Art Class

Hmmm... so I wrote this post and it turned out really long.... so I added a shorter version too.  You get to pick which you want to read :)

Long Story Short

Check out http://sweetbriarsisters.com/blog/ to see all of my creative projects- it's where I'm going to post them from now on.

Short Story Long

Blogs are a funny thing.  I feel like most of the people I know have such a love/hate relationship with them.  We love to keep in contact with friends and family, so we read them.  But every time we read them, we walk away feeling like crap.

Ok, so maybe not every time we read them.  And to be honest it's not all the people I talk to who feel this way.  Mostly just all the women I talk to.  :)  One of the things I hear all the time from women is that they look at a friend's blog, see all the projects she's gotten done, and immediately feel like a failure.  It's been making me very self conscious about our blog, which is like 50% about the projects I do.   

Now, let's be realistic for a minute.  The reason I get a lot of projects done is because I'm chronically ill and in bed all but a few hours a day.  There's not much I can do in life but projects.  It is nothing to be jealous of, trust me!  However, it seems the whole 'blog envy' problem has very little to do with actual reality, and everything to do with how our lives are presented on screen.  And so I continue to worry

The point is, I never want anyone to have to put our blog on their 'I can only read this blog every so often because it makes me feel like crap' list. (and yes, just for reference, I have one of those lists too, so don't feel bad if you do) So just in case, I'm moving all my creative endeavors to their own blog, http://sweetbriarsisters.com/blog/.  That way if you don't want to look at them, you never have to again!  And if you do, they're readily available, just not here.

And, if you're wondering why in the world this post is entitled Art Class, it's because all of this was leading up to the fact that I finished my first art class and LOVE, LOVE, LOVED it!  I'm seriously so anxious for Fall Semester to start so I can learn more.  All of the paintings I did are up on my creative blog for those of you who'd like to check them out!

Family Reunion

I am experiencing severe Family Withdrawal this week.  Don't you just hate the week after family reunions?  (I suppose this only counts for people who only get to see family during family reunions.  It wouldn't be nearly this sad if we could just drive for a few hours and see them again)  I swear our house wasn't this empty before our trip!

It was worth it though- I got to spend 2 full weeks out East, first in Michigan where the whole fam got together at Bill and Kali's house (and we got to see Andrew and Lauren's new house!) and then out to my parents' house in Ohio with my sister's family.  What a fun trip!  

Kali's awesome idea to avoid hundreds of plastic cups all over the house (they have magnets glued to them so we could stick them all on the fridge)

Pottery in white lab coats.  Could there possibly be a more 'Stacey' activity than this?

My dad's new toy.

This was the first jump before we knew how far it could go- the car could actually jump over the entire second chair)

Cherry pit spitting contest- I got second place!  But it was only because none of my brothers were there...

 

I like this picture because Alexis is giving bunny ears to someone who is, in fact, wearing bunny ears. :)

Alexis in the 4th of July dress I made her while we were out there!

Doug and the Big 3-0

Are you noticing a trend in Doug's bday cakes?  I'm pretty sure we found his pick for every birthday for the rest of time!

Happy Birthday to Doug!  

Wow- Doug's birthday was so long ago that I don't even really remember what we did.  I guess it doesn't help that it fell in the middle of my class which meant that I was a walking zombie for the occasion. 

For one of his gifts Doug got a fishing licence and we have since enjoyed many beautiful evenings up in the canyon- Doug fishing and me painting. It's been such a fun gift- I think it is quickly becoming our favorite hobby and we're having a lot of fun finding the perfect location.  It's harder than you might think- it can't just be a great fishing spot, it has to have a place for me to set up to paint that's close enough that I can talk to Doug, but far enough that I don't get hooked in the face. See?  Tricky.

 We haven't quite found it yet, but when we do, we might just let you know.  Maybe.  Unless it's really good, in which case we'll never tell a soul because I want it all to ourselves.  Sorry!  :)