IF Asleep

My Great Neice Rosie told her Mother she was going to be asleep in the closet. I was sent a picture that I took this illustration from. Rosalie is too cute and has given me many ideas to work from with her cute little face...She is the baby in the family right now and reminds me of how cute the kids are at this age, she's two. She is the first Grandchild on both sides of her family as I was and what a great place to be. I couldn't have gotten more love if I had tried and have fond memories of all of my Grandparents. The foods I ate, the beds I slept in, and the warm and fuzzy feeling I always had. My Grandparents, even after more children arrived, always made me feel as if I was the most important one and of course I wanted to believe it. I try with my Grandchildren to do the same. It is a bit different as we all live together. We have our own spaces but when they spend the night with me its right next door. I tend to be a little critical of them when they misbehave as I see it. But I really do try to step back and be the fun part of their lives. They are growing so fast and before I know it they will not want to bother with me or their parents. So I will keep a blind eye to their bad deeds(who am I kidding?) and feed them ice cream and cookies and other things their parents don't want them to have. Life is funny and a bit of a tight wire act. We are always looking for balance ...lets hope I can find it....and lets hope Rosie keeps doing cute things I can draw about!

IF Soaked

This little Elephant loves to take hot bubble baths. He gets all the tub toys he can find and anything else he thinks he might need and heads for a long soak. I also like to take a long bath and relax for a while. I don't take the time much anymore to do this and maybe this posting will prompt me to take up the habit again. I don't think we are always as nice to ourselves as we are to others.....I have a nasty headache I can't shake to day so I will write more tomorrow when I feel better I just wanted to get this posted....see you tomorrow... It is now tomorrow...and I feel better. I went to bed and slept whatever it was off. Not quite ready to jump and dance but better is good I will take it. I will be making a plush dog today as I am going to sign with a rep that does the Teddy Bear Shows and works her bottom off to do good for her clients. It has been difficult getting back into the three dimensional projects as I really do love illustrating. But until I get a book published or find some work in that field gotta pay the bills. Gathering the materials for my creations is fun and inspires me onward. ...Well I better go for now but before I say goodbye I want to wish the people the best that are devastated by the Tornadoes in the mid west. I will be thinking about you and wishing I could give you all hugs! As I can't even wrap my mind around what it is like to loose so much of their lives...

IF Safari

This little traveler has decided to make as many friends as she can on her Safari into the jungle. And these little monkeys are delighted to see her and her offerings. She seems unafraid as she approaches these wild animals and they seem unafraid of the HUMAN that is looking at them. Perhaps it is the smile on her face. The calmness she has as she only wants good for the monkeys. I think that sometimes a smile will break down barriers that we humans have put up for one reason or another. I find laughter will also work but I know that some of us are so deeply sadden by life and its ups and downs that nothing at that moment will help! So I keep trying as the pay off for me is the smile on the un expecting victims face. We all just want to be happy and loved and sometimes that in itself is hard to make happen. Today it is rainy and dark. Little patches of blue sky are peeking out at me and the sky is soooo beautiful. I enjoy the different days and try to always find something good in them. The other day I was driving along the road closest to the beach. I looked up and there was three separate groups of Pelicans flying very low in formation along the road. They were soaring and gliding their way South. I was so fascinated I stopped to enjoy the show. My Son had seen the same spectacular site himself last week and we shared in our delight. What wonderful things nature has for us to experience. I hope I never loose the excitement in seeing it. So if you can get out of your own way today try to find something wonderful for you to take in, it might be in your own backyard! Check it out!

IF Beginner

Happy Mother's day to all that might be reading this on Sunday! I had a lovely day with my family just hanging out and eating tacos and other good food. My illo for this weeks topic "beginner" shows a truly beginning eater. I remember the days of Cheerios and milk. It seemed like the tiny round circles ended up everywhere except their mouths. At least the Cheerios were easy to clean up, unlike the baby foods we gave them first. Sometimes it seems like yesterday that my kids were babies (they are now 41 and 45 years old). And other times they seem like they have been my friends as adults for years. Time is passing so fast and we all have our own interest it is getting harder to find the time to spend quality time together. My Granddaughter helped me cook lunch and the others cleaned up and put the leftovers away. I have some beautiful roses to watch grow and the memory of the day. My poor Mother is becoming a shell of her former self. How sad it is to watch her slowly fade away. I wonder what my Father would have been like if he had the chance to grow old as he was taken at the age of 60. Would he be active, all together mentally, oh well we will never know these answers. But life doesn't seem to be getting easier as I get older. It has given me some in sites to the human condition and it has shattered some of my old illusions that I held dear. But tomorrow is another day with more lessons to learn, more hurdles to jump and thank God I have been given the chance to grow every day I am here. I hope your week is good and that you use your time to the fullest and at night when we all look in the mirror, we say "I have done my very best today". After all that is all we CAN do isn't it, don't we owe it to the others that haven't been given the chance.....go hug someone.....