8:29 am

so far today

I have been witness to

bubble blowing,

shooting hoops backwards and making 4 out of 10 shots

eating breakfasts of all varieties

playing, yelling, running,

toy-stealing, choosing clothing, spills

(I didn't get a picture of the boy shooting backward hoops - the bus came too quickly, but there he is peeking out the window)

eating-off-the-floor, stomping in puddles

the sticking out of tounges, kisses goodbye

kisses "nigh-night" (first nap o-de day)

i-love-you's and waving goodbyes

and much, much more

Looks like the beginning of a beautiful day.

Happy Monday, Friends!

***

My little friend Lucky Candice and I have started a little photo collab.

Just for kicks. check it out here.

grateful friday & stuff

At least once a day every day this week I have been getting that feeling.

The one that feels like:

How did I get so lucky? I love my life!

Look at this place I call home.

See this family.

Feel this joy.

Blessed.

I am so unbelievably blessed.

So after spending time with a bunch of creative types last week and seeing how artists dress themselves, I came home to realize that I have another artist living here. Every morning as we've waited for the bus this week I kept thinking, she’s an artist! Look how she’s dressed! I took the liberty of taking a snapshot the last couple days:

She says she doesn't want to be and artist. I’m not saying that her version of “artist” is the same version I have in my head - she's her own kind of creative being. I think some day she'll realize that she can't help it, it's part of her: the need to create something.

I’ve been getting a lot of fan mail lately:

It’s kind of nice. It helps balance out the “you’re the worst mommy!”s and the “You’re the meanest mommy!”s. Life isn’t perfect, but I’ll take the happy and remember it;

focus on it.

I found clay board. I had never even heard of the stuff before, then I took a class with Mary Beth Shaw and I am now on a mission to stock up my art supplies with clay board. It was so fun to work with!! I suggest you give it a try. Here are a couple pieces from my class:

There is an interview with yours truly up at Art Espirit. Two of my paintings are for sale at the artstream gallery—you can check them out online by clicking here.

picture taken by my awesome sister-in-law

{Happy Birthday today, Dad-o! I love you.}

8 months

I remember counting in days.

"how old are they?"

" 12 days."




Then weeks: "10 weeks old!"

then months came along.
a whole 8 of them.

soon years will be the choice of time measurement.




but until then
I'm going to remember

that at 8 months old

they are crawling and playing and rolling and laughing. They are cooing and get mad when they are hungry. They are choosing favorite things. One has teeth, one doesn't.




They are getting too big for the kitchen sink,
but we don't care.

We like it there.

squam: through my viewfinder

I took "through the viewfinder," a class taught by Andrea from Hula Seventy. She is the cat's meow. She rocks my world. If you've ever looked at her blog, you know that she is easy and happy and simple and yummy. Well, she is in real life, too--only even more. She's my girl now. I'm a member of her posse. Do you understand? I love her.

I have so much to say. So much to catch you up on. But I don’t have time.

A little short on time ‘round here.




But I did go to “art camp” and I had such a great time. I learned new techniques and saw people and felt things. Maybe I’ll go into all that. But I probably won’t have time.

See what I’m getting at? It’s a time issue.


{Kristen} It is eye candy just being at Squam and seeing what a group of artists wear day to day. Dressing a body is an act of art. Didn't you know that?

But I’m going to force myself to take the time to show you a few pictures and to make a list of 10 things about my time away.


{Jonatha Brooke} Did you know Jonatha was a modern dancer before she became a rock star? I think this should be her next album cover, don't you?

1. It takes a LOT of planning and organization for a mom like me to go to “art camp”


vivienne taking a photo through her viewfinder

2. it is worth it




3. I was better this year about feeling comfortable in my own skin. If I didn’t know anyone in the cafeteria, I would just sit down and learn about someone new.


This is not through my viewfinder, but I thought I'd show you a peek of what the cafeteria looks like.

4. Someone New is pretty interesting most of the time.



5. I love art


{darlene}

6. When I am doing something I love, I get energized.




7. The food there was like heaven. Not only was it delicious, but there was a LOT of it and I didn’t have to make it or clean it up. I made it policy to eat at least two plates of food at each meal and I didn’t feel guilty about it even once.



8. I have some new people added to my mental list of “Brittany’s favorite people of all time.”



9. Pretty much, hands down, people are even better in real life than on their blogs.



10. Artists support other artists. Not only by loving/buying each other’s creations, but by being supportive emotionally, too.

blueberry island

taken by Jake with iphone...

just a note to say that this is the traditional first-day-of-camping breakfast in our family. The rest of the time Jake is a culinary outdoor cooking genius:)

...

Jake took the three older kids camping over the long weekend while I stayed home with the babies.

They had the greatest time.

This morning I found my 10 year old's camera and downloaded the pictures and realized that she had taken it with them.

These are some of my favorites.

if you would like to see the whole set, click here.

...

meanwhile at home, it was just us three.

trying cucumber

a giveaway

here's a little sneaky peeky of what's being given at Jenica's bloggie:



Last year I felt like I was in a brand new high school (only one with all girls) when I got my tray and filled it up with food wondering where I should sit down to eat. Squam Art Workshops had begun and I had never met a soul. I recognized some of these beauties from thier blogs and when Jenica and Nina walked into the dining hall, I thought, "If I don't do this now, it will never happen." So I stood up and walked over and said, "Jenica! Nina!" And to my utter astoundment they said, "Brittany!" They knew who I was! It was like a little miracle. They ushered me to thier table where other sweet souls were and there was an instant bond with these women. Instant comfort. Instant acceptance. Instant love.

This year although I am not in thier cabin, Jenica invited me to be a part of thier giveaway countdown along side of beloved Nina Beana. Next Wednesday I will drive down that little dirt road and carry my paints and my camera into a cabin full of amazing women; I will carry my creative spirit into a setting filled with other creative spirits and we will all rejoice at the beauty of it all.

So head on over to The One Little One and enter yourself into a giveaway. Go on! It will be fun:)

Dear Fellow Visiting Teachers,

This month's Visiting Teaching message is one of encouragement. There are some wonderful quotes about how to live the gospel of Christ simply, and then how doing this will bless our lives.

I chose this quote because in my little world, having the opportunity for personal revelation is huge. When I am living in a way that invites the Holy Spirit into my daily life, it brings me peace, gives me direction, and helps me be a better wife, mother, friend and neighbor. I have been softened and made better because of this.

I want to focus more energy on nourishing my spririt this month.

Happy visiting.

With love,

Brittany



PS - here is a second design of the same quote. I couldn't decide if I wanted feminine or streamline. I'll let you decide:) Feel free to print and use for your own visiting teaching pleasure this month.

*For more information on Visiting Teaching, go here.

creatures

I had a pile of old clothes and when I looked at it all on top of each other, all I saw were
possibilities.

(ie: Jake’s old cords with the bleach stain=creature fuzz;
an old maternity shirt=creature belly)



The children and I had at it.

The creatures have been nuzzled quite a bit.

{chop it up & sew it back together.

the messier the better.

(who wants a perfect creature?)}

an invitation

In a little town called Rochester, there is a show where two paintings hang with my name at the bottom. I wrote it down just over a year ago on my mondo beyondo list, (I was feeling too vulnerable to post my list on line, but it sits in my journal in a drawer on my bedside table.) “become a true artist (paintings in galleries).”

Hopefully this is the beginning of a long and happy career that helps my life feel balanced and joyful.

Come join me for the opening:
Friday, September 11
5-7pm
artstream LLC
56 North Main Street
Rochester, NH 03867
http://www.artstreamstudios.com

#3

When the bus came to pick up the older two and she couldn't get on, it ruined her morning.

Lunch couldn't come fast enough.

It's official: she's big.