While you were away....

Oops! Guess you weren't the one away...it was me!

It has been an awfully long time since I have had a free minute to sit down and write a post. You see, I started working full time last summer. An opportunity arose and I took it. I have worked off-n-on in the automotive industry for most of my life. My first real job was in a repair shop and now I am back in a similar environment. I mask cars that are ready for a new paint job. Many people consider it to be tedious work but I enjoy it. It gives me time to ponder things and is an outlet for some of my creativity. I cover the parts of the car which are not to be painted with masking paper and plastic. May sound simple but speed and precision are required. Speed is something that has come with experience, even though I am not as fast as some younger people, my precision is good and makes up for the (lack of) speed. 

an example of a car masked and ready for paint.
image source

Working in this environment is dirty and can be stressful at times. I don't mind the dirt and dust. But the stress has been an adjustment. New personalities to adapt to, so many aches and pains at the end of the day, the 'mad rush' to get cars painted and out on time and a serious lack of free time.

Hubby and I share the chores and meal preparations. We still go on our weekend hikes as the weather allows. And we still are working towards a simpler way of life. We have continued to downsize by selling or bartering what we have for what we need for the mountain residence. At this point we only need windows, a door and of course materials for the building. And building materials do seem to show up at the most unexpected times. Also, we have purchased a vintage camp trailer to live in while we build our cabin. Once we move into the cabin full-time, we will give the trailer a make-over for the guest(s) who will undoubtedly come to visit.

I miss my writing. And often find myself talking like I write....

I miss my creating. While masking cars is a bit creative, it is nothing like bringing something to life from bits and bobs. I have been getting rid of my art supplies. Living in a small space does not allow a person to 'hoard' much. And I want to concentrate on only a few things - like sculpting and sketching. So most everything that doesn't have to do with those has been put on the sell/barter list.

I miss my research. Having a short amount of free time has made me become more selective about what I read and from who. (I read on my lunch break)

A new grandbaby was born recently. Zaviar Alexander. The delivery doctor has said he is somewhat of a miracle. The umbilical cord was twisted like a pretzel and had only one artery instead of the normal two. The doctor said that most babies with those conditions in the womb are born premature and underweight. Zaviar went full term and weighed in at 9lbs. 3oz.! 

Spring has come early here. The trees all have expanding buds and it won't be long before the leaves are popping out. The cycle of life continues.....

Cat Tales ~ SQUATTERS!

There's Squatters in Mes Castle!

This happens every time those noisy, sticky Little People come to visit!

Purz and Catnip Dreams.......Gomez

Dinovember

Just had to share this with all of you! I love what these parents have come up with to keep the magic and enchantment alive for their kids! {{Thanx Tracy!}} Click Here to read more!

Pumpkins, Ghouls and Monsters...Oh My!

A Dark and Stormy Night

The wind howled from the north driving the sleet before the car as I headed toward Denver. There was only one thing that would get me out on a night like that! Family! But it was SO worth it!

John Wyatt Gripp

7lb. 14oz.

Born 10-4-13   12:02am

Random Roadtrip ~ America the Beautiful Park

Today's Random Roadtrip is to America the Beautiful Park.
Daughter and The Grands came down for a visit over the long holiday weekend. Instead of a big activity, we decided to "Park Hop". 
And one of the area parks we decided to visit was America the Beautiful Park. It is so named because a nice view of Pikes Peak (which inspired the song America the Beautiful) can be seen from the park.

America the Beautiful Park is a main gathering point for many of the activities that take place in Colorado Springs. It is located next to the downtown area and encompasses 20+ acres.

The main attraction of the park is the rotating sculpture. Looks kinda like a Stargate, huh?
Water falls from the top of the sculpture and falls into a shallow wading area which is extremely popular during the hot months. I know we had fun!

Don't forget to enter my September Give-Away!

Click Here to Enter!

Babies and Advertising

A new Baby will soon be welcomed into the Family. The lucky couple is my youngest son and his wife. They were the couple who got married last summer at the Amusement Park. 

Click here to read about that fun, happy wedding!

Baby Wyatt will be joining us in about a month. And to help welcome him, my Daughter and I threw a Baby Shower for the Mom-to-Be.

A staple of every Baby Shower are the games. Some are really corny and others are fun. My Daughter chose some fun ones. There was the 'scavenger hunt in a purse' game and we played 'match the price tag to the baby item', which is not as easy as it sounds if you don't have any smallish children. But the most fun one was about Babies in Advertising (Daughter works for an ad agency). Pictures of Ads containing Babies from the last century were printed out and each person had to guess what product was being advertised. Some of the ads were quite surprising! So I thought I'd share a few with you!

Art of Adams 12 School District

The following pictures are examples (and mere drops in the bucket) of the fine works which were displayed at the Adams 12 School District Art Show held in Thornton, Colorado

Leah Campbell, grade 7
Monarch Garden, paper sculpture
First Place

Olivia Elliott, grade 2
Salvador Dali Inspired Birds, tempura paint

Miranda Shoop, grade 7
Painting

Tatum Rusovick, grade 8
Tiger, charcoal drawing

Anthony Le, grade 12
Surrealism, Alternative Photography

Macayla Cross, grade 12
Trapped, Digital Imaging

Janaya C., grade 3
African Mask, seeds & natural grass

Dakota Storms, grade 11
Favorite Holiday, drawing

Late Speaking Children

I wrote two weeks ago about the challenge we had with grand-daughter #1 and her excess energy (read about it here!). Well, grand-daughter #2 presented us with another unique challenge. The inability to speak. At the age of 3 1/2 when little Bri came to live with us, she could say very few words. Many members of the  family (in-law side) were so quick to label her as 'slow' or 'mentally challenged'. But Grandma knew better! Little Bri was smart as a whip and she and I had a sort of unspoken communication link between us. I encouraged my daughter to get her tested for practically everything - hearing, speech capability, everything. After test upon test, it was determined that she had not developed her ability to talk. (DUH! I could have told them that! But at least we knew what wasn't the problem) Bri was then enrolled in preschool where she met with a speech therapist twice a week. This therapist was awesome! Within three months Bri was speaking - not clearly but she was saying words. And now a year later she is making up for lost time and treating us to lovely tales of wonder and songs of beauty.

Not long after Bri started her speech therapy, Hubby ran across a book at a thrift store entitled, Late Talking Children by Thomas Sowell. This book answered so many questions we had about Bri! Because the lack of words was not her only unique trait - Bri was also an extremely finicky eater, she ADORED music, she's borderline OCD, her problem solving skills were far above the other children and she didn't know a stranger. Her world was filled with rainbow colored trees, peace signs and imaginative animals.
In his book, Thomas Sowell writes of his own personal experiences with a late talking son. And the subsequent formation of a group of more than 50 parents with late-speaking children. The studies conducted by Sowell (in coordination with a Dr. Stephen Camarata - a scientist and researcher who specializes in speech and language development) showed that most of these children have normal intelligence and some even have above normal IQ's. It is Sowell and Camarata's belief that some children speak later in life because other parts of the child's brain develop before the part of the brain that controls language and speech. Albert Einstein is a prime example of a child who was a late talker who had extraordinary intelligence.
With much patience and perseverance, little Bri now has a broader range of food "likes" and her OCD is not nearly so "O" or "C". We still listen to a lot of music and she is still quite the extrovert when it comes to social  interaction. Bri still has a wider and more advanced understanding of many things compared to her siblings and her world is still filled with rainbows and imaginative animals. I have great faith that Bri will grow up to be extraordinary in whatever she attempts!
(No Grandma bias there!)

Click here to learn more about Late Talkers!
Click here to go to the Late Talking Children blog!

March Madness

Whew! So glad March is over! It was a crazy, hectic month!

So many places to go and things to get done. There was a Kindergarten musical to attend - The Emperor's New Clothes - which was fun! It was quite amazing to see all those little people on stage singing and acting. The musical lasted approx. 1/2 hour and there were very few forgotten lines and missed cues. Every Kindergartner had to memorize the whole play before roles were assigned.  WoW!  Huge Kudos to all the faculty that assisted with this performance. It was truly amazing.

Then there was the visit from the Tooth Fairy. Her first to our house. And snow to be shoveled. And the Vernal Equinox to celebrate. And more snow to be shoveled. The delight in seeing the first flower of Spring. And more snow to be shoveled. A School District Art Show to attend (pics to follow later).

Amidst all of that, there was endless hunting and searching for an enticing piece of property to call our own. And then the weekend drives to look at them.

Needless to say, I am most glad April is here. Even though I will probably be busier than ever since growing season will soon be upon us. April is National Garden month here in the U.S. and there is Earth Day to celebrate. So this month I will be posting as much as I can about plants and gardening and nature. (You won't want to miss this Sunday's Art Post!) And I will write more about the challenges our 'new' family unit has faced in the past year along with some ponderings and revelations.

Cat Tales ~ Searching for the Great Pumpkin

Recently, Mommy and the Little, Sticky, Noisy People in the House went looking for The Great Pumpkin. Mommy said She thought She had seen Him on the roof of a building when they first set out on their journey. 

But it ended up being just a big, giant FAKE Pumpkin.

So they traveled further. And came upon a sign that pointed them towards what seemed to be a very sincere Pumpkin Patch.

There were many Pumpkins all lined up waiting to be taken to their new homes. 

Mommy said that after much looking and looking the Little People finally found the Pumpkins they wanted to come home with!