greenbean baby art

sweetness all around

summer is nearly here and i am so darn excited about it... this summer is completely different from all the previous ones as now, i have a nearly four year old boy who finds jumping off high places to be fun... he's more vocal and about 10x more energetic than before...  i have a one year old girl who loves her dresses and loves chasing her brother... i have two kids who enjoy each other's company and find that regardless of swarming wasps, the outside world is a place where you can holler as loud as your lungs mom allows....

and this summer, ramel will be home more often... he just began a new job this week and it allows him to only have to work the normal 8 hrs a day... this is a BIG deal in the hill household as prior to this week, the man was doing about 13hrs daily... he'd come home to bathe and play with the kids.... he'd have less than 2hrs before both were put to bed... he'd go to work before they woke up... we'd squeeze our time in aside from fatigue, my artwork, etc. and somehow, our time always seemed interrupted... ramel has had absolutely minimal time to work on art... something he missed.... so, with this new job [and a promotion at that], he will get to enjoy the summer with us all... he'll be home while the sun still shines... we can go to the parks together and perhaps sneak in a movie... ah yes, it's going to be a treat!

with this extra time of his, we both will have a chance to work on art and feel like our degrees aren't left collecting dust... while i've had my time to work on stuff, it's a completely different feeling when you have two people working on art early in the morning... or late at night... it gives you an extra oomph to create... the atmosphere is filled with creativity and inspiration.... it's a bit hard to explain but seeing my husband have a chance to do something he loves [sketching, painting, etc] is such a good feeling... it's attractive too :)... it reminds me of when we were first dating... we'd sit at coffee shops working on a project... we'd talk about what we wanted to accomplish.... somehow, back then we had a lot of conversations which is something i've missed lately... sure, discussing the children can be a good topic but the parents are important too, ya know?!

so that is the good news... fun summer with the family... more time with the family... and now, more paper too!! yes, indeed!!! the other day, lisa said she had some paper for me... when i received the box, i was literally squealing at the OODLES of paper she included... isabella was to be my model for the photo of this wonderful package but she was too busy running off.... lisa musta sent me over 400 sheets!!!! sweetness, eh?! i spent all last morning and night trying to re-organize my papers but that will be saved for another post at another time... [brace yourself- hehe]

sweet patty also sent me some wonderful and beautiful papers that made me giddy with delight! kawaii stationery that is just to drool for!!! there are so many cute illustrations that it was hard to take photos that would do such a gift justice... if this doesn't jar a gal's inspiration and creativity, then what else will? i've been wanting to experiment with some new greenbeanbaby styles that are kawaii-influenced.... i don't wanna be a copycat but it'd be nice to something besides my usual gals with big eyes and a big head smiling away [although, kawaii art is that way too so what am i talking about?!]...

you can see more wonderful photos here... patty was just a doll to send so much beautiful goodness... and lisa too... i am grateful for all the love that has been sent to the hill household and hope that this summer our joy will radiate to your homes :) after all, we are all here to inspire, encourage, and motivate each other, right?!

we cannot forget one of the bestest days in the world is on sunday.... so until then have a happily splendid weekend!

a bit of retro love....

it's 5:30am and the birds are chirping loudly... they almost sound angry.... ramel is in his studio shuffling through papers, getting ready to sketch... the smell of coffee lingers up to my room, giving me hope that this tiredness would shake off... an old movie plays in the background, enticing me to put an "i love lucy" dvd on instead... the kids are sleeping soundly and the day begins quite peacefully... this mode is rare and reminds me of how life once was prior to kids...

nowadays, it seems like everything has changed... blogging and emailing are often done while the children play in their room, only for both to have to go to the bathroom.... or perhaps, isabella keeps stealing his toy... roaming hands try to click on the mouse but both kids want to climb on my chair and my lap... if i don't wake up at 5:30am, this is how the conversations usually go...

"what's that, mami?"

"that's an elephant.... isabella, don't touch"

"that's berry nice! i make a green butterfly"

"yes, and you did an awesome job!"

"oh.... mami your birthday party soon?"

"mm hmm"

"then it's my birthday party?"

"mm hmm"

"tomorrow?"

"no diego, you have to wait a few days... a few months, in fact"

"i have my party another day?"

"yep!!!"

"and people will sing to me?"

"of course we will"

"and i will have cakes?"

"mm hmm"  [sniff sniff.... the smell of a dirty diaper turns my stomach and a giggling girl runs off]

"i want a green party"

"ok diego! but you have to wait!! don't worry, we won't forget about your party... hold on cuz i have to change isabella's diaper"

"baby girl went poopoo?? i wanna see!!!"

"no diego, that's gross... but you can hand me the w---- isabella, stay still!!! hand me the wipes, diego... "

"ewwwww that's disgusting!!! mami, i'm thirsty. i want water"

"ok but how do you ask"

pause... mami, i-want-water-PLEASE-may-i-have-some?"

often my blog post is left in the drafts folder as water is served, a child is put on the bus, another is put down for a nap, a few phone calls to companies requesting money, and some coffee re-warmed 2 times over... while i wouldn't trade my life with anyone, sometimes these peaceful early mornings are to be cherished [even if i just wanna go back to bed]

happy thursday!

one year older, baby...

isabella is officially a one year old lady!!! weighing in at 17 pounds 2 oz and measuring 24.25 inches long, she is considered healthy [but a tad thin]... she has 2.5 teeth and seems to be wanting to talk to us all... on her birthday, sarah sent her some homemade cookies.... as i was taking the photo, miss baby girl snatched the cookie and took off to another room to eat it!!! with a trail of crumbs behind her, she attempted to shove the whole thing in her mouth, all the while giving me this "yeah, i'm cute" grin....

and you have to admit, she IS cute... she has so much personality packed into her lil self... she was quite involved during her birthday party too... not really fussing over the crowd of people and DEFINITELY enjoying her gifts... i don't remember diego really even wanting to SEE his toys but then again, we were at  a park with an open field for him to run... anyhow, isabella received outdoor toys for our summer fun... clothes... shoes... a burping baby doll and a cabbage patch... as well as many more goodies...

diego was in the mix of things too... and i have a confession... i was one of those people that felt strongly that ONLY the birthday kid should get gifts on their birthday... i  heard stories of moms who would get toys for ALL their kids so they wouldn't feel bad... the one day that is all about you and EVERYONE GETS PRESENTS TOO???!!!!  thus was my perception sometime after diego but before isabella...once we started buying gifts for isabella [especially big items] diego was considered... "oh this will be awesome for THE TWO to play TOGETHER".... for a moment i thought isabella was getting jipped because her big toys were for ages 1-3 so the act of sharing was inevitable...

like this one set [that she opened up the night of her birthday- two days before the party]... when diego saw the animal set, all he could think of [and declare] was isabella sharing... at first i told him that it was only HER gift... but then, i remembered how quickly he shares his brand new toys with her, even if she eats them... he gets 4 li'l iron man toys, and he took two and gave her the other two... if he is playing with a batman, he will find her another batman to play with... so why shouldn't she be able to share too, right?! when we opened up this gift, he was mad happy and more thrilled than she was!!!

point being, diego wasn't left out of the party.... he was a big helper and he even got his own set of outside toys from his grandparents... his uncle and aunt bought him a spiderman too!! it was a wonderful weekend filled with sharing and love and celebration... a celebration for my beautiful isabella who has blessed us so much throughout the year with her love, charm, personality, and individuality... she is compassionate and dotes on her brother and daddy... if diego cries, she will too... if daddy comes home, she runs to him with open arms and a pouty face... and i guess i'm her giant teddy bear :)

happy birthday isabella!!! and thank you blogworld for sharing this year with us!! if you want to see a few more pix, check out my flickr page...

note: thank you cards made by diane... thank you, diane!!!

to infinity.... and beyond

hello... hello... hello! have you missed the ramblings yet? excuse my absence but there has been so much going on... although, most of it isn't interesting enough to blog to you about... i mean, would you like to hear how we cleaned out our yard? or how my mom helped me organize and clean our basement? or how our washing machine broke? or how i had a stomach ache from drinking milk? nah, none of that is quite as intriguing... of course we could always discuss the greenbean babies but as far as art goes, there is not much to REALLY show for [just yet]...

sketch peeks:
after months of sketching, procrastinating, sketching, thinking, and dreaming about the children's book, the first process of it is finally complete... all 32 sketches are hashed out with revisions on the way... choosing a font is now the new focus of the and it's not as boring as it sounds... it's actually one of my favorite things about design- typeography... not that i'm a pro, but going through hundreds of fonts on my computer and activating the coolest ones is kinda fun... still haven't found the perfect one yet but  there are several ones on the MAYBE list... so see, work is being done [slowly but surely] this weekend, i will try to put up photos in flickr of a few of the sketches.. now that they have video on flickr, who knows??!!!!

website update:
here is the money question: that website of ellia's... will it ever be complete?! yes but i have to push the date again... the children's book took precidence and now isabella's birthday party is around the corner... i want to have some special goodies available including some stuff for the shop... a few full sized illustrations, a few special packs, maybe some notecards... i don't want to have the site up and my etsy shop void of goodness, ya know?! so please bare with me and my delay on this site.... i feel foolish that it's taking THIS long already >guilty sigh<

kid smiles:
well, here is isabella's... her, with a bit of food on her cheek... can you believe she will be one next week?? boy, how time flies!! i ordered thank you cards from diane and cannot wait to see how they turn out!!! we will be eating cupcakes and celebrating my baby girl's first year on the planet... gosh, i can still remember [vividlly] the day she was born... actually, the thought of those hours of labor, knots my stomach up... but i remember how well she blended into the family and how quick diego took to his baby sister... and now, look at them!

paper game purchases:
i haven't been able to play xbox too much, as our membership expired momentarily... as a "thank you for helping me out with my etsy shop" gift, i bought ramel the pirates game... and as a "congrats on your etsy sales" gift, ramel bought me thrillville....  thrillville is some fun stuff since you get to maintain and build up your own theme parks!! the pirates game is pretty fun too although i dislike finishing a board knowing i didn't get the achievement [shall i admit that the first board was done over 5 times just to get 25 achievement points?!] we thought it was two-player but it's not so we take turns... and ramel does all the hard parts :)

sorry this is such a bland blog post but soon, the greenbean baby will have much more to share.... [including some more paper artist interviews :)]

new week, new updates...

thank you all for your support and kind words over the weekend... the etsy re-RE-reopening was a success and there are only 14 items left... guess it's time for me to make more, right?! well, the website still needs to be divvyed up and published... once that is up, there will be [hopefully] new goodies available including a few of my illustrations... the set date for the greenbean art site is april 11th... again, i hope it's well worth the wait and not a disappointment to any of us [yep, self included]

boy, there are many projects to complete still, aside from the website... the children's book has been pushed on the backburner but is in dire need of attention... there are only a few spreads to sketch out so there isn't a need to procrastinate... time to sharpen the pencil and get to working...

there are a few custom illustrations to make, incuding my niece's birthday illustration... [i can't remember if these ramblings were blogged on recently] every year i make her an illustration and every year the illustration is late... last year, she didn't even get one... so this year, i wanted to make her a bigger one with 2 characters [to make up for last year]... i'm pretty sure it will be a superhero theme... whether its girls dressed in superhero pj's or gals dressed AS superheroes, is still unknown... i hope she likes her own lil gallery of greenbeanbaby work and will save it for years to come... i should do this for my kids too but i thought they might get sick of my work faster than ananda... my mom informed me that she enjoys my work so much that receiving one yearly would be a great tradition for her too... who can resist a mother's request?!

aside from that, we have family life busy and more busy... last week was spring break for diego... he was excited to get back to school and play with kids his own age... not to say, he didn't have a good time here but we all know i'm not a preschooler [and try as i might, i can't play or think like one]... and we know that isabella is not even a toddler, and try as SHE might, she can't keep up with her brother either...

speaking of isabella... she turns one very soon!! that means, she gets to enjoy the wonderful taste of whole milk... it wasn't until recently that i've really enjoyed the fact that her teeth came in so late... she has learned how to use them thus making nursing a fearful event [for me]... i've even called the doctor to see if we could her give her a bit of pediasure... the okay was given and lemme tell you, she loves it!!! just like diego, she clutches that sippy cup and squeals with delight... and when she drinks a bit, she seems a bit drunk- all giggly and swooning everywhere... yes, she is growing up so fast...

she's awaken from her nap so it's time for our lunch...

stay tuned for sketch peeks, kid smiles, photos of paper purchases, and website updates...

2 hours for you, 6 hours for me...

dividing our time is not an easy task, especially if you are a mother who illustrates and crafts but refuses to do so in a dirty house... as ramel has been home more, he gets even less time to himself and thankfully won't complain... there are 4 days until the grand re-re-reopening of the etsy shop... the minute ramel gets home from work, he offers his help... from cooking to bathing the kids to running to the store to get me more glue, ramel deserves an award... of course, it does give him time to enjoy the kids but sadly, our own time is sacrificed...

in the meantime, i've been working hard to make the illustrations and etsy goods in the midst of spring break... diego is home from school for a week and to prevent us from having cabin fever, we may make rice krispie treats... [not like either of us needs more sweets, eh?!] we read books and chase isabella and play a few games... it's a fun time for us but my own time is even more scarce.... blogging is done in spurts as i am interrupted with his potty breaks, snack breaks, his questionnaires of what i'm doing, and his request to use the computer.... my, how my sweet diego has grown and learned to chat up a storm... i wonder where he got that from?!

it looks like my website won't be officially up on march 28th... please forgive me!! as i've said, there are many things on my to-do list to complete and each require care, time, and precision... we can't forget the children's book... or the abc project... or blogging about other paper artists.... or my niece's birthday illustration... my plate is full... each project deserves the appropriate time, so i don't want to rush things too much... by friday, i will have a new date for the website opening.... and it will be worth the wait [yes?!]

there are still 30 more items to make for the shop... magnets... framed illustrations... photo albums... notebooks... i don't think i'll have the time to make notcards this time... you can see a few more sneak peeks here... i will be TRYING to do a quarterly restocking of the etsy shop.... this way, i won't have to call it the "grand re Re re RE opening"... [i lose tracks of all those "re's"]... by that next quarter, ramel's website should be up too... he has such an awesome idea for his site, he has ME on edge, anticipating... so once april comes along, it will be his turn to get his art time... and my turn to not complain :) hehe...

 

side topic: i got a new camera!! and it works like a charm... around christmas time, ramel bought me a digital polaroid that was just a beauty!!! shortly after the computer catastrophes and sewage issues [and various 2008 dilemmas], my brand new camera just fritzed out... on january 25th, it was sent back for a replacement... a box with my NEW camera was sent here thursday [over 8wks later]... did i say, it works like a charm?! now you can see more of my cute isabella and handsome diego here...

 

and now, it's time to make us all something to eat...

what's up with the kids?!

many of us had habits as kids for self soothing purposes... i had my thumb and didn't break the habit until the age of nine [yep, you read that right! in defense, i only sucked on it at night time]... well, if you've noticed in past photos, diego sucks on his fingers... not one finger, but TWO... and while he enjoys the taste of his two fingers, he fiddles with his neck with his other hand... he has a red mark to prove it... anyhow, he goes to school and comes home with a rash on his face... germs? bacteria? soap? we couldn't find the culprit so we decided to help him break the habit of finger sucking... the only way we could do that was by placing band-aids on them...

we promised him that if he didn't suck on his fingers for a week, we would buy him a frame for his justice league poster... while the band-aids helped a great deal [although we still have to keep them on], he has gone without his self soothing habit for over a week! no sour smelling fingers, no spitty fingers, no rash on his face, and one big giant poster framed for one happy kid... if only feeding him was this easy [but that is another topic for another day]

but we can't forget about adorable isabella... lately she wants ramel... she wants me for milk and ramel for everything else!! she likes diego alot too... perhaps i am being sensitive but even today, she clung to ramel and refused to let me grab her... of course, i am the one who has to tell her no when she touches the television buttons... and i am the one to tell her no when she grabs a fistful of cat food... i am the one who has to move her away from the water bowl and i am the one who has to pin her down just to change her diaper [which she is too impatient to sit down for].... of course, it's beautiful to see her so affectionate towards ramel...

she still doesn't have a tooth and i can feel one just sitting there... the same one i felt for over a month... maybe that is the reason she is fussy... she gets mad if i hold her the wrong way [and i can't figure out what she wants]... or she gets mad if i don't hold her [which she wants alot of lately]... she falls out on the floor and will cry loudly... then she will hang on my leg until i pick her up only to get mad that i won't hold her that certain way... i try not to give in to holding her constantly as my arms are pretty thin and she weighs more than a sack of potatoes... so the safest spot for her during these times is her crib and you know what? she LOVES IT!!! she plays with her toys and is content... so, am i wearing a bad perfume???

 

i shouldn't take it personally... every kid goes through these stages... and she will give me the biggest toothless grin on a daily basis especially playing peekaboo or tickling her... but somehow, diego and ramel tend to make her happier... she thinks it's the coolest thing to get chased by diego... he finds it the most fun to go after her... what kid DOESN'T like running around the house??!! it's nice to see the two get along... it's nice  to see my kids growing up...

i just hope that tooth comes out...

life with kids: chicken pox and teeth...

it's amazing how fast life can change... how people change and grow... not even a year ago, there were only three of us in this house [and one big belly]... now there is four... and not even a month ago, isabella was content in crawling and standing... now, she walks everywhere, pushing the tv buttons, grasping for cords, and desperately trying to run to the cat water bowl.... one moment she is in the living room and the next she is walking to another part of  the house... it's  time to get baby gates....

and diego.... well, he is a big boy for sure... and now, he is a big boy with a wee bit of chicken pox... it's not a drastic case- really, only a few bumps on his back and his hands... when he was one years old, he received the vaccine, which i thought was silly at the time... i mean, i had the chicken pox and survived just dandy.... and i always said that when he got older, i'd hunt down a disease infested child and rub him all up on diego... that way, he could have them when he was young and we could get it over with....

but now, we have isabella who isn't even one yet... that means, if she contracts them, she could get them again later on... so the doctor told me to keep them away from each other... that is like telling a kid to not drink milk while eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!...  isabella dotes on her big brother and to keep him quarantined will drive us all bananas...

how so!? well, miss baby girl is FINALLY cutting a tooth [yep, 9 months and without a single tooth to show for]... i mean, you can feel just a teeny bit of the tooth... i am  pretty sure this is contributing to her fussiness... she has been crying [loudly] for everything and anything... the only time she isn't fussing is when she is playing with diego or when she is walking around the house... so see, both kids need each other and it's impossible to keep them apart... so may diego's chicken pox go away fast and may isabella's tooth sprout out... in the meantime, diego is home from school while isabella fusses and walks.... they are quite the pair!

now, where's my pot of coffee?!

report #7362A-4

isabella is  walking...

yep!! you read it right... she's been doing the weeble wobble for a couple of weeks but as soon as she hit the 9 month mark, the girl's been weebling and wobbling on a daily basis... you'll see isabella standing near some furniture and then she'll do a 180 and start the monster mash thru the room... she has the biggest grin around, with her tongue just hangin' out for pure balance...  it's a wonderful sight to see, as she is getting her way around the house... diego is the biggest cheerleader around, letting me know every moment she stands, every time she walks, and every turn she makes... lately, i've been getting that report several times within a five minute span [yep, that's a lot of reportin']

the photos don't do my baby girl justice [even though the latter is her taking off while trying to capture this milestone]... however, we have had another dilemma of the electronics... my new camera had to be returned to polaroid for repairs [or exchange]... literally, ramel and i have been encountering a situation frequently... from holes in pipes to leaky faucets to yet another leaky pipe... from computer drama to camera drama... and the moment we relax, a child awakens from a nap or a perfectly working faucet begins to drip like a bad bladder... 2008 began with a challenge and has been testing our patience, our willpower, and perhaps our relationship... these sort of situations are all common- nothing out of the ordinary- but still can be a tad frustrating when they happen one after another... but it can only make us stronger, right?!

so in the meantime, you will see grainy photos again, as the old camera is back in use... artwork is being created but not as fast as i hoped... the etsy shop is on hold for now until early summer... and the website is being worked on slowly and with dedication... thank you all for your continued support!!

what is beauty?!

beauty is a set of notecards handmade by gracie bella butterfly... perfect for using as thank you cards for any etsy sales... these li'l notecards are elegantly made and were a gift from miss gracie... beauty is miss gracie and her sweetness and kindness... i only wish the photo would have done her cards justice... actually, this is a scan [maybe i should've photographed?!] beauty is meeting wonderful and talented people like her who are supportive and giving...

beauty is watching your daughter grow up and take walking steps without assistance [or with any furniture nearby]... today she just hoisted herself up and took 4 good steps before she stopped, stood there, then plopped herself down... beauty is watching her give a stranger the mean look as she clutches for my shirt tighter...  it's nice to be loved...

beauty is trying to get a good mother/son photo while avoiding being tackled and strangled by that son who thinks its all a game... beauty is watching him grow up and talk more and clap whenever isabella stands on her own... beauty is watching him read a few words and seeing him carry a conversation on the phone with his gramma...

beauty is a  wonderful espresso machine... thanks to sweet margaret, she sent such a lovely lovely surprise... now i can finally use all my lactose free milk [that i won't drink unless making hot cocoa]... now, diego can have steamers without us spending money at starbucks... although it's only been 4yrs since i was a barista, i cannot wait to put the nearly forgotten skills to use... yes, beauty is not having to pay for a latte... beauty is being able to make 10 lattes in one day... beauty is having a friend sweet enough to send such a gift...

beauty is jewelry handmade by that same sweet margaret... as you know, i am a big fan of her work... she made this beautiful necklace and pair of earrings...  beauty is being able to look nice using jewelry as a tool... even though i  don't go out much, a mama needs to look pretty to feel pretty... now, just to get some blush and lipstick for my pale face ;)... the beads are emerald green [sorry again, for the lack of photography skills]

beauty is knowing it's a new year to grow, learn, and love... what is beauty to you?! make a post on this topic, and share your link :) i would love to read it!!!!

technical difficulties...

hello all! thanks for baring with me in this new year.... i've been computer-less on and off for awhile... some days i have internet access but no files to upload... some days i have files to upload but no program to open such files... and other days, the woes of computer drama leaves me running to halo for another escape... yes, creating more artwork is a part of my new year's resolution... after all, there is much to do and enough paper to complete it all...

enough excuses, right?! who wants to read a blog full of excuses ridden with more excuses? nah, we all prefer pretty pictures and lovely tales... and while i may not have the loveliest tale to tell, i can show some pretty pictures... this illustration is of isabella late at night... yes, part of our new year's resolution was to get her into her crib to sleep... this meant trying out the ferber method, also known as "crying it out" which is not easy on any of us [and our ears]...

prior to getting her into the crib, isabella used to fall asleep in her carseat with the sound of spongebob music in the background... horrible, eh?! so with baby lullabies playing softly in the background, isabella literally, screams to be held... she will stand in her crib hollering loud enough for the lower tenant to hear... then she will sit in her crib, holding her glow worm and rocking it while it sings to her... after five minutes, i will check on her and lay her down in her crib, patting her on the back... isabella will moan a bit and then relax... i leave and there goes that siren of shrills!!!! after 10 minutes, we do the patting and relaxing... for the first two nights, it took about a good hour for her to calm down and fall asleep... now it only takes a half hour...

a half hour of screaming... if we recorded her, we could make a new version of smoke alarms... that girl has got some lungs on her... such a sweet doll and while i don't like to see my children cry, i REALLY don't like to hear her scream... so with the image of her screaming it out in my head, an illustration was drawn...

as christmas came and went...

it seemed like it was only last week when all the christmas decorations were put up in the house... the stockings were hung up with care in hopes that st. nick would be there... after all, he does have a few entry ways to get in thanks to the squirrels who are burrowing in... it was a wonderful christmas this year with isabella as the new babe in the house... i can't believe that she's taking steps and nearly walking by now... she sure didn't get any teeth for christmas [but hey, who needs teeth when you're 8mos old!?]... she is thisclose to running after her cousin nana and brother diego...

speaking of diego, the kid got his own "xbox" for christmas... it's really the v-smile learning system... we also got him the smartbook that goes along with the system... a few games to choose from, and this boy is utterly happy playing on his own game console... boy, kids these days are blessed!! i mean, we didn't get an atari system until i was 13yrs old and by then the system was over a decade old [which i still have and am saving]... it's amazing to see how much diego learns daily... he is growing up [sniffle]...

diego received several other goodies including avatar toys, a spiderman lamp, and a couple transformers toys... isabella received peek-a-blocks, a vtech rhyme and discover book, and these classic fisher price toys... of course, they are remakes of the originals and should definitely meet all safety guidelines [as older toys seem to fail]... their room has been rearranged to fit all new toys conveniently... it's

lastly, here are a couple decapitated gingerbread cyclop bears... [say that five times fast] they were taken with my new camera [that has a flash]... sadly, i didn't get anything for ramel yet for christmas... maybe a bit of illustration sales and he will get an unforseen surprise?! still, wouldn't it be nice if one day, i make a big enough sale to tell him "look honey, i paid our mortgage this month" or perhaps even "look baby pie, i paid off our property taxes, which goodness gracious, we know how high these wisconsin taxes are"... in the meantime, it's time to brew another pot of coffee so there is enough energy to make a sale big enough to buy him lost season 3 [hehehe]...

how was your christmas???

a very merry merry christmas to you

much love from ramel, ellia, diego, isabella, sam, and logan- the entire hill family...

p.s. thank you all for the lovely cards, emails, and letters...  tomorrow, i will email you all :) [and blog]

many apologies

hello my fellow readers- i am truly sorry for the prolonged delay of blogging... i have a thousand and one excuses but i'll try and narrow it down for you...

1. i haven't done much art lately because the mood hasn't been there... however, i did manage to create a teeny wee bit... yeah, just a wee bit... xmen playing xbox 360 while getting x-rayed...

2. my computer is in need of repair... yes, that same lovely computer ramel gave me... i guess the logic board burnt out from adding too many big art programs on it... a new computer is on its way but in the meantime, i was bummed at losing my dear electronic friend... i was too stubborn to use ramel's [the one that i've only been using for the past 3yrs] but it was time to blog and email so we are back on the imac...

3. we visited my mom a couple times- she always cheers me up and my dad always cooks yummy food for us all... we always leave her house with a ton of goodies... last time, i left with retro christmas decorations, ornaments, food, dessert, and toys for isabella... oh, and she gave me a ton of old christmas records including bing crosby's christmas and also alvin and the chipmunks... [note: diego is wearing a stocking knitted hat, like the boy from the christmas story... it was mine in college... diego and isabella are in the playpen... my dad is in the back holding daisy... and my mom's house is full of retro goodness]

4. isabella is desperately trying to walk... she has taken about 7 zombie style steps [hands straight out and wobbling]...  she lets go of our hands now to reach for furniture... and she likes to squat... i am pretty sure she will be walking within the next couple of weeks...

5. ramel is getting a website up...  while he isn't nervous about creating it, he needs time to make this... i've been dying to tell you all this for over a month now... he will be blogging and doing art... i can't tell you his theme or anything but trust me, it's quite ramel-ish :) it's such an exciting event!

6. i have an official website too...  well, i have the name registered and the space for it too... but i am clueless as to how to make a website so with nervousness, i delay in getting that up... my new site will have a shop, portfolio, blog, and contact info all in one... so we won't have a ton of links for this greenbeanbaby... i am looking to get that up within the next month... by the way, does anyone know how to merge a blog to their site?!

7. i bought more paper... didn't need it per se but it was a way to boost my energy and mojo to create some artwork... today would have been the perfect day to do so but it's soooooo cold outside.... and with our drafty windows, several rooms in the house are extremely cold including my studio and the living room... according to the weather channel, it's 19º F/ -7ºC [but feels like 1ºF/ -17ºC]... i'd rather snuggle up than work on art with cold fingers and worrying about my glue freezing [hehe]...

8. i put up the rest of my christmas decorations... christmas is only two days away and this was the first year that i took so darn long to complete such a task... i need a new tree and more garland... my cats have a tendency of attacking it and every year, my garland gets shorter and shorter... they don't mess with my ornaments and i am glad the kids don't either... we have been listening to christmas cds, records, and watching christmas movies... i wish i had a few movies on dvd though [the classics like it's a wonderful life, the christmas carol original, the muppets christmas carol, and white christmas]...

ok, that is all i can think of right now... however, i vow to blog more frequently! that is my new years resolution [along with get my website up and running and finish the children's book illustrations] i don't want to lose you readers! you all are so encouraging and supportive and it's been such a wonderful experience to be a part of blogland... i will post again christmas day but in case i miss you all, merry christmas, happy holidays, and happy december 25th...

where has the snowmen gone?

did you know that blogging can be a lot of work?! indeed it is, especially when you spent a good hour typing it all up only to lose every word written... your browser unexpectedly quits, or maybe your computer battery dies without giving you notice... either way, what i blogged about earlier today is long forgotten so thus a new post [with a few old ramblings]...

the above illustration is a gift to someone, re-vamped from an older illustration [of an even older illustration]... it took me longer than usual to make as my energy to work on art has been depleted... i am like my phone and computer battery- nearly dead and in need of recharging... it's hard to function this way... i have a family to care for, a house to clean, mouths to feed, fish to cook, noodles to boil, and emails to write... while i miss working on art, i miss having the energy more so.... maybe the weather contributes to such feelings... or maybe it's having so much to do and not enough strength to do it all...

the past couple of weeks, isabella was sick... from upset stomach to a bad cough to a body rash and onto a face rash... top that with teething and you have a colicky baby girl who wants to be held all the time and never put down... isabella is a a firm believer that the playpen and the crib are not suitable places for a baby to recuperate even when her mother is desperately trying to get the other sibling on the school bus... green bean mama should have some killer biceps by now!

baby girl, as she is known as here at home, is doing much better... her being sick coincided with our snow storms [yes, plural] so we were stuck at home for awhile... she was finally well enough to go outside and to the mall [as another snow storm approached]... we decided to get her ears pierced for christmas... i know, sounds a tad cruel to pierce a baby's ears just after feeling better and on top of that, give her a gift that is a wee painful... despite her loud wails, she did just fine and seems not to notice the earrings... she sure looks like a doll.. and she seems to bat her long lashes a li'l bit more now too [or is it my imagination?!]

 

diego is---- diego... sweet, active, happy, challenging, curious, and insisting on letting us know what he does and doesn't like... while it's great for kids to express themselves, i find it irrelevant if he doesn't want to take a bath... some days i will explain to him that i don't wanna do a lot of things but we have to... and so, he has to too... he is always jumping or running or wanting to play on the computer... he enjoys playing with baby girl... diego isn't always fond of eating and it worries me if he is getting enough nutrition... if he cannot spell onomatopoeia, is it because he isn't eating enough veggies??! if he can't tell me the square root of 144, is it because he is low on iron?! okay, i'm slightly exaggerating and had to use spell check to even write the word [unless, i am not getting enough veggies???!!!!] either way, it takes much energy to keep up with diego and isabella...

well, this blog only took me the whole day to write... from start to finish, i managed to miss diego's school bus, crash the computer after nearly finishing the first version of this blog [and shed a tear or two], cook a dinner, clean the house, bathe the boy and read to him, get isabella down for a nap, cut a bit of paper, down a pot of coffee, and daydream of sleeping right when isabella squirms awake... so if this blog sounds flustery, you know why... thank goodness for a new day and a fresh start...

how was your monday???

eye candy

i am not feeling good so here are some pictures of isabella and her cute bow by andrea's hair flairs... diego is kicking me off the computer, anyhow because he is playing curious george games... i didn't even get to check my email at all today... we'll be snowed in over the weekend so there'll be plenty of time to catch up on that, blogs, and art.... unless diego insists on taking over the computer :)

have a good night!

isabella and her strong legs...

isabella stood up all by herself today... twice!!! the first time was when we were at church... i was wrestling with diego to get to isabella before she crawled down the aisle but before i could get her [and before she went into crawling position] she stood up... it caught me off guard and if i wasn't so worried about her falling into the chair, i might have jumped up with joy [hehe]...

and then later today, i was trying to take photos of her... while fidgeting with the camera, she crawled by me and then stood up again!!!! and whadda know, she didn't do it again when the camera was working... but the gal is standing and this means she'll be walking in no time... i am seriously contemplating on if a christmas tree will be put up in the house this year... i just imagine turning away for a split moment and isabella pulling the tree down and using one of my ornaments for a teething ring....

she's been crawling a bit funny lately too... first, she will be sitting up and then she'll throw herself forward into a crawling position [which, she has done this on the bed and i've caught her by the leg] but her crawling position is this: one leg is crawling normal and other is in near standing position... it's hard to explain but it's quite the sight to watch... she sure is usin' those chunky thighs of hers to get around...  you think she will get a tooth before she walks???  if not, she will be the shortest, toothless li'l baby girl crawling around...

ps. don'tcha love her collar all turned up?! the photos are a bit funky but maybe santa will bring me a new camera :)

goodies, art, and more art...

isabella ran out of hairbows, or at least ones that fit her head... ms. andrea of andrea's hair flairs made a BEAUTIFUL bow for isabella.... oh, the girl looks soooo cute in it and i will try to take photos of her tomorrow when she wears it... andrea makes such elegant and comfy bows- i can't wait to purchase some more for my baby girl...


she also sent some extra goodies for the family too... diego received a cars sketchbook, which he immediately grabbed.... [i grabbed it back so i could get a photo of it- hehe]... andrea made a darling pen with a bow on top along with christmas colored bows for crafting... as payment, she is receiving holiday themed tags for her and her business...


yes, you are seeing this right... it's a green dinosaur... with the help of  his teacher, diego made a very big green dinosaur painting... isn't it just beautiful?! i mean, i know the teacher helped but a mother cannot help but feel so proud of her child and his skills... i should let him paint more at home, eh?! i need to loosen up on the messy mediums...


lastly, here is janae's illustration all framed; it was shown in pieces earlier... it is to match to the jamir illustration... this is for a lady i met online over 3yrs ago in a pregnancy forum... we both had a boy in august and then we both had a girl in april.... well, her family is in town and hopefully, we will all meet! i am sooooo excited!!

well, it's time for me to go back to the attic and work on some art... i think... you know how that goes- hehe... happy weekend!!!!!

just a couple of cuties...

these are a few photos of the kids... remember when i posted about this day?! here are some of the results... diego was a ham... he was extremely happy to take the pictures... he wanted to play with the giant number 3 instead of taking a photo next to it... not to mention, diego wanted to stay there instead of go home... and he got his wish...


isabella on the other hand, didn't really feel like smiling at first... she's been so serious, lately [at least in front of people]... she doesn't want to be held by many people except for ramel or i... she cries up a storm!!! in fact, she's been preferring ramel and will cry and whine until he picks her up... such a daddy's girl- all smiles when he comes around...

you can see more photos here... anyhow, it's time to cook some dinner, grab another cup of coffee, and hopefully make something artsy... maybe i should work on my writing skills, eh?!

oh, btw, did you see this??? you can get your blog made into a book... yep, i wanna get this done since it's been awesome fun blogging and meeting you all...

behind the scenes....

diego didn't have school this week as the school furnace was broken... it's been a long while since us three have been home all day with each other... i can't remember how i used to do it!!!! it was wonderful to have diego home and the two kids can play in his room very well... but diego doesn't nap and did i mention how much energy he has???!!!!!  yesterday we went to my mom's house and that was alot of fun!! it was also good for diego to get some people time other than his mother, ya know!?!

today was the roughest day of the week.... it began with me not wanting to wake up... diego, on the other hand, had the energy for four people!!! he talks just as much too!!! we were planning to go take photo's over by where ramel works... they have a room where they set it up to take a few family portraits and invited us to participate... so while i was busy getting everyone ready, diego and isabella were playing...  he accidentally hit bella with a small cabinet door, so she is screaming like there is blood everywhere.... [there wasn't even a mark!] diego was finally dressed and wearing his brand new boots.... while he was stomping away, he accidentally stepped on isabella's fingers while she was crawling.... so another bout of tears and wails and a boy apologizing over and over...

it took me too long to find a good picture perfect outfit for isabella... i only have one pair of tights for her legs and the dress i wanted her to wear was missing the underpants... the other outfits didnt match the tights... eventually i found her a pretty outfit only for her to poop all over it.... darn it!!! she was redressed by ramel [who came to pick us up] and throughout all this, i didn't make any coffee so the head was throbbing... the coffee wasn't made yet, and didnt mean to do it either time... i was busy trying to get them ready for pictures... ramel's job has a room where they do family photoshoots for  people [the daycare].... so this was all happening while trying to find a dress that fit her good AND that had matching FITTING tights... the one outfit i found, she pooped all over it....

we finally made it to ramel's job and photos were finally taken... cute pictures too!!! but with a pounding headache and diego not wanting to go home, i was ready for a nap... meantime, diego was running laps around the place [literally], with candy in his hand.... ramel said he could stay and well, diego HAPPILY said good-bye to me... and honestly, i was happy for him to stay too... he needs a few kids his age to match his energy... ramel dropped isabella and i home...

and the girl and i napped for three solid hours... it felt good... ah, it's an honor to be a mother but it feels wonderful to get a nap once in while... digeo and isabella are some of the best parts of my life and i have so much love for them ... there are times when i feel bad that i need a break but without one, how can i function creatively in every aspect?! if i don't, my moods tend to swing like a toddler's...

mothering can be a challenge.... there are moments when our weaknesses show and times when we make mistakes... as our children grow up, we too are growing  up... i still have a lot to learn about myself, as well as teach my children about themselves... the task can be overwhelming at times but there are so many rewards throughout it all... kids are a lot of work but wonderful!!!

a mother's definition....

©2005 [yes, about 2yrs ago...]

suspense: hearing through the baby monitor, your child rustling and waiting [hoping, really] that the child goes back to sleep

adventure: finding the thermometer to check your fussy child.... the sifting through toy bins, buckets, and cupboards is as much adventure a tired mother receives

family: everyone falling asleep during a movie

comedy: watching your one year old child dance to every song that pops up

romance: slobbery open mouth kisses on your face and begging for another [after you wipe off the excessive pediasure-smelling saliva]

horror: hearing the bloody shrill of your child screaming in the other room... only to see your child stuck upside down between the wall and the couch with your cats as spectators

foreign: listening to  your one year old child "talk" suddenly stop mid-sentence run away, come back, scream loudly then go back to the conversation

drama: arguing over who's gonna get that pediasure- poopy diaper that's stinking up the entire house....

wait until tomorrow's post... i found a nice "motherly" journal entry... these photos are of diego in his first year and there is one of miss isabella [taken today]...

diego and his pumpkin...

i am about a good week behind on my blog... so in case you get impatient, feel free to stop by at my flickr page... anyhow, diego went to the pumpkin farm the other week... when i went to pick him up, his teachers handed me his pumpkin, which seemed to weigh more than isabella!!! it was huge!!!! on one side of it, it had this dried mud skin to it... when i asked diego to show me his pumpkin for the photo, he kept turning it over so i can get a shot of the muddy part... apparently, he picked it out for this special feature...


this was the same week where i was babysitting my niece after school... nana and diego sat at the kitchen table working on coloring and homework.... i just kept thinking how in 3yrs from now, it will be diego and isabella sitting at the table... with nana visiting and helping diego with his homework... i am actually hoping diego will attend the same school as her, the spanish immersion school... and i hope isabella will be able to attend headstart pre-school because it's an awesome program!!!!

i've been going to trainings all week and it's amazing to see what they offer us parents... and they really get the parents involved in kids' school experience... to think, this is only the beginning of being involved! this is only the start of diego's education >gasp<!!! i hope that by the time isabella is in pre-school, i can put my talents to use and contribute a bit more [not that cleaning and caring for the family 24/7 isn't enough!!]... i guess i don't want my degree to collect dust forever... seeing diego in school and going to these trainings makes me miss getting educated!!! makes me want to make a bazillion dollars doing artwork at home so i can still go to the parent meetings and see diego off to school and isabella too... ah, it rekindles dreams....

and i must say, i love that diego "reads" more! everyday, i find his nose in a book... he loves when we read to him and isabella loves getting in the mix too!!! it's so much fun watching him read to himself and it's a delight to see him bring his transformers look and find book all around! him being in school has been such an advantage to us all :)

ah, it's every mama's dream to see their child learning!

school. books. meetings.

with diego in headstart, and with me working on a children's book, there are books everywhere... neat little piles in the corner of the living room... a small pile by his bed and under isabella's crib... there is a pile next to the bookshelf as well as a few sitting on the kitchen table... there are books in my room and books in my studio.... but while i make it sound like a library here, the books are around so we can read and enjoy and be inspired....

although diego loves superman and marvel characters, he is a big fan of jane yolen's dinosaur series... first i will read him the book, then ramel will read it to him, then diego will "read" it to us...  isabella will try to eat it... eitehr way, its a great way to spend time with eachother, as well as scope out ideas from mark teague's amazing illustrations... we really want to get the rest of them!!! they were once part of ramel's collection but i think diego has become the new owner...

there are a bazillion books in this house... including "everybody poops" diego had such an expression on his face as we read it and observed the very informative illustrations... he also gets the li'l scholastic newsletter once a month...  we try to order a couple each time, since a portion goes to his school... and every time we read to him, it is counted as volunteer time and it also helps the school... to think, our reading will help another child be able to join head start next year...

i'm trying to be involved in diego's school... there are parent meeting