Playing with Thurston's emotions

So Thurston is very expressive on how he feels, and always tells us how he feels. It's sweet. My favorite is when I am yelling or scolding him and he looks at me and says "No Mom! You're happy!" I never fails to make me calm down and smile at him.... at least until the next mishap. Here is a cute video of him using his facial expressions to show us his emotions.

Transformer Room for the Boys

My journey of design and some notes of how cheap I am.

The boys have now successfully shared a room for quite some time, and we decided that it would only be fair that they moved to the largest room.... my Art room. I was sad at first to move into a smaller space to work in, but it all worked out. In fact, Leonardo da Vinci once said that your art studio should be a small space so the mind gets less destracted and you can stay more focused. That being done, I looked around and realized that the room was a real mess. Not only had the boys attacked the walls with their finger paints, but I learned I was a real messy painter myself, splatters of my work all over the place!

So my mind set to work to try to think of something cool to do. I tried taking the boys to Home depot and let them pick the colors, but was mortified and could not think of anyway to make those colors work. Sorry JoJo. I was looking at pictures on HGTV's web site and saw a picture of the childs room done by Kim Myles... Loved it! I loved the colors and the metalic center. I learned that she used car detailing tape and it could be found at your local car shop. Yeah, no luck. I found some online for $9, but then It was another $9 in shipping... and only 5 ft long (the room is 10x20). So then I talked to my neighbor (Amber) because she used sheet metal in her salon and I loved it. It would be super cheap to go and have it cut, get all I needed for only $16. But the safety issue with corners and the thought of my trying to install that scared me. Preston from the beginning said "just spray paint it". I laughed at him. I then remembered that Ralph Lauren carries it's Regent Metalic paints (that are really cool) at a whopping $42 a gallon.

I'm too cheap for that.

Here is where I realize that Preston was right.

I forgot that there is now metallic spray paint. I got the paint swatch for the Ralph Lauren paint and took it with me. I was so excited when I found that Rustoleom carries a ''Hammered Silver" spray paint that looked EXACTLY like the paint swatch, texture and all! For $6!!!! (I did use 2, but it was only $12!!!)

So after convincing Preston and earning the money I set to work. We have all been sick and so it set us all back a bit, but I finally got it all together! I am really happy how it turned out and the boys say they love it. Of course, the theme is Transformers... what else!?

Someday they will get new furniture and an actual dresser not made of plastic. But until then, this is what we've got!

Joseph's work/ coloring/ school area

I got a can of chalk board paint and sprayed the closet door. It has already been put to use and the boys love it! We took out one door so that half is opened to their secret Transformer reading area. We have a couple of folding camp bed pad thingies and they fit perfectly in there when not in use. It's fun.

I used a torn up gutted book as a shelf display. The toys are those pesky McDonald toys, and yes, you are not mistaken, that is indeed Cringer/ Battle cat, Heman's mighty Cat. (yes, Preston's original). Joseph happy in his new room

I tried to get a close up of the silver paint. It was stinky and my finger ached from the spray paint application, but it all worked out! ART WORK

OK, I have to take a moment to talk about the art in the room (my favorite). If you need ideas for art work in your kids' room, here are a couple. 1) have them make some of it. The large paintings in the room are their 2 year old paintings. When my boys are around 2 years, they get their own canvas and get to have fun with it. Now because their attention span is short, this usually goes on for awhile. Just set out 1 or 2 colors each time and let them go at it. It is fun to watch, fun for them, and creates a priceless work of art. I used the cheap canvases from Walmart 16x20 3 pack for $7 and kids paint.

The smaller arr work is my money saver here. I love these frames and have used them in the past for other paintings. They are simple gallery style frames that I get at Michaels (the genereic ones) They are $6.99 for a 2 pack, but Michaels always either has 50% frames sale, or 20-50% coupons... I am always ready to pounce on those deals. I got for at the discount so, 4 for $7. The mats I used a 59 cent poster board. I took a little extra time to cut out the sizes with straight edge and exacto knife. Mats are cheap, but four at $2.50 = $10 vs 59 cents???! yeah.

For the pictures I used a book that had been used and loved and destroyed. So this is my great idea. for unique art work that is theme specific... search out old books, comic books etc. Thrift stores always have a large amount of previously loved books for super cheap (sometimes even as low as 10 cents). Sometimes the covers work perfectly. So there they are 4 awesome pictures for less than $8 (less than the price of just the mats!!!!)

The last is Giuseppetron. Preston would tell Joseph good night stories and he created 'Giuseppetron' the mighty Autobot. (Giuseppe is Joseph in Italian). Joseph got to pick out what he did and what he transformed into. He is a fighter jet with jet toes and a big gun. This is my design for him. (he loved it).

It was so fun doing this! I had to share. Until next time.

A quick book review

At Christmas time I took a few moments to look threw the countless books my Mother in Law has for some reading. I chose one that looked promising and she said that she loved it, so I borrowed it. I was going to read it then, but then I got really sick. The book being about the Plague, I thought I would wait. Well, time went on and I ended up reading The Aeneid (which is awesome and is the best of the Iliad and Odyssey even though it is by Virgil and not Homer).

Well I finished it and started to finally read "Year of Wonders". It was a nice break from reading the ancient Greek Mythology book in terms of language and style. I started reading one afternoon and finished the next morning. Here are my thoughts:

For Story telling and the ability to keep you interested 5 stars.

For grammar and use of big words with out it looking like you kept a thesaurus next to you like

lot of authors 5 stars

Thought provoking, making you wonder what you would do in the situation 5 stars

Character development even though you despise what she has done to them 5 stars

Finding the ability to use the word sh** many many times in it's literal meaning 5 stars

Finding a way to bring sex and describing it in detail while telling a story about people dying of the Plague, even if you're a Pastor, 5 stars

Finding a way in the end to destroy all the good characteristics you have built up in your characters, and spinning the story way off in left field making you go, why in the world did you do that and slander the name of the real guy that actually lived?? What, and Arabian midwife who married a man and became one of his many wive's while fleeing from her past life and EVERYONE giving up on the faith and religious beliefs? He never what with his wife?????

5 stars

Over all I did like the book and I cried at times. It's just the book took a weird turn of events and left me unfulfilled and a little perturbed. Do I recommend it? Yeah. After all, it is just my opinion. I encourage all to get their own.

My failure as a Mother with Irish heritage

Once a year we awoke to an exciting scene in the kitchen. It seems every year a Leprechaun would come and torment my Mother in the kitchen by jumping in the Milk, Pancake batter etc. and would leave footprints all over the place. It was always so exciting and I always kept my eyes open for the little green man.

So as time passes and it is my turn I too delight in a early morning fight with the little guys. I had every intention of getting up and setting the scene for my boys. Luck *haha* would have it that my body would give in to the cold it was fighting, Thurston still sick and JoJo coming in to my room with a bloody nose and is sick as well. I think the Leprechaun saw our sad state and fled.

I am thinking of making pancakes for dinner, (because we all know how awesome breakfast can be at dinner) and then maybe he may come to visit us. We'll see. As for other Irish tradition, I will be taking a warm drink before bed that has plenty of good stuff as well, ahh NyQuil. Here are a couple of photos from last years Leprechaun hunt.

More costume changes than Mariah Carey on 'Cribs'

So I knew that Thurston was always changing his clothes, putting on costumes and running around naked. I decided to take a day and observe him. The results were quite shocking and am now wondering if he will have commitment issues in the future.=0) My day as observed:

*Tuesday March 10, 2009

9am (yes that's 9am) Thurston wakes and enters my room. He peed the bed so he is completely naked. I did not get a picture of this.

10 am breakfast (we were really lazy today).. Optimus Prime

10:33... still at breakfast but now he is just in Optimus Prime jammie bottoms (JoJo's) yes, still at breakfast, I made muffins so it took awhile. 11:11 Am I went upstairs to find him.... he is now naked.

11:37: He originally came down wearing JUST the shirt and no underpants, I thought I would spare you that shot. Here he is after I made him put on pants. They are on backwards.

OK, this next picture was cute so I thought I would throw it in. They were playing Batman and Robin (even though they were both wearing Batman). As I took the picture, JoJo grabbed Thurston's face and said " Robin, we have a problem. You need to fly so I am going to teach you". Those are words a Mother wants to hear. 12:21: To the untrained eye, this looks the same, but notice the change in pants. 1:47: OK, so I was cleaning the bathroom and I have a reed diffuser that Thurston so lovingly knocked over, spilling the oil all over. Whilst I was cleaning that mess up, He came back complaining (crying) that his face hurt and I yelled at JoJo for hitting him again. Then I realized that he had a rash developing all over his face. It took me a couple of seconds to put 2 and 2 together and realize that it was a chemical reaction from the oil (cinnamon no less) that he managed to rub all over his face. I appologized to Jospeh and I put him in the shower for 10 minutes then the tub for another 20. He was fine. That's why he is in these clothes. 2:18: Thurston comes downstairs dressed now as Batman. 2:38: Searching for him, I found him in the Toy room dressed as Pablo from the Backyardigans, hat and all. NO ASSISTANCE I SWEAR. It is at this point that you may wonder where and why he has all of these costumes and why he has constant access to them. To you I say, do you expect anything else living with me? His mother once was Wonder Woman and his father Spiderman. **side note. during this long haul he came to me again with the face rash and complaining his face hurt. I realized that his blanket had been compromised with the Cinnamon oil and he again spent a good 30 minutes in water.

4pm: Watching Dora upstairs naked.

5:40pm Blues clues jammie bottoms and yellow shirt

6:15 Dinner as Optimus Prime** Please note the large pile of laundry on the couch that has piled up**

7:30 Bumblebee jammies. I didn't get a photo of this because I was at a meeting and Preston put him to bed.

Ahhh, WOW, that's 11. Just another day at the Thomson home. So to my friends who wonder why I don't get a gym membership... This is why.

See Paul, you're not the only one with long posts.

Late night eating enhances your dreams?

So have you ever heard that if you eat late at night right before bed it would give you nightmares? Well, last night Preston helped our friends Wendy and Chi Ming move and we all met up at the new Brazillian BBQ Tucanos to eat. We didn't get there until 8:30pm, WITH the kids. JoJo was a champ and loved all the meat on sticks with giant knives. He even learned how to cut his own meat with a knife (supervised of course). Thurston was excited about the bathrooms and the power of the words "I need to go potty". He also has learned how to open stall doors in the bathroom while you are still on the toilet. He's got talent, that kid. We all ate a lot and ventured home laughing about what all that meat and the tuna pasta we had for lunch would do to the air quality in our home this weekend. Little did we know what it would do to our sleep. I know Preston had wierd dreams, but not the particulars, not sure about JoJo, but Thurston? He managed to come running into our room screaming because Joseph kept steeling all of his corn. We had a good laugh. As for me? Does the character John Locke from the show LOST leading a Scripture mastery chase in night time seminary count? If so, then yeah. Just another night in the Thomson home. And yes, Locke was wearing his white shirt, cargos and had a large knife holding a giant bible. I feel that there is a hidden meaning there.

Children's Book

So I just recently finished the art work for a children's book. A few months ago I was asked to do some drawings for a book an old friend from high school wrote. I do have to say that it turned out adorable. I can't show much, but I thought I would share at least the cover. It is about a little girl and her imaginary friend and their adventures together. Kaydence wrote a very adorable story and I fell in love with the characters I created for it. We are wanting to get it published and will be getting that started. I was approached for another one and think it will be cute as well. With the thought name of "The PooPoo Knocker", it will be interesting! I also have another I am working on for my sister. So I guess I have started to become a children's book illustrator. Maybe someday I might actually get paid for all my hard work. I guess we should just wait and see. I'm not holding my breath! At least I love it, right?

Keep your eyes open for this book: (I'm sure I will inform everyone I know if it does get out)

child Labor, Costume changes, library and my cat has Spring Fever

So last night my boys went to the library for their green eggs and ham night with the Cat in the Hat. They were part of the "green eggs and hammers" and got to perform a little "musical" number to the Cat in the Hat song. Sorry to say that there are no pictures because I was at Enrichment night and Preston took them. Preston also helped them perform so he wouldn't have been able to take photos anyway. I was at the practice so I know they were cute. Apparently at the end when all the kids danced with the characters, Joseph tried a little at break dancing. He is hilarious!

So JoJo got a ball for his birthday a year or so ago and it broke, but he has found a new life for it......

Thurtson changes his clothes about 10 times a day... the usual are Optimus Prime, Batman and a large assortment of freshly done laundry and shoes. It's either that or he is buck naked.

Joseph has reached that wonderful age were he can and WANTS to help out around the house (everything but picking up his legos that is). He actually answers me with a "YEAH!" when I ask him if he wants to scrub the toilets or vacuum. We reward him with "JoJo bucks". We will see how long this lasts, but in the mean time....

A few months ago my cat went outside and was gone for a long time, came back covered in his own poo and mud, completely wet and he acted weird. It only got worse and would hiss at us and would actually attack us if we ventured too close to him. Well, after a week of constant decline in health and an increase in aggression I finally took him in. It turns out that he had a virus and his mouth was covered in lacerations and ulcers. We took the opportunity to have him snipped at the time. We laugh because the vet on more than one occasion mentioned that he was very much a Tom cat and very well endowed, thus the extra aggression. Go Jazz. Well after a long week of him recovering, have to force feed him medication, and him having terribly stinky breath and gas, he finally recovered and now he is our awesome Jazz again. We think he will no longer hiss at neighbors trying to feed him. =0) But for now he is in house arrest. This is a long story about a cat and for you that hate cats, sorry. But then again, this is my page. Anyhoo, this is a photo of him dreaming of being outside. He does this a lot and I think it's cute.

To mu Poopies

So I once heard that the 7th year of marriage is the hardest, and that a lot of people have problems that year and often end in divorce. Now, I don't know how accurate that is, but I remember that there was a discussion at work and several people agreed. So here we are in our 7th year of marriage, and we are proving them wrong.

It seems in the last few months my feelings for my husband have grown to a whole new level. My affection (which never wavered) has doubled, almost creating a courtship like feeling again. I was subbing in the primary last Sunday and he came in to help me. When he entered the room, my heart skipped a beat and I could feel my face lighting up. Maybe it was the brown pants, but I sure love that man. I see him working so hard for us and our family, and is such an amazing father. Many a time he has come home from a very long and stressful day and has put off eating dinner so he can spend a few moments with our boys before they go to bed. He always offers me the last of the brownies because he knows I love them, even though the last piece is his. He says his happiness comes from seeing me happy.

I could not ask or hope for anyone else. He is the one person I can completely be my insane self with with out restraint or worry that he will think ill of me. When I first met a friend from Italy that knew Preston on his mission, she told me that she always thought that Preston was a great guy, but worried about his wife because he would be such a dull and boring husband. I guess that just shows that he was a dedicated missionary, because it couldn't be further from the truth. I cannot recall a day we have been together that he has not made me laugh, or at least a courtesy laugh. =0) So I guess what I am saying, is that I am still madly in love with him, and that he rocks my world.

We have an inside joke and the key word is Diarrhea. I couldn't get him to smile, so that is what I said, and this is what I got. Smirk or no smirk, it's a smile.