Monday, December 22, 2008

Emma's Art


Emma entered the digital world of fine arts today. She wanted to make a picture to send to daddy at work, and with a little (very little that is too) guidance she made her first digital painting.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

2008

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Nothing in particular is jumping out at me...

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make resolutions, because they only seem to cause downfall.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My sister did, and she is such a great mommy!

4.Did anyone close to you die?
Fortunately I think we made it through the year with out losing anyone close.

5. What countries did you visit? Countries?
We were pretty much local this year. We dream of traveling!

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A happy and healthy new family member.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory?
There isn't a specific date coming to mind that will be ingrained in my memory.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Living

9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't believe that there is failure, just lessons to be learned

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Only minor colds and viruses that toddlers love to share.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our DSLR camera, so we can share all the cute pictures of Emma Bean

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The man behind me the other day that stopped to help an elderly lady get up after slipping on the ice.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Senseless acts of violence

14. Where did most of your money go?
Food

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Finding out we have a new bean on the way.

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2008?
Hmmm I don't think I have a theme song for this year.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: happier/sadder,thinner/heavier,richer/poorer?
Happier, poorer, simpler

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Catching the little moments that Emma does, because she is growing so fast.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Procrastinating

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Christmas Eve and Day at the Zimmerman's then Christmas Evening with the Flaherty's. Somewhere in the mix of it we will celebrate at home.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
My sisters or mother.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Everyday.

23. How many one night stands in this last year?
Hmmm this question must be for the college girls....

24. What was your favorite TV program?
So You Think You Can Dance

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Oh there are quite a few I despise, but I don't think I truly hate anyone.

26. What was the best book(s) you read?
The Glass Castle

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Elizabeth Mitchell

28. What did you want and get?
To be a full time stay at home mom

29. What did you want and not get?
I'm still trying to find myself, but is that something that ever gets fully accomplished?

30. What were your favorite films of this year?
Thanks to Kevin I think it has to be Fool's Gold (just kidding that movie was interesting)

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 27, and I can't remember what we did. I think I had to teach.

32. What's one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More hours in the day

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Official mom gear.

34. What kept you sane?
Chocolate and coffee

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I try to stay out of the "buzz" of popular celebs

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The elections were rather exciting

37. Who did you miss?
I miss my long distance friends.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Reagan, she is pretty new still.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Everything has a happy ending, if the moment isn't happy then that means you haven't found the ending yet.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
Don't Worry about a thing
cause every little thing
is going to be all right
Singing don't worry about a thing
cause every little thing
is going to be all right.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

TV making business...

Patrick has stumbled upon an new image that has found itself in many pieces of his artwork. The "old school" TV has a lot of symbolic reference to Patrick, and so he has become the newest TV factory worker. The image has left its confides of paper and has become a physical element. Patrick first made a clay mock up.



Then from the mock up, he made a plaster mold.



And the TV's were casted into TV armies.



You can see the show at the Ashland Art Gallery in Broadripple.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Homemade Laundry Detergent.

I am now going to share my secret of our homemade laundry detergent. I love it for two reasons it saves a lot of money and it really cleans and makes clothes feel nicer than store bought detergent.
First you will need to acquire three ingredients.



Ivory soap is the easiest. Borax is the next easiest. Super Washing Soda can be the trickiest, we have found it at Meijer and Kroger but that is about it. Please don't confuse baking soda for super washing soda there is a molecular/strength difference.
I first take 1/3 of the Ivory soap bar and microwave it for 2 minutes.

I then crumble it into a big pot
Add 6 cups of water and on medium heat stir until melted.
Then add 3/4 cup of borax, and 3/4 cup of washing soda, and stir till that is dissolved.
Into a large container (or large empty and rinsed detergent bottle)I pour 2 quarts of hot water. I then add my soap mixture. Stir, and top off with 1.5 gallons of cold water.
It will gel up after sitting and will need to be stirred or shaken before using. I use 1/2 cup per load of laundry.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Christmas Tree

We finally were able to make it to the Indiana School for the Blind annual Christmas tree sale. It is a one day event. You go out to their tree farm, and choose a tree and cut it down. For three dollars a foot you get yourself a mighty fine tree. Emma was so excited to go pick out a tree.



We finally settled on a tree, and cut it and took it to be purchased. Poor Emma by that point was frozen solid, and was done searching for a tree.



We took our tree home and warmed her back to good spirits with music from the Charlie Brown Christmas album.