Happy Father's Day

I am eternally grateful for my son who shows us every day what it is to be a great Dad.

Happy Father's Day!

Art in a Family

I love that my kids are creative ~ personally I grew up in a non-artistic family and it's tough traveling this eccentric road alone. So when it came to raising my boys I nurtured their desires for self expression. It wasn't easy but as it turned out I wound up with three uniquely creative souls ~ a writer, a musician, and the oldest... well, you name it, he does it; sculpting, drawing, tattooing, etc.

While I could write sheets and sheets about all three and their inspiring talents, today I simply wanted to share a little bit about my second son, the musician. You see he's coming out with a new album soon and of course being the beaming mom I'm promoting it, but there's really more to it than just a simple album.

This is his third album, titled "Old Heart New Love", and it's in followup to his first "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" ~ written about a heart-wrenching breakup (hopefully his first and last). This album moves on from that starting point and embraces progress.  While all of his albums feature an amazing assortment of his original music and lyrics, there are striking differences between them.  Originally performed solo, he's now joined by a talented ensemble of band members and that, coupled with professional sound mixing, has brought a new multidimensional quality and depth to his music.

Beyond these aspects their fans and public are sure to love, it's the cooperative efforts and personal journeys I'm most inspired by.  From indie musicians to artists, this album is a collective labor of love and dedication. They've supported the entire production themselves and worked day and night around their "real" jobs, to see this dreams come true.

Moreover I'm captivated by the albums' artwork, all of which was created by one of my son's closest friends. Seeing how the imagery  has evolved over time from an original plucked flower to a skinned tattoo with thumping heart has been mesmerizing and stands as a visual representation of the progression and growth of this band and my son's music.

Here's a pre-released single if you'd like to have a listen to "She Shakes My Foundation" by Sound of a Smirk:

Free music player widget at ReverbNation.com

http://www.reverbnation.com/soundofasmirk/song/18685846-she-shakes-my-foundation-new-single#

While preparing the artwork for print I've had the chance to personally delve into the details of this newest album.  While I love it all, my personal favorite is the t'shirt that comes with preordering the album ~ you see  how the heart is there between the hands which are dripping into petals, but did you notice it looks like a flower? I didn't at first.

As far as the journey ~ it's simply priceless to witness our children grow through life. As parents we shutter at their pitfalls and rise in delight with their triumphs. So seeing them grow through heartbreak, coming out the other side wiser, happier, and stronger, are the some of the greatest blessings we can hold. 

Having a creative soul for a child takes that even further, enabling us to possess "markers" of their journeys ~ whether it's a painting, a poem, or songs woven into an album, they tap into the souls of our dearhearts and allow us to share even deeper in their experiences.  These are all the miracles of art in a family and the truest treasurers of this life.

And so I encourage you to follow this talented band, Sound of a Smirk, on Facebook, have a listen to their pre-releases, and preorder their bundle. Appreciating true creativity across generations is what fuels our deepest relationships ~ so listen, share, and enjoy, but most of all ~ preorder. *smile*

Enjoy~

Graduation Day

Today is my youngest son's graduation from high school.  I simply can't believe how quickly the years have gone by and that we've finally arrived at this place.  Having our days filled with all the typical errands of a graduating senior, it's easy to get caught up in the chaos, but the heart of a mom pulls me back during quieter moments and bathes me in a sea of memories.

a favorite summer treat

The truth is life hasn't been what I'd wished for my young ancient soul ~ he's already faced hardships I would never wish on anyone but through these experiences we've both learned that we truly are not defined by these moments and we can rise above great odds to maintain a sense of purpose and integrity.

taken the year he won the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence

Like any mom, I'm immensely proud of his accomplishments ~ from taking leadership rolls in GSA and YAG to performing in our local summer theater and regional Latin convention, our little (not so, anymore) star has shined as bright as he could.  His love of Latin and excellence in Calculus has left us a bit perplexed at times but they give-way to our immense admiration for his achievements.

running Youth and Government meeting

This fall he'll be moving on to accepting his college scholarship and our home will be that much quieter.  It's strange to face the pending future of an empty nest, but for now I have the pleasure of relishing in these final few months of playing mom to a resident teenager.

Senior Prom

No one really ever prepares us for these moments and even though we see them far off in the distance they have a way of appearing at our door, always a bit too early and seemingly unannounced. So just as so many other moms have done before me, I'll cherish these moments, wish I had the past ones to live again, and look forward to the future milestones that I'm certain will arrive too fast themselves.

Best~

Easter Family Time ~

It's not often I get to spend time with my kids and grandchildren.  It's been 2 very looong years since I've been out to visit them, they usually make the trek out here, so yesterday was extra special as we made our way out to visit my son and his wife.

Easter 2013

My granddaughter is such a cutie pie ~ always bubbling with happiness.

I was joking that since I spend so much time on the computer for work, I seem to be the only one who isn't glued to an electronic device in my free time.

Tablets seem to be the hot commodity these days and no one's too young to enjoy them.  Can you imagine how different our childhoods would have been with them!?

My son is a tattoo artist by day and a micro-solderer by night so daddy time is precious indeed.

This was exactly how i wanted to spend Easter!

There are always loads of faeries (orbs) in the photos of my kids but they seem extra active in this shot!

My "surrogate" son was there too (my son's best friend from college) and it was great to catch up with him as well.  They all did such a wonderful job of feeding and showering us with love and conversation ~ we simply couldn't have had a better day!

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful and relaxing day as well!

Best~

Thanksgiving

Through out the year I have the immense pleasure of being gifted with the beautiful imagery of a Jacuqie Lawson card from caring friends.  I love them for a multitude of reasons ~ from being selected to receive one as a gift, to the beautiful animated imagery I aspire to create one day as a graphic artist.  They truly make the holidays bright!

 Jacquie Lawson image ~ copyright Jacquie Lawson

This Thanksgiving my oldest son and his wife are coming out to visit with three little ones in tow.  I remember those days and it's hard to believe I'm now on the visiting end of that circle of life.  It's a role I welcome with open arms though. I get go hug my children, meet my youngest granddaughter, see how much my grandson has grown, and bake cookies with my big-girl granddaughter.
 
I'm sure our days will be filled with lots of chatter, laughter, and not enough sleep ~ sounds like the perfect holiday weekend to me. So while the crowds are out in droves hitting the stores (or perhaps each other) we'll be celebrating the old fashioned way ~ with warmth, family, and love.

Here's wishing you all the same and so much more!

Best~

Seventeen

My youngest son turned seventeen today ~ wow!  He graced me with tolerating a few photos...

...in exchange for homemade meatballs, sushi, chicken tacos, and chocolate cake, of course.  At this stage, I'll take what I can get.
♫Happy Birthday Kiddo!♫ (and thank you)

A Sunflower

I was hoping to pull a few additional posts together this week but my resources just didn't pan out, so instead I'm posting a few photos of sunflowers from our garden.

Each year my son and I sit and plant sunflower seeds. It's something we've done ever since I can remember. It's his thing in the garden every year and I can't imagine our spring without it.

We've had a lot of mixed results through the years; from birds eating the seeds to squirrels running away with whole heads in their mouths. So it's usually a "hope for the best" while we hold our breath and wait. This year he had an especially successful crop and we couldn't be happier.

It means even more at this age ~ I guess because you don't expect a teenage boy man to sit down and plant seeds with you. That, and you don't know how many more springs he'll be doing it with you. So I guess it's just one of those treasures in life you take while you can get ~ kind of like that sunflower... you know sooner or later it will fade away but you'll always cherish it's beauty.

Sound of a Smirk ~ She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

One of the recent projects I had the immense pleasure of working on was my son's first CD "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not" by his musical name "Sound of a Smirk".

Jesse has his own Facebook page for Sound of a Smirk and you can view his promotional video about the album here:

His CD is available for purchase at any of his live shows, where you can also pick up a t'shirt and the is available for purchase online by clicking the image below:

Of course the word "proud" doesn't even begin to express the depth of emotion I have for my son and his amazing innate musical abilities and the sheer amount of personal work and drive he's put into this project. He truly has lived the mantra "do a little bit each day toward what you love and before you know it...".

But beyond the usual proud-momma stance, I am also immensely impressed with the personal growth he's experienced through this journey as he continues to be an immense inspiration to all of us who have the honor of calling him family.

Namaste' Jesse~