Newport Dunes

We just got back from a few days in Newport Beach. The other kids camped at Newport Dunes and we got a handicapped room at the Hyatt across the street. OH MY, life is rough! As they were slaving over a hot stove in their toy haulers, I was ordering hummus and roasted vegetables. As they were playing UNO, I was playing shuffleboard. We spend Thursday night at the pool with them and Friday we all played UNO before we dressed for a wonderful buffet dinner and the jazz festival. It was so great to have that time with all the kids. I took a ton of beautiful pictures but they accidentally got erased since I can't figure out how to protect some and erase others. Ahhhh So unfortunately you are stuck seeing my lack luster sketches. It was a wonderful, relaxing few days that we all needed. We even took time to go to Sterling Art Store and Rogers Gardens. It was great! Since my post is lacking photos I included lots of links!! Oh I sketched another smoking man, his hand is a bit wonky but he was quite an interesting subject.

Earthquake update: Many of you know that we experienced a fairly moderate earthquake last week. We were only about 5 miles from the epicenter when it hit. The whole area rolled for about 30 seconds. It was very unsettling! I was born and raised here and still hate those things. Jenn and I were eating lunch outside of the rehab hospitals cafeteria when it hit. We were sitting next to the fountain which I feared might topple over, instead it just sloshed lots of water over its edges. It was really amazing as we sat there and watched all around us, everything seemed to move and sway, the palm trees, lights, buildings, street signs. Lots of nurses and doctors ran outside to see if there was damage, and everyone lost their cell coverage for awhile. I happened to be talking to Randy when it hit, he didn't feel it until several seconds later since he was in Laguna Beach. We all dread the "Big One" that is supposed to hit so we never know if this could be the one when the shaking starts. There was some damage but noone got hurt, thank God!

Keeping everyone afloat!

Today I had all the grandkids over for the day. When school let out I got some crazy idea one day that I could help the two older ones with their poor grades by working with them during the summer. I have had them about 2 days per week now. I don't know what drugs I must have been on the day I decided to do this, like I don't have enough happening! I want to know which fuse in my brain is short circuiting that causes me to not only agree but outright suggest that I take these kinds of projects! After all, I raised my kids already, this is crazy. Then I slap myself and then tell myself ," Be quiet you dork, you already agreed."

I went out and bought some learning DVD's, pencil's, paper. Since I don't have my teaching degree I need to look organized and prepared. I even took them to the library and got them all library cards and we checked out books!

They had never been to a library!

"What's a library card, Nana?"

"It's a card that lets you check out books"

"For what?"

"To read"

"Wow, look at those books over there, they say WORLD BOOKS across all the books"

"Yeah, haven't you ever seen World Books before?"

"NO!" What are they?

"They are encyclopedias!" I used to love to read them and every year we would get a new one.

"Wow, Nana, whats an encyclopedia!?"

Looking totally perplexed and feeling 7000 years old I responded with " It is like the internet in book form"

I have my work cut out for me!

We have cooking lessons, ediquette training, and lots of swimming practice! As hard as it is I have loved every minute with them. I usually take Mikey and Kylie together and then take Nathan, the two year old, on another day. As with most two year olds, life revolves around them and their needs. Today, everyone was here and something amazing happens to kids when they are all together, trouble and chaos! And why is it that when boys get together they are constantly belting out announcements of all the body noises they like to make. Like we all don't know what just happened. I don't know if I can really control chaos, it just happens!

And then, in the middle of the madness, there are moments that speak for themselves, those moments when all is right with the world.

Spa Night

I had a spa night, I invited Marta and Rudy and Dawn and Mike over for martini's and tapas. Randy makes a wonderful, summery martini called summer breeze which he made for us and then everyone brought munchies! We had tons of food and lots of fun sitting in the spa and talking about art and art classes and the museum. Great friends, food and fun, what more could we ask for. We did have some uninvited guests this weekend, a swarm of bees have decided they also like the new additions to the backyard and have started a hive in one of the walls of the outdoor barbaque area. The bees are swarming pretty good as of this afternoon, more and more seem to arrive daily. Tuesday we have someone coming to handle the issue, I wonder if I will get any honey out of the deal?

Today the kids wanted to swim so bad, so even though the water was in the 60's as was the outside air they jumped in and swam for hours. I showed them the bees and told them to ignore them and they would ignore us, as they did. I bundled up in a blanket to keep the cold wind off of me as I sat and sketched some of the features in the yard as the kids swam. I bought this giant buddah head, she has a wonderful green and rust looking patina and I loved it as an art piece for the yard. My kids now think I have gone pagan and given up my Christian faith! Wow, amazing that a piece of cement can cause such discussions and distress! So to clear up any doubt, I am not a buddist but I do love this head as an art piece for my yard. My faith remains intact. I have drawn it here as it sits on one of the columns next to the pool.