grateful

Here are some of the things I am grateful for this year.... (listed in no particular order)

1. My mom's art.

2. Family and Friends

3. When Tia is sleepy and we sit on the couch and she rubs my elbow.

4. Our pet dog, Miller.

5. Blog comments make me happy, happy happy!

6. Having two cities to call home.

7. Downy wrinkle reducer.

8. Tia's 3 hour naps + yahoo messenger.

9. My coffee cup collection.

10. Baby kicks that hurt my ribs and hips at the same time.

projects

In LA, people often get involved in projects.

Tia has been involved in some projects recently.

Here she is working on her emotional range.

Here she is working on her literacy project.

This is a nature project that she is working on with a new partner/ associate. His name is Sato.

Of course, she is heavily involved in politics.

This is called the I VOTED project.

And, a more personal project: Tia is working on getting dressed all by herself.

Recent Tia sightings

Our cameras have recently spotted Tia all hanging out w/ BFF, Mamma.

With other long time BFF, Buddha.

Lounging at the Disney Center downtown.

And at the LA Auto show! Beep, Beep- Who's got the keys to the Jeep?

Dance class!

Tia took her first ballet class! Here she is in her blue tutu. She did her best to follow directions and listened to her teacher, Miss Elizabeth.



This pose is called froggy kiss. Tia was even graceful as a frog.




Even ballerinas get hungry! Time to rest and have a snack.

THE END

All drains lead to the ocean...

RIP Blue Fishy (aka Sushi Wabi)

August, 2008- November, 2008

Separated at birth? (for Auntie) (warning: adult content)

Separated at birth?

Svetlana from the Sopranos

Little Mariposa Tinkerbell

BFFs

Hollywood starlets Tia Magnolia and Tinkerbell have been seen at all of the hotspots these past few weeks.


Too cute!

After a long day of playing and some cosmo juice boxes.

Here is Tia with former BFF, Elmo. Look at Tia's face: Could there be a feud? She doesn't seem to happy with Elmo, or his new BFF, Mr. Incredible.

Hollywood....

Note: The guy in the Elmo suit wanted us to know that he is really an actor. This is just something he does.

Who'd have ever thought?

Everything she sees, she says she wants. Everything she wants, I see she gets.
That’s my daughter in the water, everything she owns I bought her.

Everything she owns.

That’s my daughter in the water, everything she knows I taught her.

Everything she knows.

Everything I say she takes to heart. Everything she takes she takes apart.
That’s my daughter in the water, every time she fell I caught her.

Every time she fell.

That’s my daughter in the water, I lost every time I fought her.

I lost every time.
Every time she blinks, she strikes somebody blind.

Everything she thinks, blows her tiny mind.

That’s my daughter in the water, who’d have ever thought her?

Who’d have ever thought?

That’s my daughter in the water,

I lost everytime I fought her Yeah, I lost every time.

~Loudon Wainwright III

1,000 mornings!

Morning
~Mary Oliver

Salt shining behind its glass cylinder.

Milk in a blue bowl.

The yellow linoleum.

The cat stretching her black body from the pillow.

The way she makes her curvaceous response to the small, kind gesture.

Then laps the bowl clean.

Then wants to go out into the world

where she leaps lightly and for no apparent reason across the lawn, then sits, perfectly still, in the grass.

I watch her a little while, thinking: what more could I do with wild words?

I stand in the cold kitchen, bowing down to her.

I stand in the cold kitchen, everything wonderful around me.

This is your 1,000th morning. Mamma loves you, little girl!

A wedding for Auntie

Auntie and Andrew are getting married today in Australia! Since we can't be there with them, we decided to have a wedding here in their honor. Tia is their flower girl!

Here is the ceremony getting ready to start.

Here is the groom's side. His guests included Dora & Diego and Kangaroo.

Here is the bride's side. Her guests included the Sesame Street guys and the Suess animals.

Here is Tia walking down the aisle.

Reverend Pizza Elmo officiated.



Later, the guests mingled.

Here is Tia making a toast.

Too many cookies. Naptime.

Congratulations Andrew & Auntie Mariam!! We love you!