Goodbye 2009...

"Picnik Show"

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2009 Snow Birthday

Snow doesn't fall often in Portland (maybe once a year), but this year it so happened to fall on my birthday - yay!  I do miss the snow and was so happy to see the white flakes falling from the sky.

I awoke in the morning to all 3 of my beautiful guys singing happy birthday to me carrying some hand-made pictures that they drew with watercolor crayons.  Elliot made me a couple pf pictures of flowers and he and I holding hands.  Super sweet.

Later in the afternoon , Saba came to watch the boys while Xander and I went to a restaurant called, The Tin Shed, to hang some of my paintings and mirrors for the month of January (pictures to come.)  It is pretty exciting to see my work up on walls, other than my own, and I think it really looks good (if I must say so myself.)

The snow really began to fall in the late afternoon.  We came home to Saba, Elliot and Miles building a snowman in the backyard.  We then had a neighborhood snowball fight, warmed up and got the kids ready for a babysitter so Xander and I can go out for dinner with some friends. 

All in all it was a great birthday and a great way to spend the 3rd to last day of 2009.  Unfortunately, the snow melted the next day and we are back to rain, but I am hopeful and wishing for more snow in 2010.

Hanukkah

We just finished up eight wonderful nights of Hanukkah.  We had some good friends and some family over for dinner, went to a great party, played with the dreidel, said the brachas,  lit lots of candles, and ate loads of latkes. 
We finally figured out how to make really good egg-less latkes.  Just substitute some thin oatmeal and they stick together even better.  
I'm not sure which we do more...play with the dreidel or sing the dreidel song?
Big brother lights the menorah while little brother looks on eagerly.  Ah the universal appeal of fire.

Craf-T Mom-E

Talia continues to amaze me with her crafty skilz.  Just a couple years ago she started making some beaded jewelry and some mosaic mirrors.  In the last year she has taught herself to sew, paint, shape and solder silver, and it seems like it is only the beginning.  She has an eye for colors and shapes and follows her inspiration wherever it takes her.  I delight in the joy this outlet of creativity brings her and am repeatedly amazed by her creations.  While she continues to make mirrors and is exploring new ideas with her paintings, jewelry has been a recent focus.  Here is some of her silver work.

Pendant

Stacking Rings

Another Pendant (and a nice picture too)

The artist at work

Just Playing Around

We have converted our garage into a "shop."  "Shop" is in quotes for our garage still acts as a dumping ground for bikes, some tools, laundry and its machines, crates and crates of books, DVDs', VCR cassettes (even though we do not own a VCR anymore) and oh, yea, our "shop."

I have been playing around in the "shop" creating my mosaics and  jewelry all by my lonesome, but I am lonely no more.  Xander recently joined me out there with his new hobby - Stained Glass.

See for yourself:

He is starting small and might move on to bigger projects in the future.  Nice huh!?!?

Yakira is old, what can I say.  She is a great dog, but sleeps more and plays less these days.

As for these two.... they are always playing!

So Thankful

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving last week.  Talia and the boys made this cool banner to get us in the spirit.  

We also had a Thanksgiving tree.  Everybody wrote what they were thankful for on their "leaves" and we hung them from a branch.  I think Miles was trying to write nee-nee on his.  It would take a pretty big tree to hold all the things we are thankful for.

Elliot brought home a Thanksgiving art project from school.  Apparently he is thankful for Legos.

We started off thanksgiving morning by meeting some neighbors down at the park for a pick-up soccer game.  It was raining steadily, but not too cold if you were chasing a ball or a two year old.  By the time we got home we were ready for some hot cocoa and board-games  by the fire.

We had a lovely meal with turkey and trimmings.  Elliot loves the taste of cranberry sauce.  Miles loves the texture of mashed potatoes.

Saba dropped by for food and hugs.

After dinner, and the welcome surprise of getting called off of work, we had more family time around the fire.  Football, games, and a jam/dance session were highlights.

We are so thankful for so much.