Sunday, April 5, 2009

Creative Kids



Cailyn has been busy working. She has two, maybe three jobs- I should know this. She waits tables at The Nineteenth Hole, makes salsa (pictured here) and does house keeping for a local camp. She still hasn't taken her massage licensing exam but I'm nagging so it ought to happen soon. She's also painting again and has reapplied to college. I'm pretty impressed with what a wonderful young woman she is. She's cute too.



Auburn is always making something (including taking these pictures). She is finishing high school as third in her class and has two jobs; working as a graphic designer at a local print business and house keeping at the same camp with Cailyn. Some of her art is currently on display as part of an abstract art showing at the gallery attached to the place she works. She is the youngest artist and, would it be overly biased for me to say, the most talented. She has also applied to college in Kentucky and we hope to hear positive news soon. I'm so proud of this beautiful young woman.



Orion is always thinking, taking things apart and building new things. He's doing well in school and participated in a robotics competition. He has a strong interest in robotics and aeronautics. He spends hours watching youtube videos about RC aircraft design. I'm trying to steer his creativity into something outdoors. He organized the kids to turn the shed into a "club house" and he has a work bench out there so maybe his next project won't end up glued to the floor. He is also working two jobs; he does pools with Jon and helps Cailyn make salsa. Even then he's got to be up to creating something- this is a photo of him after he shrink-wrapped plastic to his hands. I do wish I knew how to cultivate this kids energy and brilliance. He's really quite amazing.



Auburn took this photo of Rheannon- she managed to capture Rhea's growing beauty and grace. She is definitely my quietest child though every bit as creative and capable as the others. Rheannon spreads calm most everywhere she goes (though Rowan would disagree)- she charms animals and babies. I watch a one year old two days a week and Rheannon is remarkable with that child. She is still making art and has a piece that will soon be on display as part of an area youth art exhibit. She mostly works with clay and has made some truly amazing art. She is remarkable in so many way.



Rowan is such a character. He's so brilliant and vivacious. He's always leaping about on the furniture and spinning around on the floor (we call him Tigger). Yesterday he choreographed a very acrobatic dance. I wish I could get him in a dance class that wouldn't bore the pants off of him- he's not one for putting up with things if he thinks they're a waste of time. He's still home schooled and has really taken off academically. He has a strong need to understand why and isn't inclined to take "because" as an answer. If you want him to do something you had better be prepared to explain the merits to him. As I said, he's not one to tolerate doing something for no good reason. Rowan makes us all question why we do things a certain way and often points out better alternatives. I'm going to have to keep a close eye on this one, I might just be raising a rebel. I sure hope so.

Willow could win the Olympics of talking if it were a sport. I think she chose to be born last to make sure there were plenty of people around to listen to her. She says some amazing things though and I wish I did a better job of writing them down. What do I say about Willow? She's sweet, charming, cuddly and fairly enlightened. She told me recently, "What's the big deal about looks? I like the way my friends look but I love them for who they are." We should all be so smart.

Well, that's my amazing, creative brood. Now I'm going to see if I can get them to create some clean in their rooms. Wish me luck.

Ah Rats!



We have had cats- lots and lots of cats, our fair share of dogs, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, a rabbit (that was short lived) and fish. I have always had the rule that I don't feed anything that doesn't have a job (excepting the fish) so what was I thinking when I let Rheannon talk Santa into rats for Christmas? I was thinking "what the heck?" And you know what, it was a brilliant move.



These critters are fun, personable, and entertaining. Not to mention they live in a cage so they don't knock things off the counters (the cat), try and sleep on my bed (the dog) or poop all over the porch (chickens). If I had it to do over we would only ever have rats. I don't even notice their tails anymore- and I know that's the thing that's got you feeling squeamish.



I gotta say, we love our rat girls.

Let them eat cake

Apparently I got old. I didn't think so, I wake feeling just as cramped and broken as I did when I was twenty- the benefit of living hard up until that point, but evidently I am. The signs are everywhere and when I'm not too preoccupied with how to pay the bills (a sign in and of itself) I can't help but get them shoved in my face. For example four months have gone by since my last entry- that's 1/3 or a year, impressed with my math skills? me too- and it felt like weeks. Also Cailyn turned 19 last month. Nineteen! Young people do not have 19 year old children. Add to this that Auburn graduates in May- that's 2, count them TWO adult children. This grown up children thing is snowballing- Rheannon turns 13 on Monday (Rowan 10 on Saturday) and Orion 15, old enough for a learner's permit, in July. Yes, there really is no denying it. I am old. I think I'm realizing that the thing that most ages me is the loss of joy in simple things. At some point I got the stupid idea that grownups take things seriously. Now why would anyone want to do that? I'm trying to rediscover the part of me that could laugh when something went awry. I got a perfect opportunity the day we celebrated Cailyn's birthday. I had baked a carrot cake and experimented by adding pineapple - it was delicious but too moist and more like a firm pudding than a cake. I decided not to serve it and Rheannon and I ran into town to dream up an alternative plan. We bought fruit and an anglefood cake. My plan was to skewer the fruit and stick the sticks in the cake- don't try this, the cake isn't strong enough. When that didn't work we moved to plan "C" and put a cup in the center to hold the skewers like a bouquet. It was beautiful. But years of sleep deprivation and early onset dementia conspired to make something obvious elude me- I actually decided to move the cake that way instead of taking the skewers out. Not my most brilliant decision. We rounded the first corner and the cake slid on the plate, Rheannon scrambled to stop it and the cup fell over tearing the side out and sending fruit-laden skewers every which direction. Hands flew from all corners of the car trying to stop the carnage. I almost yelled, but flashed on the many trips I took anxiously holding a cake in the back of a car and fearing for my life should it get messed up. So instead of yelling, I laughed. We all laughed, and laughed and laughed. We kept laughing when we tried to shove it back together for the party- we did a remarkable job, see if you can tell that it was in 4 pieces. Cailyn loved it and that was the point anyway. Right? Right! Cake is for eating! How's that for an epiphany?