was a long process that took about 2.5 hours to prepare but sooooooo worth it! I loved the flavors of the chili's, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and coconut combined with the warm spicy star anise, cinnamon and cloves. I hate to say it, but I think I'm really starting to like anise and cinnamon in savory dishes...if it's done right of course. After frying a homemade spice paste the beef, coconut milk, toasted coconut and more spices were added and then simmered and stewed. You let the mixture stew until all the liquid is gone and by the end the pieces of beef are being fried. At the end of the 2-3 hour process all the spices and flavorings have combined to create this amazing earthy, spicy beef that is just incredible. Steve thought it was possibly the best thing I have ever cooked. Now that's a compliment!

Dan also purchased some shrimp paste, but he actually ended up cooking with it. It went into these spicy long beans. After smelling the shrimp paste and the odor filled the room as Dan cooked with it, my stomach was turning thinking about eating these beans. But just like fish sauce can be potent and you would never eat on it's own, when you cook with it in small portions it adds great flavor. So shrimp paste and all, these beans were good. Like...really good.

It seemed we couldn't have Malaysian food without Malaysian satays. Dan made these and they were incredibly delicious. They tasted just like the satays I made with a recipe again from Rasa Malaysia. Everyone was fighting over the last few skewers.

Can't have satays without homemade peanut sauce.

I think we all loved our Malaysian feast and all the unexpected flavors. The last couple months have been filled with countries we love like India, China and Mexico, but they were all very familiar dishes. Besides the skewers, I had never tried any of these dishes before. New, exciting and delicious.

The next country we are going to explore is the culinary delights of France. That means fresh spring vegetables, butter, cream, pastry, cheese and copious amounts of wine.

I can hardly wait.

Grace In Small Things: Part 15 of 365

2009-03-31T14:50:00.002-06:00

1. Mending relationships.

2. Making plans to visit extended family who I haven't seen in almost 3 years.

3. Red overalls.
4. Isabella on the verge of laughing.

5. Friends who take the time to listen and offer great advice.

Wage a battle against embitterment and take part in 365 days of grace in small things.

Grace In Small Things: Part 14 of 365

2009-03-26T13:42:00.005-06:00

1. An extra large bottle of white zinfandel on date night.

2. Mess-Free Markers.

3. Gingerbread baby & candy cane toes.
4. Homemade Katsu Donburi.

5. Saturday afternoon with the fam.

Wage a battle against embitterment and take part in 365 days of grace in small things.

Unplugging

2009-03-24T14:08:00.001-06:00

I've been slacking.

Technology has become a bit of a monster in our household ....WAAAAAAAAAY too many hours are spent on our laptops. Especially mine. I think my keys are getting worn out. Steve and I decided to put some limitations on our computer/t.v. time. I thought I was going to go into convulsing withdrawals at first, but it has been an extremely healthy thing for me to let go and unplug a bit.

It's meant more quality time with this one

and this one

and of course this one.

I'm enjoying my time away. It's good to unplug and reconnect.

Grace In Small Things: Part 13 of 365

2009-02-28T00:38:00.007-07:00

1. Having a baby so content and wonderful, joy oozes out of her pores.

2 & 3. Silly 80's parties and tight bums.

4. Quiet time.

5. Sipping coffee in the morning listening to the sounds of the house and the little babes softly breathing.

Wage a battle against embitterment and take part in 365 days of grace in small things.

Grace In Small Things: Part 12 of 365

2009-02-26T14:10:00.004-07:00

1. Finishing the last quilt block.2. My husband not complaining about me converting our dining room table into my sewing room for the last 4 days.

3. Discovering a movie from my childhood and watching it with Eva (an 'oopie' in Eva's words).

4. Cleaning the kitchen late at night with a glass of white zinfandel.

5. Realizing Tupperware is just as a good a toy as any to a toddler.

Wage a battle against embitterment and take part in 365 days of grace in small things.

Sneak Peek

2009-02-26T14:07:00.004-07:00

Lovin' The Wonk

2009-02-25T14:21:00.007-07:00

I've spent the last two months drooling over designer fabrics and dreaming about the beautiful quilts I would make with them. While not knowing exactly how to quilt, I've spent hours watching videos on youtube and reading tutorials online. This weekend I stocked up on quilting gear with a mat, ruler and rotary cutter and some inexpensive flannel. As much as I would love to delve into the designer fabrics right away I really can't afford to pay $15 a meter and then botch it up. Instead I am making Isabella a soft and cuddly quilt out of these surprisingly cute flannel fabrics.
I tried to sign up for a quilting class, but it doesn't start until the end of April. I figured in the meantime I could just teach myself. I'm absolutely loving some of the modern quilts I have seen at many different blogs like Tall Grass Prairie Studio and A Quilt is Nice. For my first quilt I am following Tall Grass Prairie Studio's tutorial for making a wonky log cabin. These are a few of my favorite blocks.

I am almost done the quilt top; I have 10 blocks and I want to have 12 with some cream sashing. The tutorial for this was easy to follow but I think I have my work cut out for me teaching myself how to quilt the three layers together and finish with the binding. But so far I'm loving the process.

Grace In Small Things: Part 11 of 365

2009-02-19T22:44:00.004-07:00

1. Spending my Saturday morning visiting quilting shops and drooling over fabrics.

2. Buying my first mat, ruler, rotary cutter and some practice fabrics.

3. CLEANING THE GARAGE, OH MY GOSH.

4. Lychee Pop.

5. Pushing buttons and saying "boop boop beep boop"

Wage a battle against embitterment and take part in 365 days of grace in small things.

Grace In Small Things: Part 10 of 365

2009-02-19T01:46:00.007-07:00

1. My Dad visiting for 5 days.

2. The girls loving their time with "Papa".

3. Discovering Eva LOVES Shrek the Halls. Grandpa may have let her watch it 4 times in 4 days but it completely grabs her attention leaving me 22 minutes to accomplish something.

4. Dad's constant generosity.

5. Baby sneezes.

Wage a battle against embitterment and take part in 365 days of grace in small things.

Grace In Small Things: Part 9 of 365

2009-02-14T16:59:00.002-07:00

1. Family Day.

2. Board games.

3. Monkey bread.

4. Warm winter days.

5. My cousin giving birth to a beautiful baby boy.

Wage a battle against embitterment and take part in 365 days of grace in small things.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

2009-02-13T14:43:00.003-07:00

I so appreciate the encouragement I have received about my postpartum sadness. I won't call it depression because it is definitely not, and I do not have have postpartum thyroiditis. I'm sure it's just the normal "baby blues" that come over me every once in awhile. From loving comments from friends I am reminded that I don't have to do it all right now. That it's okay to rest and take it easy and not expect so much from myself. So I've been slowing down lately and not feeling guilty about it.

On a particularly bad day last week I lay on the couch wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets letting big fat tears roll down my face. Isabella was upstairs napping peacefully and Eva played contentedly with her toys while I wallowed in sadness. She toddled over to me and asked to be picked up, so we both lay on the couch cuddling together with her head burrowed into my neck. The silence was peppered with my tears until Eva piped up and in her little elf voice said "eye you" (I love you). It's amazing how this parenting thing can sometimes be reversed and in short instances they can parent us instead.

Thanks Eva. Eye you too.

Grace In Small Things: Part 8 of 365

2009-02-12T15:43:00.007-07:00

1. Gobbling up these cheeks all day.
2. My little caterpillar curled up in her cocoon and sleeping on my chest.

3. Browsing quilt blogs and getting seriously excited to make one of my own.

4. Anberlin.

5. Green eyes.

Wage a battle against embitterment and take part in 365 days of grace in small things.

Grace In Small Things: Part 7 of 365

2009-02-12T10:20:00.003-07:00

1. My husband continually showing me what unconditional love means.

2. A good glass of wine.

3. Freshly dyed hair for the first time in over two years.

4. My Dad's spaghetti and meatballs which meant I didn't have to cook.

5. Dimples and pigtails.

Wage a battle against embitterment and take part in 365 days of grace in small things.