Wedding Photos on Flickr

We have finally finished scanning the wedding photos (the professional ones). You can see them by clicking here and then clicking the picture of Fred and I.

Santa

This was our Christmas. Fred and I got ourselves a cappuccino machine after become addicts in Mexico. We hiked up Madonna Mountain where Tristam contemplated the stack rocks at the top. We got Tristam one gift- a remote control truck, but relatives sent all sorts of art materials, play dough and Lego's and he was one happy kid.

Happy

Movie

Fred and I have been watching the odd movie here and there- the latest one we both loved was this one.

Leaf Cutter Ants

This picture didn't come out too well...these are some leaf cutter ants we were watching on our last day in Mexico...a slow moving line of ants carrying pieces of leaf that were much larger than they were. These worker ants were surrounded by what looked like little ant supervisors...

Pencil Back in Hand

Catching up...

I am missing the all inclusive resort life style...no buffet here...no mojitos just after breakfast...

We had such a great time down in Mexico. The best bits were catching up with family (both sides) and experinceing such a beautiful place. The colors were amazing! The sand was silky, soft, and white, the ocean was turquoise, the vegetation was lush green...vibrant colors everywhere.

Tristam got to hang out with my family- and he ran right up to all of them and gave them all big hugs even though they had only seen each other 2 brief times before. My family loves Tristam and he so dug hanging with his new cousins...you should have seen them all together...makes me smile. I love Fred's family too- I couldn't have asked for better in-laws and siblings in law. My face hurt from smiling and laughing so much.

We had a great turn out for the wedding and almost everyone was just incredibly kind and generous to us. I'm grateful to our wonderful family and friends and I feel to lucky to have them in our lives.

On a poopy note- we found out that one of Tristam's caregivers has been creating imaginary people for him to blame stuff on that he does...I won't even begin to tell you about how wacked that is...What a great way to teach a kid responisibility and promote his psychological well being. This person actually called it a "parenting technique".... ????!!!!

I came home to book offers and other work offers! I should go out of town more often! I'll keep you posted as things develop (don't want to jinx anything by talking about it too early).

After catching up on laundry, mail and unpacking, it's back to work! Both Fred and I are kicking up into high gear again on our work schedules...the week off was SOOO nice! We're going to try to do it once a year (go somewhere restful without work).

Mexican Wedding

We're Back!

One week in Mexico...it was hard to leave...

Waves

Today's waves from Shell Beach and from Pismo Beach. Gorgeous day...just beautiful.

Roaring Ocean, Hot Weather...

Last night I was sitting here in my studio and was noticing the white noise. It took me a little bit to figure out it was the ocean- waves kicked up to 20 feet last night. All day a sporatic caravan of surfers has been driving by to look at the ocean. Waves this size happen very occasionally....I'm going to walk down to the edge of the cliff here and snap a picture to post-

The picture is from a story in the works about a girl who can't believe she was born without wings.

About Fighting....

People who don't know Fred and I ask, "How do you know this will last?"...Well- first of all, we have been best friends for over 8 years now...second- we know how to fight- we have gotten into some intense fights over the last 8 years- they have been long affairs with shouting and such- BUT (here's the secret), NEVER have we cut each other down, called each other names or played the victim with one another...any of those things suck the respect right out of a relationship. We had a big old fight the other night...but it's never about each other, it's about the issue- and we both know when to stand our ground, and whne to back off because it's a small thing....I'm just putting that out there...once you put someone down to their face, you can never erase it. It's there forever. The other parts of why we will be around as a couple til we croak, is that we have a foundation of friendship and both held out for the "REAL deal"...we didn't settle for less than- less than never works for long and it will suck your soul dry - don't settle....

It's not so Easy- Being a Lady of Liesure...

I've been joking with Fred that since my crazy deadlines with American Girl are over for now, that I have become a lady of liesure, but the truth is: I wake up at the crack of dawn with my "to do" list and then spend my day attending to it and at night when we collapse into bed at midnight, I feel like I still have miles of stuff left to do...

Currently, I have our home torn appart- I am going throught every room, every shelf, every drawer and every cupboards and I am sorting, organizing, cleaning and tossing out...a symbolic "fresh start". I have gotten rid of loads of stuff so far...it's really amazing how much stuff you accumulate over time without meaning to. I've tried to live by the : Do I NEED it rule for a few years now to keep on budget and still- STILL- crap everywhere. I swear I've gotten rid of about 1/4 of the contents of this place in the last week or so....

Graphic novel is beginning....