Redesigning my website - Adobe Muse

My new website - a work in progress

I have to say thus far I am a big fan of Adobe Muse. For a long time I have wanted to redesign my site, but could find nothing to do exactly what I wanted it to do - with ease. I'd love some feedback on what I have up so far...

A momma's heartsick lament

Here it is - I MISS my kids.

I miss them like mad.

I miss them because I know that suddenly with the beginning of grade one everything has changed. I mean I used to at least have every other day with my boy, and since Z was born, I have had just about every day with her. But with the beginning of the school year, I am scheduled to return to work (more on this later) and my little boy is a big boy, and my baby girl - a toddler. How this all happened is beyond me. It was not that long ago that either one of them was a squealing little baby in my arms, completely and utterly dependent. Not so anymore. I pick Z up at day care and she is happy to see me - bit still wants to play, and is so tired that she does nothing but fall apart until we get to snuggle at bedtime. And even after two days at school Mo has all sorts of new sayings and habits that smack of big kid!

This is made all the more painful because we are coming off arguably the very best summer of my life. I have awesome kids, and no - I did not feel that way every day this summer. But we did a lot. We played in the rain, we danced in the sand, we hiked along rivers and up mountains, we went down in caves, saw dinosaur bones, searched for fossils at the beach, we visited with friends (a lot), we visited with family, I taught Mo to swim, we build castles, we built puzzles, we splash padded, we worked in the garden with Pioneers, we made lemonade with real lemons, we canoe tripped as a family again, we camped with friends, we made new friends, Mo skateboarded, we saw Niagara Falls and Georgian Bay within the space of two weeks, we snuggled, we watched movies, we watched bugs... and I watched my kids. I watched them grow, and grow and grow.

I started a new fitness regimen, I feel better.

I did not get the list I had for around the house even close to done - but you know what? I don't really care. The only time I do is when I have company, then I get a bit worried about it. Our grass is longer than most, and our house is messy. The reason? We are doing stuff all the time, and I would always chose catching frogs over cleaning floors. And so, I surround myself with people who don't care about my house - just us.

Now, I am supposed to be back at work and I am on strike, you see - I am a support staff member at Loyalist. I love my job, I love the people and the students I work with. I am also a 'sometimes' prof - thankfully not this semester - so I am not faced with the decision about whether or not to cross. But I will tell you, striking is not fun. We are not doing it for our well-being, we have already lost a lot of money. But, on the flip side, I am thankful to have a little bit of extra time with my kids as they ease into the routine we'll be in till the very least - next summer. My heart breaks when I think of Mo getting off the bus to someone else, though today he did - just for a bit - and seemed disappointed that I picked him up just as they were about to go outside. Zaley is have great fun at daycare but clings to me for most of the night as she adjusts - and I am thankful that for now I am not driving at 7:30 am.

I know all things change, and time flows on - but for a moment - just a moment, I would not mind a full stop, I'd hold on to my babies and we would all be still, the wind smelling like honeysuckle... in the next moment Mo is running to the school bus and Zaley is doing stunts on the bicycle as we wave him off.

Running for the Cure - and for me.

I have entered another new chapoter in my life - one that once again includes personal fitness. I have been attending Boot Camp for two months now and I am noticing change in how I feel and my confidence level. I still have a long way to go - but I will get there.

I have signed up to RUN 5Km in the Run for the Cure on October 2, in Kingston.

FOr anyone who donates $25 or more I am making these little thank you ORIGINAL illustrations. Here are the first two. If you would like to donate  to the Run for the Cure - through me - please visit The run for the cure website and make a donation today!

Kataroo's Kitchen: Happy 5th Birthday

Kataroo's Kitchen: Happy 5th Birthday: "Kayleigh turned 5, last Saturday and we started the day with our SQUIRES BIRTHDAY TRADITION of Daddy singing Happy Birthday on the Guitar wh..."

Dundee Book award - SHORTLIST!

This past week I received my very first cheque for a book award. Our book - Fatou Fetch the Water was shortlisted for the Dundee Book Award. This is way cool for so many reasons - not the least of which, it has been one of the most challenging, yet fun book I have had to work on. Also, some proceeds of the sales are going to Project Gambia. With my sisters continued work in Africa with Free the Children - it seems I need to visit someplace on that continent soon!

On other notes, my son has been hard at work creating a little business - the age-old lemonade stand... he and a friend painted the sign his dad built, and today we did our grand opening - in honour or the construction crews on the road in front of our house. He knocked it out of the park! He squeezed all the lemons, and made each cup to order. He was excited and funny, it was awesome. This, after a morning of showing his little sister how to roll down a hill without eating dirt. It was a great day. It is these days that have me dreading a return to full-time work in September - and wishing there was some sort of solution where I can still spend lots of time with my kids and still make a good income. If anyone has any ideas- please let me know!

it's been awhile...

but it is summer. And with summer comes busy days, where I am exhausted and busy doing other things... so my poor blog falls by the wayside. We've been weeding and planting, picking berries and peas and swimming, playing with friends, visiting family and driving a LOT. I've been rewriting books and doing sketches for others. I've been mulling over September and what kind of changes our family is in for, and wondering how I can make this easier for all of us - while keeping my income substantial. I've been teary at weddings and at kindergarten graduation... and getting very excited about my sister's visit home from Kenya.

I have also been LUCKY! I won a pile of stuff at my son's school fun fair and today won an OWL retro t-shirt. This summer is starting out very well.

Summer is Here...

and so is gardening, the beach and BERRIES. There is nothing I enjoy more than warm berries right off the plant, and since the deer successfully ate all of ours, we went picking today. I am now sitting with a belly full of strawberry shake. A family favourite, and anticipating a lovely trip to the beach tomorrow.

But during all of this - there is work to do - lots of it, and I have been procrastinating (terribly) and so, I need a swift kick in the behind. I have a re-write to do of a story - requested by an editor that I LOVE and I so hope to work with, illustrations for an awesome book I have some sketches done for, but need to do the rest (and yes, I will have to soon David)  and five book covers that are almost done... and my studio is still in limbo. Because, my dear husband has been working on other people's houses once again. It is ALMOST done. Trim is just about there and needs some paint (my job) and the floor needs to be sealed, but in the frenzy of the last bout of work, DH decided to work on the doorway and steps instead... with good reason. I am really hoping to get moved in very, very soon.

Here are some of the sketches and shots of my new studio and craft room... no more time to blog!