My Sketchbook, my Life

for my son

As requested... a piece of art just for him. 

I seem to paint a plethera of "girl stuff" that usually gets hung up in my two girls' rooms.  So he requested something just for him. 

this has long been his favorite and most read scripture.  (he can recite it by memory, btw)

Helaman 5:12

so this is for him

{just thought i'd share}

 And now, my sons, remember, remember

that it is upon the ^arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your ^bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty ^cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall. 

Here's a link if you would like to download this print for free!

http://www.sugardoodle.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6218

Please note: by downloading the print you agree to use this print for home, and church use only.  It is not to be resold for any type of profit.  I still own the copyright to my artwork, I just want to make it available for everyone to use...

If anyone has questions they can e-mail me at michelleshirleyart@gmail.com .  

 

turning 80...

She has been there since my birth... 

So many of my childhood memories surround her.  And today she turns 80 years old.

I could never do wrong in her eyes.  Right or wrong- that was the way it was.  I have been told that my whole life, and maybe that is part of what has given me such a special love for this women. 

Grandma's house was a place I always wanted to be.

(yes, that is me with the Princess Lea braided buns.!)

 I remember the smell of fresh baked wheat bread.

The feel of that green shag carpet. 

The smell of her as we sat together on the couch to read books. The box of books, she loved to read to us.  Storytime would last as long as we were interested.  The books never ended.  When the box was read through, the hall closet magically brought forth more books. 

The freedom I felt exploring their backyard- and the field that lived beyond them.  It was a place full of discoveries waiting to unfold.  Horses, roosters, chickens, and even for a time, our two found rabbits.  The mangled dangers -but sweet rewards- of the rasberry bushes...the hidden tunnels the grapevine created as they grew against the side cinderblock wall, and the forest of make-believe where we would play house in the dense coverings of the pine trees and shrubs. 

The smell of the sheets in the fairest room of all- the blue room.  In that room held the dresser full of "stuff".  I remember sitting for hours going throught the drawers of primnary activites, picture books, coloring pages, felt stories boards- all collected from years of my grandmother's primary service.

The endless trinkets and the magical top drawer of Grandmas dresser- full of the finest and most beautiful costume jewelry a little girl's eyes could behold.  We were queens, my sister and I, (even sometimes my brother!) as we stood in front of her bedroom mirror, and adorned ourselves with her sacred earrings, necklaces, rings, and brooches. 

She was has been there for all my earthly milestones.  My birth, my blessing.  My baptism. 

Birthdays.  Neighborhood boy crushes...

 
My wedding. 

And now she is here to read stories to my children, and I see how they too, now, can do no wrong in her eyes.

And I love it.

 

Happy Birthday Grandma.

Boy v.s. Wave....

I know its boring sometimes to go through and see everybody's vacation photo's - but I have to post a few.  We got some good photos.  We took the kids to California the past week or so, and had a great time at Disneyland, and the beach. 

The kids Love the Beach!  I love this set of photos of Mr. C.  He is so daring- "fearless" really as he says, as not even the monster waves OR tower of terror put fear into his little enormous body.

Happy New Year!

Well I hope all had a wonderful Holidays.  We certainly did.  Family. Friends. Food.  and more Food.  Wow... it was fun.  I have had fun just hanging out with the hubby and kids all week.  Playing with our new toys, and letting the kids stay up until midnight for the first time, last night with Lizz&BJ and kiddos.  They had fun going outside at midnight hearing all the noise, fireworks, and doing both themselves!  There is something magical about that when you are a child, at least I remember thinking that when I was young. 

So Lauren's favorite gift she got was this computer game called spores... she loves it, and so does carter, he plays it almost more than she does.  it is perfect for their age, and the creatures they make are really fun. 

 

Carter loves (spores) and this nerf dart tag.  They have all had alot of fun with it

Madi has loved this sewing kit I got her from the Land of Nod.....   It is perfect for her age, and I love that is is all contained in a cute little suitcase!

As for me I was splendidly spoiled by my hubby.  He never ceases to surprise me.  I love it.  And for the first time this year, I think I actually was able to surprise him too....  I didn't let the kids know what I was getting him....somehow, they always seem to slip up when it comes to his gift.  So this year it was a surprise to him, and the kids...

We went downtown to see the lights at Temple Square tuesday night.  It was wonderful.. Everything was still set up with the Christmas stuff, but half the crowds.  I just love going to the visitors center, and going up to see the Christus.  I just love the feeling there, it is just so beautiful.  I am glad the kids really wanted to go, even though it was after Christmas.  it truely is just amazing.  Everytime I go, I can't imagine the time it takes to create something so beautiful!  there seems like there is just thousands of lights on just one tree!

Well now for the part i dread every year.  Taking down the tree, and putting the holiday decorations away.  I wish that i could just hire someone to do it!

Home!

Well we made it back- with our memories, 200 pictures I took, and need to sort through and edit... and a few stories for the kids to tell there friends at school today.  Roasting hotdogs in the rain - Climbing a mountain called "Mount Baldy" - and having a curious BIG BLACK BEAR come a little too close for comfort when we were fishing at the lake!  I am not sure what it is with our family outings having to include wildlife upclose and personal... but lately it seems like it wouldn't be a vacation without it.  I was so bummed (after we ran as fast as we could to the other side of the small lake we were fishing on)  that I didn't have my camera!  It was around my neck the whole trip except for this quick trip to the lake to fish before dinner.   And of course that was when he decided to show up.  It is a little unnerving when everyone on the lake is yelling bear, and pointing behind you.   Then to turn around and see it 50 yards up the mountainside behind you.  Poor little Madi, it scared her to death.  I am not sure if it was totally her shock, or partly from the reaction of the others around us, but she just took off.  Her little legs would not move fast enough for her.  Once we were at a safe distance, and the Bear was moving back up the mountain, she thought it was funny to see the bear, "not in the zoo" as she put it. 

We also went to see the Falls, they were beautiful.  A photo just does not do them justice, but here is a pic of the bottom falls.  We saw two others on top of this one, but these were my favorite.

Here is a view from the 'almost' top of Mount Baldy.   It started raining, and hailing, so we didn't make it to the top. 

Carter got a lesson in fly fishing from Nate.  I love looking at these pictures of the two of them together. 

Well I didn't get any work done.  We were busier than I thought we would be.  The kids love fishing, and wanted to go constantly go to the lake or the river.  It was a fun weekend.  The leaves are just starting to change, I can't wait for another week or two, when they are in complete fall colors.  It is my favorite time of the year.  I am definitely going to make it up this year to take some pics of the leaves.