Art Sale + Birthday Party!

Rooster hair in full effect

Steve went down to Southern California to visit his father and grandmother (who turned 91!) for a few days.  It was nice to spend a string of days with just Grady.  We found our rhythm with work, school and meals.  He read a lot, I cooked favorite foods and we devised a plan to sell his art prints.

Art Sale Compromise @ Gourmet au Bay

He received word earlier in the month that he was not accepted as an artist for the Local Art Tent at our annual Fisherman's Festival in Bodega Bay.  He was a little crestfallen and I was just hurt for him.  After a few days went by, we came up with a plan to sell four of his art prints at Gourmet au Bay (our former business).  He titled and signed all of his prints, helped create the email flyer above and we sent it out to dozens of our closest community friends and neighbors.  We were making lemonade out of the lemons we received.

Proud artist + his watercolor prints

His art was well received and he sold about 32 prints!  He received email pre-orders and on-the-spot purchases at $10 a print.  He was beaming and interacted with every customer in such a sweet way.  They asked about his process, what inspired him and which was his favorite and/or best-selling print.  His best friend was there to help him and when the clock hit 6 o'clock on the dot, they were ready to get out of there and get home to a video game marathon, homemade pizza & root beer floats + a sleepover.  What a full and fantastic day for our little artist.

10th birthday party extravaganza

The next day was the big 18+ kid birthday soccer party at Sports City, our local indoor soccer facility.  Almost everyone came that he invited, plus a few surprise guests!  It was the best kind of party.  The kids ran around and got good and exhausted.  They recharged with fruit, PB&J sandwiches & chocolate milk and topped it all off with the most delicious cupcakes from Sift Cupcakery.

This was the first real birthday party we've had for him, as all the others were mostly our friends and his god-sisters.  This was an all out bash with friends from all the different aspects of his life (preschool, soccer, his current 4th grade class + special friends from neighboring communities).  

You could tell it was a lot for him to take in, but he did it gracefully and enjoyed every second of it.   The big day is actually next week, but this boy is taking cues from his mom and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g out his birthday for a few weeks.  I wonder where he got that idea from? 

The effects of chocolate cream pie on G, Viv + Scott

This week was full of lots of cake, shenanigans with the neighbors & seeing how much fun we could have and not have a meltdown (any of us!).  It was a success in every way.

EArth Day 2013

We celebrated earth day by heading down the road to Bloomfield Farms and harvesting lettuce for the week.  They had a sweet craft table set up to honor the honey bee and G quickly sat down and got to work.  He looked so big in the little vintage school chairs.  He also planted a few complimentary kale plants to bring home and plant in our garden.  I do hope they survive...

Spring images at the Ponderosa

Flowers are blooming.

The grass in the fields are almost as tall as I am.

The guys scouted a location in the back pasture for their newly finished owl box.

I've been seeking comfort in food magazines & cookbooks, as the days draw closer to Fish Fest and my volunteer chairperson duties kick in.  I've been logging in several hours on the computer and then need a quick break on the deck to read & recharge.  It's just the fix I need to keep me sane.

Water Wars!

The father-son water wars have commenced for 2013.  G received a brand new small water gun pistol and doesn't quite connect the dots that giving his dad the older (read larger) one is really setting him up for failure.

He doesn't care.
He's living up the last days of his 9th year.
He's soaking up the water, the fun, the presents, the friendships, the adoration of our friends, the books & sweet treats.

Good-bye, nine.  What a year.
Can't wait to see what happens next for this amazing little fellow.