Thursday, July 26, 2012

Vacation!

Early Tomorrow we will be leaving for a little vacation to Las Vegas!  Total Rewards offered me
free hotel accommodations,  $400 cash,  and a $75 food credit just for coming out there.  
We are staying at Paris Hotel and Casino.    I am so excited!  We will be seeing the
Elvis Cirque du Soleil show on Saturday evening at 7 pm,  and then we'll be seeing the
Jersey Boys show on Sunday evening.   I've heard that Jersey Boys is really a good show.


Summer Camps are all finished for me for this summer.   I still have my regular Monday
morning class at the Largo Community Center.   The people in the class are so nice.
We all really seem to enjoy each other's company and they are learning all those fun
pottery techniques.


Well,  Viva Las Vegas!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Summertime

Summer is here!  Along with one tropical storm so far that dumped a lot of rain, eroded our beaches, and caused us to hibernate for a few days.  We are fortunate,  we live in an area that is usually high and dry.  


Mason is here and is now 2 months old.  How time flies!   He was born weighing in at 9 lb. 8 oz. a really big boy.   Jaxon is being helpful and loving towards his baby brother (as far as I know).......


I am currently involved in teaching kid's Summer Clay Camp at the Beach Art Center.   The young potter that the Largo Community Center hired to teach their summer clay camp backed out on them at the last minute.   I feel obligated to teach at Largo, because they've made me the person in charge of their pottery department.   I also have been treated very nicely by their staff.   They didn't think to double check with me as to what my schedule was before they advertised their summer camp however.   That is why I didn't get to teach their camp.    I had told the B.A.C. that I would do this week not knowing that Largo was having it the same week.   


I taught Eileen the lady from the front office how to do some pottery,  and gave her some of my examples to use this week in the class.   She said 16 children were enrolled.   I went there today after my class at Beach Art Center to fire the kiln at Largo with all the things the kids made.   They did an amazing job!   I think their projects came out better than my kid's at B.A.C.     I just hope the projects survive the firing.   Most of the projects being fired in the kiln are wet clay.    Wet clay doesn't usually hold up well.   We'll see.........


Tomorrow morning I will go with Amie when she gets her ultrasound to see what sex her new baby is.   Very exciting!    I will try to keep Kailani out of mischief for a little while.   


Robbie has been home from college and working for Papa John's pizza,  delivering it, etc.   He's still in the market for a career job in engineering if anybody reads this,  maybe you can steer him to a company that can use a good man?


At the end of this month Rob and I are going to Las Vegas.    I had an offer in my Total Rewards magazine that I just couldn't pass up.    Five free nights in my choice of hotels,   $400 free cash,  $75. of  free food.
Rob has had dizzy spells and was diagnosed with an ear infection.   He has an appointment with my regular doctor in a couple days for a complete physical.    I hope he feels better in a couple weeks.



Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Almost Summer

Where has the year gone?   It's already the beginning of May.   My daughter Allison is due to have a new baby boy any day now.   It's exciting having a new member of the family.  His name is to be Mason.   I haven't heard yet what his middle name will be.   So,  Jaxon will have a new brother!   It's good for children to have a brother or sister to grow up with.  This way they'll have to learn to share.


On Sunday,  May 6,  our son Robbie will graduate the University of Florida's school of engineering.   We will be going up to Gainesville on Saturday.   Maybe Robbie will show us around his college.   I know that I am so proud of him!   May 6 is also our anniversary.  We have been married 35 years.


Back to grandchildren.    We recently found out that Amie and Hendra are expecting their second child.   So exciting!   By the end of the year we'll have two new grandchildren.   Kailani is seventeen months old now.  She's been walking since she was nine months old.   She calls me "Mama".    So cute!    Hendra and Amie just bought a new(er) vehicle.   They got a Ford Escape Hybrid.   It looks very pretty from what I've seen posted on Facebook.


I am getting ready for the end of the year with my children's pottery class.   I am digging through all my craft supplies looking for things they may want to do for the next two sessions.   This is the second to last class for this season.   My favorite children are now fifth graders.   Probably next year they won't be back because once they start middle school they'll be involved in many more activities.   I've enjoyed having them in my class.   I need to take the time to re-organize my pottery area out in the garage, and go through all of my supplies.   I think I'll do this today.  


I was asked to teach Summer Camp pottery classes to the children who sign up this summer at the Beach Art Center.   I've been working on ideas for projects and am making themed lesson plans.   We'll be exploring the art and learning about Hawaii, Indonesia, Australia, and the Caribbean.   In July,  we'll have a Winter the Dolphin themed camp week,  and a Dinosaur week.   I still have to make examples of projects for much of my lessons.   Lot's to do!



Thursday, November 10, 2011

More Birthdays

Yesterday was Hendra and Kailani's birthday.   It seems like yesterday Kailani was born!   Now she's walking and doing all kinds of cute things.   I have been busy making pottery items for my two galleries.   Sailing today was great!   Life is good.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Amazing!

I have had such an amazing week!   It started on Sunday when the family came over and took us out for our Birthday dinner.   Then we all played games, had cake, gifts, etc.   Just them being there was a gift!

Then on Wednesday  (my real birthday) I met with Warren from the Largo Community Center.   He wanted to know what I needed for the pottery program?   I showed him how cluttered the pottery room is  (with other things they've stored),  and drew a diagram showing how it could possibly be.   We really need a good wedging table with perhaps storage underneath for future buckets of glaze.  

Yesterday I came in to meet with him to go shopping for supplies.  I was in the pottery room writing down which glazes we already have so I didn't duplicate when he walked in.   He had a big smile.   He said,  "so what do you think?"   The room was totally cleared out!   (except of course for what we have in there so far)...... I said,  "Wow,  it's really great!    I can breathe in here."    Then we went shopping.    Eileen joined us.   When we got to St. Pete Clay Company,  I gave them the grand tour.   I first showed them the outdoor kilns and explained what each one was for.   I spoke about the technique of Raku firing,  and how they have had Raku on the 2nd Saturday of the month in the past.   I said I thought the students would really enjoy that.  Then we went inside.   He was already impressed with the historic Train Station that houses the Clay Company.   He said,  "I wish I had brought a camera" when we walked in.  I said,  "I have one.  Here you can use it."
He took photos of a lot of the building.    The works of art there,  the kilns,
etc.   I will get them put onto a Photo CD to give to him to keep.   Then we shopped.   He really spoiled me and the citizens of Largo.   We got all kinds of glazes, underglazes, extra throwing bats, brushes, tongs, calipers, a stamping system, clay, etc.   Afterwards he took Eileen and myself to lunch.   What a nice day!

The kids (Gabby and Anthony) had been calling me wanting to come over, etc.
I went over to their apartment after getting fininshed with Largo.   I picked them up and let them come over.

What a nice week!       

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Birthdays and More.......

Tomorrow is my birthday.   My family gave us the best birthday ever!  Thank you so much,  my grown up kids, and grandchildren!

Rob's birthday was on October 3,  and mine on the 12th so we combined the celebrations.  Once you're our age,  it doesn't matter.   The kids came over and said,  "Lets blindfold Mom and Dad".    I said,  "wait,  let me change my clothes first!"   I was getting ready to glaze pottery with Allie when everybody else came over.   They loaded everybody up and Allie actually drove my van so she could surprise us where we were going.   We ended up at the Olive Garden.   One of my favorite restaurants.    We had a nice dinner.  Amie, maybe not quite as nice because Kailani was wanting to run around,  driving her crazy!

Luckily the waitress made a roadblock with chairs and Kailani was corraled.  Then Hendra came in.   He helped.   Dinner was saved!

We went back to the house afterwards and had cake, ice cream, and gifts.
It was a fun day.

Thank you,  family!   I love you!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Allie's Birthday and More

Allie, Kyle, and Jaxon and ? came over on Sunday to celebrate Allison's 27th birthday.   I may have mentioned in the previous post that we recently discovered Allie is pregnant.  It'll be nice for Jaxon to have a sibling to grow up with.    She requested lasagne for her dinner.   Earlier in the day she came over and just hung around.   Allie asked me if I'd show her how to use the potter's wheel.    I did,  and she made a couple small pieces.   Then I came into the house for a few minutes and when I got back out into the garage/studio,  she had a huge hunk of clay!     I asked her if she was going to attempt that?    She said,  "yes".     I had to help her a little bit,  but ended up creating a pretty large vase.    I think she had fun.    Sonda, Terry, Gabby, and Anthony,  and Robbie were here later for dinner and cake and ice cream.    Jennifer from next door,  and mother,  Paula came over for cake and ice cream,  too.  

This was my second week of teaching my two students at the Largo Community Center.  Pam is catching on,  but Janis is pretty much a natural.    I am enjoying teaching them and hope for more people soon in the classes.