The Trip.

We are off, one more sleep and a full day of packing, and check lists and we are off. It will be our first family vacation. Although not all of my kids are coming with me, some are on their own, in school, or just don't want to go.

I am excited, I want to see new things and people. I am excited that my younger children will now get to meet P's sister and brother in law.

I really hope that the oldest coming with us has a really grand time. Soon she will join the ranks of the older children who are not coming. She will have other things to do, work, school a life. P and I  started our lives together pretty late, so I would like to have some experiences with my 15 year old stepdaughter before she is off on her own life. I know from my older three that time just passes so quickly and these next few years are the last few, before she gets too busy with her own world.

We are driving, a long drive for the little ones and P. We scheduled it so that hopefully the kiddies will all sleep the whole way. This takes away from the fun a little bit, there are great sights to see on the way. We just think at this age, a drive that long just won't be fun for them. We will put all of our energy into showing them a good time when we arrive.

This is going to turn out to be quite a social lesson for them. I want to use it to show them how to be good house guests. Courteous, polite, kind, generous, and well mannered. I also would love it if they could truly embrace the experience and not take away from it by bickering and fighting. I hope they just enjoy themselves.

I hope the kids will all take opportunity to sketch and to write, to document their experience and how they are actually experiencing it. I am hoping to have time to do some of the same. How fun.

Smithsonian's, George Washington's house, Gettysburg, Appalachian Trail, a little shopping, and who knows what else, we are on our way. Most important Auntie B, and Uncle J, family memories is what we are creating here. Fun family memories.

What I learn

As I was procrastinating this morning, I played "Who Wants to be a millionaire" on my cell phone. I answer a number of questions that have no relevance to my life. I realized just how much I learn from my children. A number of questions relating to music, movies, sports, and even American history. I have learned from my children. I didn't know what a Scrum was until one of my children had played rugby. I didn't ever take American history, but I overhear conversations between the kids and it sticks in my mind. A lot of music I listen to is influenced by the kids and even television shows that I watch. Its funny because I have never had a great memory, when it came to school work, I had to study hard if I wanted to really know the stuff. I would read it, write it, do it if possible and even then sometimes it wouldn't stick in my head.

If one of my children says something that is important to them though, I remember it. I don't always remember all the little things. I don't even always remember all the big things, but if there is a chance that this is something one of my kids loves, or is into, or is traumatic, then I remember it.

Yesterday I started a series of sketches that I am basing on childhood, experiences that are mine and my children's. Hopefully of all children so that it is a common ground for everyone. I got two pieces started, and I am gonna let you have a peek at one, that when finished will be titled Mine. I have a feeling that this will end up being a water color.

It is a picture of a sketch so not represented in the greatest here. It will give you an idea though.

Next

I think I have been procrastinating again. I have kinda stalled on my list of things to do. I had an idea last night that gave me a little shove. I have a few of my children who have been troubled, either by life decisions or health issues. This gives me a lot to think about and a lot of advice flows from my river of a mouth. Some of it necessary for the younger children, and some of it probably very unsolicited for the older ones. In any case my river of advice is always flowing with good intentions but as an adult child who has been the recipient of unsolicited flows of advice, I began to think about how I look to my children. How they receive the advice given, and what impression of me my advice gives them. This in turn leads me to imagery, when I  have a hard time getting my head around a concept, I often think in pictures before the idea is clear to me in words. I had these rushes of images in my head images that depict motherhood, childhood and the intricate relationships that are involved when the two mesh. I am going to start working on some sketches today, I think I have a number of series in mind. Motherhood, childhood, child transitioning to mother, and mother adult child relationships. I don't know what medium I want to use for any of them, I am thinking I will sketch them all and then decide once I see how they play out on paper, if they need to be painted in oil, watercolor, sculpted or just left as a sketch. I hope by the end of day today I will have one done and procrastination or other "things" don't pop up.

Procrastination strikes again!

Yes I did it again, I let myself down by procrastinating. I wanted to enter Canada Writes 2010. I have been practicing and thought I had a bunch of great submissions. I was all ready, I did enter one submission a few days ago, but you could enter as many times as you like and in a number of different categories.
I thought the entry deadline was March 3rd at noon. When I went to the site today at 2pm. I discovered that the contest was closed.

Sadly I had the contest deadline confused with the deadline to have my kids pizza order in and paid for. Maybe I could say it was not so much procrastination that was my undoing this time but my organizational skills which have gone by the way side.

Mind you had I not procrastinated and waited till the last minute I could have had a number of entries in by now. I guess I will never learn. I was not expecting to win the contest or even become a finalist. I don't think my writing skills are polished enough. I did use the contest as a writing exercise though and was eager to enter a number of pieces to say that I had done so.

I will have to exert more pressure on myself to develop better habits of completion and schedule. So for now below you will be able to see one titled Roadside Terror, Twitter Category.

Roadside Terror.

Driving to Grandmas's ,I just caught the scent. Torturous! Oh What to do, baby has poo'd. Ohhhh Noooo! Out of wipes, the smell is overwhelming. Treacherous driving conditions. My eyes are burning, my nose my nose! Swerving on the road, trying to keep control of the situation, I think I have wet wipes from KFC. Pray for me my friends, I am gonna pull over.

Went for the pants and noticed the stain, its all over the place people. I am gonna have to do a complete roadside change, with only two wipes and a full diaper. Got the bum clean thought I was home free. But baby pee'd all over the back of the Montana, on the only clean clothes we both have.

Grandma is going to have to wait. We are getting back on the on ramp to the 401, heading home. Baby and I are both pantless!