Mom's turn: {kre-at'}

I purchased a wall treatment from Stampin’ Up’s new Décor catalogue to surprise Teeny with. When I saw it I instantly thought of my talented DD and all of her art work hanging on the walls; it was so perfect I had to try. After a little…uh, make that a LOT of work, I finally got it on the wall.

Mom's turn: Back in the BIKE-saddle, again!

I found an awesome bike ride put on by B.R.A.S.S. to raise awareness for street safety and also increase art appreciation for the pieces all around Baton Rouge. It was the Velo des Arts that start/finished at the new state capitol.

“Starting at the state capitol we’ll head out through the downtown area on a 12 mile odyssey to view the public art scattered across our city’s landscape. Re-gathering at the Civic Center Complex we’ll head to Westdale Middle School to experience the much-debated and currently threatened student created sculpture. We’ll stop along the way to see other works of art including those in the B'nai Israel synagogue. On the return trip we’ll stop at Circa 1857 before returning to the capitol. At the capitol we will learn a bit about the art and architecture of the building before adjourning for the after party at Lafayette Park. We will receive our own personal commemorative t-shirt and enjoy food, drink, and the last Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge ‘Sunday in the Park’ with Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Carla Cook.”

My family was a bit reluctant at first because when we woke up the temperatures were a very nippy 41 degrees! And to a good ol’ Southerner – that’s FREEZING! They thought I had lost my mind!! However as the ride went along and they warmed up the smiles came out.

We saw several interesting things and learned quite a bit; that's nice since we actually live here! Our first stop was close to the starting point and we saw a motion sculpture that represented a flock of birds; Teeny and I were distracted with the awesome embroidered biking shirt and even cooler helmet, though. Then we moved on to the downtown buildings that incorporated intricate tile work with the native Louisiana iris and the state flower, the magnolia. See – there are some more smiles!! Next stop was close to the Centroplex

I love photostich...how cool is that - a panoramic shot!

with the infamous “paper clip dock” that is rumored to be up for destruction and a memorial to Martin Luther King. Then we went on to a synagogue. The first piece we saw was an intricate work celebrating the freedom of both Jews from the Holocaust and African-Americans. I also learned the difference between a holiday menorah (having 9 branches) and a traditional menorah (having only 7 branches) along with the fact that they allow no human art reference within the synagogue itself. We saw the torah, covered in some beautiful hand painted silk cloths, and kept in a cupboard, of sorts, with tiles on the front depicting the Jewish holidays that are celebrated. My favorite piece actually came at the end of our tour from the place I would have least likely expected, since I dislike the work as a whole. It was hidden inside the West Dale sculpture and it personified my family from one extreme to the other so perfectly that I couldn’t help but fall in love with it! I still do not like the sculpture and have the unlucky fortune to live in it’s vicinity; I do, however, have a much better appreciation for it and what it represents now.

Of course most rides are all about the shirt - and here is our super cool trophy that we got for this one!

Mom's turn: Sweet Surprise!

Travis had a few surprises up his sleeve for me to keep my mind off the fact that we weren’t able to camp. First we stopped on the Cherokee Reservation to get some fudge – they have the absolute best fudge ever…or maybe it’s the memories that go with it. That is the same vacation stop we made when I was pregnant! It’s also always nice to pass through their and remember a part of my heritage from my father’s side. Then he stopped at a hotel in Sevierville, TN right on the French Broad River so we could see Teeny go whitewater rafting on her all day trip on Wednesday. We headed over to the outpost bright and early Wednesday so we could ask them where to go along the river and catch them on the rapids for some great pictures. WELL – we got there a little too early and the kids hadn’t boarded the bus yet. That ended up being a good thing because the person in the outpost informed us that the river was inaccessible and pictures could only be taken from a kayak. Hmmm – that won’t work! We spied on her for a minute before she realized we were there and she was laughing and yawning and having a good time! When she came over to the truck we were able to get a hug & kiss, and some quick details of her camp so far!!! She was a little nervous because they had just found out that they were taking duckies down the river!

Kyle & Christina all geared up and ready to go!

I was so glad to have just had that experience so I was able to put her mind at ease. She also said they had hiked SIXTY miles, she got four blisters, and was stung seven times getting into a yellow jacket nest and stirring up some hornets (which she said was the worse sting she has ever gotten instantly causing hives all over her leg). She also stepped in a stinging nettle which she claimed was worse than the yellow jackets, fell on her first day hiking and had two monster bruises on both knees, and caught a cold on her second day hiking! GOOD GRIEF – all that and she was still smiling!!! Additionally she made up a little poem…but that is her story to blog when we pick her up tomorrow!

After they got on the bus to head to the drop off point Travis and I went on to see Asheville, NC to visit and shop since we couldn’t watch her raft over the rapids. Asheville was a lovely community and a place Travis had always wanted to see and the weather was gorgeous.

does NOT make me homesick!!!

We got some coffee and a little treat and then visited some of the shops where I got some surprises for Teeny. She loves to bead and is always making me sweet treats, so this time I found some stuff and decided to make her one so she would have a memory of NC. Of course I went with the Asian theme and added some iridescent beads on a beautiful two tone silk ribbon. Then I found something for myself…a wonderfully scented beeswax tea light holder and an elephant. That is always the best way to remember NC by! We headed back to the hotel but stopped at the Knife shop first. When we got back, Samson said it was time to play…again! He found a new source of entertainment – there was an apple tree by the cabin and he snuck one in his travel house and brought it with us!!! Funny boy.

Mom's turn: Just THE SPOT

I’m so excited…I finally got my elephant painting framed and hung!!! It has the honor wall in our house – where someone will see it as soon as they walk in the door!

Mom's Turn: Mother's Day

I can't even begin to describe how I feel as a mother. It's times like this when I wish I were more versed in fancy words like Keats instead of plodding along on the typewriter attempting to tell the world just how blessed I am. However my DD deserves my most modest attempt at bragging...so here it goes:

It started with a phenominal gift - a painting done by a male elephant at the Thia conservation center.

Which Ibrought to be framed and matted and cannot wait to post more about it when it finds it's "perfect spot" on the wall.

And continued with pampering to make mom feel beautiful with fancy fingers and feet.

Nothing feels better than when someone else bends over to do your toes!

Then waking to the most wonderful snuggles and smiles...knowing that if the world ended today, I had it ALL!!! My "priceless" moment - my teenage daughter still adores me (sometimes).

On to IHOP for my favorite, Swedish pancakes of course, and then to church to be sweetly reminded to find joy in my every day life as a stay-at-home-mom...even when my toes aren't done and my hair is a mess and I'm drowning in laundry - I am blessed.

And back home to relax the rest of the day...I couldn't have asked for anything better! Thank you for making me a Mom!!!!!

The best mommy of the year award

Well – my family has definitely outdone themselves this year! For Mother’s Day they got me the most fantastic and unique “elephant gift” possible…a painting done by an elephant in Thailand, Sri-Siam.

This will be my most treasured gift in my elephant collection for sure; not only is it beautiful, but part of the proceeds go to help the elephants at the conservation center. The best win-win situation in my heart! Elephant art became more famous recently with the video on YouTube and National Geographic of Hong painting her “Elephant Self Portrait”, but I have been watching these animals paint and had a desire for some of their art work for years. I’m glad the world knows a little bit more about it now. Perhaps more people will be intrigued with it as I was and be able to help these gentle giants.