Random Goings On

Our family is in a good rhythm as the winter rolls on.  This is the best time of year for Arizona so we are enjoying the cooler weather.  I just wanted to share a bit of what each of us is up to.


Esteban
He loves Dub Step music, he uses his phone and headset to rock out when he is cleaning or doing laundry.
A few days ago I told him I was craving berries and he brought every berry at the store.  Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and he included grapes just in case.  He hosted a berry festival for me, so amazing.
Esteban and I love to watch some of the series TV on NetFlix and Hulu.  Right now we are watching Being Human and the last season of Star Trek Voyager.

Sebastian
He is finishing his finals and has been studying a lot.  He took a break to see his High School friends in their production of Beauty and the Beast.  He thought the play was outstanding, especially the young man who played Gaston.  Sebastian misses his Drama and Stage Craft classes, they were his favorite in High School.  When he has time, Sebastian watches episodes of The Walking Dead, he is so hooked.

Isabel
Is reading a lot and watching anime and horror movies with her friend Jamie.  Isabel says she wants to visit Japan when she is older.  She and her friends are trading beaded friendship bracelets.  Isabel has also been putting her hair in a pony tail for several weeks, I asked why and she said she just feels like it.
Preteen girls are fun to be around (most of the time;), I love to hear Isabel laugh.

Frances
I have been doing a bit a embroidery, made a few trees and carved a few stamps.  I seem to have the attention span of a hummingbird.  Crafting keeps my hands and mind busy and makes me feel better.  I can't get enough of Bones and The Amazing Race on Hulu.  I have also been putting whipped cream on my fruit, it is my favorite thing to eat right now.  I caught Isabel shooting the whipped cream into her mouth.  See, most of the time.

Luci
Luci has been living the good life receiving love from each of us.  We had a day of rain and Luci was not sure at all about going out.  She shakes her body like she is soaked every few minutes, so the rain walks are like a mad dash for Esteban and Sebastian.

Fruit and whipped cream, my latest food love.

This tree was a custom order finished yesterday.  It was fun to try fewer stones on a slightly taller version of my Tiny Trees.

I embroidered this fox which was a project in the book Embroider Everything by Diana Rupp.  I made a wire frame and embroidered it to the fox, I like how it turned out.

There we go, a little update.  I hope you are having a great weekend.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Bald is Beautiful!

We are having a great time as winter is winding down, I just wanted to share a few photos of what we are up to.

Sebastian is wearing his Police Explorers Uniform after a national competition his unit participated in this past weekend (we are asked not to show photos of the patch because it says police).  Sebastian completed a serious obstacle course and a separate mud run, which is a lot for a first year member.  He is so excited to be part of a team and get to learn from and participate with the pros.  He was giving us a blow by blow of his adventures and I caught this great shot.

Luci has perfected the mid day nap after months of intense practice.

A touching father daughter moment.  We all give Luci air kisses as often as possible.

We had a cold snap that lasted for several weeks and we would put this jacket on Luci for her early morning walk when the temperature was just above freezing.  After a few days she would come over and sit by the jacket and wait for me to put it on.  When it got warmer she stopped asking for it.  I made the jacket last year using cozy flannel.  

Esteban wearing his Power Ranger hoodie on one of our walks.  I love it, he is so cool he could really be a power ranger.  The red one of course.

A great tree along our walk that has circular leaves, one of my favorites.

Other beautiful trees along our walk.

I am playing with my carved stamps and having a coffee.  I made that mobile with blue beads.  I like how it turned out and am experimenting with designs for my next one.

I picked up these twigs and rock on our walk and couldn't resist taking some photos with my newest stamps in the light box.  I am getting more confident and trying designs that are a bit more complicated.

I got this bright idea to make handles for my stamps.  I made a few prototypes out of clay and used hot glue to add strong magnets.  I glued metal discs to the back of the stamps.  I tried them out and the handles worked like a charm.  I was afraid the stamps would slip around, but the magnet was strong enough to keep the stamps in place when used.  

My hair is now coming out so we are taking the next step and shaving it.  Here is my last photo of hair.  So long.  I hear bald is beautiful anyway.

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Recent Craft Projects

I wanted to share some of the crafts I have been working on recently.  I've had a lot of fun trying different projects.  Let's take a look.

 I wanted to use these Altoid Smalls tins to hold my best beads.  I decided to cover the top with textured fabric so the 3D letters wouldn't show through the top.  I think they turned out great and I use a strong magnet to hang them on my metal display board.

 They were super easy to make, just a little Mod Podge and fabric.

I think they turned out great.  I found the more textured the fabric, the better the result.

I made each of the kids a fox body pillow for Christmas, I think Sebastian likes his.  It is funny how the fox's nose looks like a moustache.

They are pretty long and cozy, just right for a snuggle.

I made a mobil with these paper animals and wire.  I love it and think it turned out better than expected.

I used glass beads above each animal.  I thought it would be interesting to make it horizontal.

I am experimenting with wire and hanging mobiles.  Here is a bird prototype that I like a lot.

I recently got this carving tool at Michael's with a 50% off coupon (whoo hoo!).  I can't stop carving stamps with it!  I even sent Sebastian out a few days ago to Michaels to buy me more carving medium (with my 40% off coupon, yea!).  So I am hooked and having a great time sketching little pictures and carving stamps.

I also attempted to bend wire into words and found out I am a natural.  I have done everyone's name (even Luci) and am now doing fun words, like Love.

 My new camera is really crisp, using the light box is a dream.


Just wanted to show some of the fun things I have been up to lately.  Hope your week is going well.

Huge Photo Goof

It seems we've had a major photo goof.  My beloved husband is in my google plus circle.  He decided to delete some of the photos he saw on his phone and they turned out to be my blog photos.  He thought he had accidentally downloaded all of my photos, so he deleted a folder of more than 200 pictures.  I am not sure how he had access to delete them, but he did.  I lost photos from many of the posts on this blog. My poor husband is sorry for the accident and we are looking for a way to restore the photos if possible.  I wanted to let you know because you will see that funny symbol in place of some of my pictures. Forward is the way I want to go, so pictures smictures, I am going to keep posting as I can.

Holiday Bliss

My little family had an amazing Christmas.  We all got things we wished for and had a few days of feasting and generally goofing around.

I thank our extended family members around the world that all sent gifts and love to us.  We have Grandparents in Texas and Vera Cruz, my brother in Kentucky and Esteban's sister in Spain.  Wonderful people who honored us by thinking of us this holiday season.  They all helped create for us what Sebastian called "The best Christmas ever."  Isabel agreed, when she could look up from her new phone;).

So here are a few pictures of our wonderful holiday.

The photo is crooked, not the tree;).  Isabel put it all together herself, it was beautiful.

Here is a picture of Santa Esteban wearing his Power Rangers hoodie that he was wishing for.

Minutes later.......Santa takes a nap on the wedge pillow I made him for Christmas.

My handsome son got that nice shirt for Christmas.  He said his favorite thing was a wi-fi Jam speaker he got from Santa.

Isabel got that cool black beret, Cookie monster jammie pants, anime t-shirt, and you see her favorite thing, her phone.

The phone again, and my favorite, that smile.

I got the most comfortable slippers I have ever worn.  They are Dr. Schools and feel like two soft furry kittens are hugging my feet.

I also got this amazing tool that has two pincher holders, I have already used it a few times and it is awesome.  Santa also got me a new camera too and it is wonderful, I am learning the new features.

Sebastian picked out this great stuffed pig for Luci, she is still chewing the heck out of it.


So you can see we all had a great holiday.  I hope each of you had as much fun.

Happy New year!

Quick Health Update

Just a quick update to let everyone know that I am doing well.
 I got a new port implant on December 21 and had my first chemo on January 3.  I have been sick a few times but Esteban and Sebastian have really been very attentive.  It is so sweet, they are on alert to help me be as comfortable as possible.  Isabel is back in school so she hangs out with me in the evenings. I am so fortunate to have an amazing family that makes this challenge only a small part of our life.
I will be going on Thursdays three weeks on and one week off so will be spending a lot of time at the clinic.  I have taken up crochet again and plan to keep my hands and mind busy while I wait.  Each session takes hours for tests and mixing the chemo and then the IV.  I know it sounds bad but ultimately it comes and goes and life goes on.  We are working around it to spend good time together and have as much fun as possible.

I want to thank everyone who sent e-mails and well wishes, I treasure each one.

I am hopeful for the new year and will post when I can to let everyone know that we are well.