Sunday, May 31, 2009

Firsts

I don't know about you, but it's been a weekend of firsts here at our home. Firsts are funny, you seem to wait so long for them to arrive, almost wishing them away, and then they come, and you just want them back...
Not all of them, of course. There are many firsts I have no desire to repeat LOL! Like that time at college... like that time when I was on spring break...like that time I called 911...like that time my purse was *stolen* (or misplaced by Grant)... or when I wrecked my Dad's brand new Sea Doo into his brand new boat... (yeah, I could go on and on...), but the ones that happened this weekend...well, that's another story all together. These are some firsts that I will always want back. To be honest, no matter how bad, I'd not let a single one of my firsts go. It never ceases to amaze me that all of these things can happen, all at once, in real time and in real life. Sometimes all of these firsts just seem so surreal. Some are good and some are not at all good. But they all teach us something if we are watching. It just so happens that in MY life, this weekend, it was all good. Good firsts are so very sweet. Hell, they all are really...Isn't it fun when lots of good firsts happen at once though?

Hey here's a shot of my heart...
From blog shots


It was a perfect weekend here in Minni (MN) - 70's, with the most gorgeous sunshine you've ever seen! We pay most of the year, but you simply can't beat a beautiful MN summer day. That was small tomatoes compared to what was coming....

My sweet daughter, Sarah (one of *the people*), who is 7 learned to ride a bike (almost!). That crazy husband of mine, who I mention in my profile, well, he's topping my list at the moment! This was no easy feat! My Sarah is smart, funny, fabulous and CAUTIOUS! A good combo, but yikes, he (Rob, my dh) had his work cut out for him! For the first time she did laps in our yard and even tried the street. There were falls and there was frustration but in the end, sweet S knows she can do it. She was even chanting it, "I can do this, I can DO this, I CAN do this!" I know she believed for the first time, that she could do this (ride a bike). These are the firsts a mom longs for. Firsts we dread too! LOL! It's funny how we tell so many we love that they CAN do it, that they can do anything, when there's so many things we secretly think we can't. Why do we do that? Not all of us...but many. It's hard to try something for the first time and believe we can I suppose. It's like we grow out of that magic along the way...

From blog shots


My next good thing was being a featured artist on a friend's blog. I hope she doesn't mind my calling her a friend, as we've just met, online. But that is how I feel. She (Donna) has been so kind and has offered me worlds of help in a world I'm just stepping foot in. Again, firsts. If you put yourself out there a little, you just never know the kind souls you may meet. It's worth the leap of fear and firsts in my opinion! Donna is a very kind soul. It was most definitely a first and now I just have to teach myself to chant, "I can do this, I CAN do this..."

Just when I was enjoying the sunset and the end to a perfect, patio and flower-filled weekend, there was more.

My Grant (one of *the people* too), my baby (don't tell him I said that) shouts from the swings in our yard, "Look, I'm doing it, I'm swinging"! There he was - swinging. All by himself. A first. He didn't ask us to push him over and over, he just kept saying, "look at me, I can do it!" And he was doing it, all alone and my heart both swelled and sank with all of these firsts.

From blog shots


A part of figuring out these firsts (or helping others do so) is a job well done and one that is seemingly over. Only it's not. Not if you are to grow still. It's just a beginning of all new firsts. That is something to smile on.

Seeing my loves conquer all of their firsts, having my precious *jems* celebrating themselves and supporting me in my firsts...( not exactly a first there), has just been amazing. Amazingly sweet and wonderful all at once.

Big smiles to all of you. Celebrate your firsts, as ugly or as fabulous they were and make new firsts every chance you get. You just never know...

This is crazy fun...

Check this out! Found out I'd be a featured artist last night!

Click on the link above!!!

Thank you a million times to Donna at dzfantasy! Check out her cool blog and creations and all of the great artists she features there!

More from me later! Hope you're all having a great weekend. We sure are here!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Places

It's a quiet Wednesday night at my place and here I am. Somewhere I did not see coming. My very own blog. It's funny how life takes you to all of these places you never thought you'd be...places on a map, places of the heart, soul and mind, places in time, and of course there are also the places you dream of going, even the ones you never dreamed. These are some of the fun ones, the scary ones and the ones that will change and grow you. I've been to many of these places before and will no doubt be there again. This is one of those places for me at the moment.
Cyberspace, websites, dreams, business, BLOGS???
To think I was just in a rain forest gecko and princess-filled place just hours ago...
More on that and *the people* later...

Maybe I should introduce myself to those who don't know me...
I'm Jen. I'm a Mom of 2 wonderful people, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend and a creator. I suppose those are just a very few of the things that I am, but the most important to me. I'm also apparently a cook, house cleaner, laundry fairy (Mom, that's for u), chauffeur, nurse, puke and snot-getter and encyclopedia! Who knew? Oh, I'm a detective too. More on that later too...LOL!
It all reminds me of a fabulous book Oh, The Places You'll Go (classic Dr. Seuss)! Everyone should have at least 2 copies of that in their home btw!

Lately, I'm trying to focus a bit more on Jen, the creator. I guess I've always created, I just never did anything beyond that...I created and these things would sit in a room, on a shelf, on a floor. Waiting to go. Somewhere, anywhere. Maybe it was given to a love, maybe it was given to a stranger and my things, *jems*, as I call them, will still do all of that. I just want to see them go more places now. I want to go more places...with my *jems*...
So here I am on my adventure. Heading places. Places I've dreamed of and places I want to go. It will be filled with the usual crazy - of THAT I'm sure! I'm going anyway - haven't met a place I wouldn't go yet...
Well...LOL!
Hope you'll check in and see where I'm heading. Even if it's in circles sometimes! LOL!
Hope you're smiling tonight! I am...

I simply cannot throw this blog, my website, my etsy shop and all of this out there without thanking my most precious *jems*, those who have always been there telling me to try this ages ago and you know who you are...xoxoxox!