A year and a day

http://vimeo.com/84994015

This year has been a whirlwind of pottery, acting, family,soccer, school, family,friends, pottery, camp,

friends, family, acting, pottery,

soccer, acting, school, pottery and acting.

Rohan has had a particularly busy year.

He performed in three plays this year.

The Seagull, by Anton Chekhov

(a light hearted little show. Ha!)

He played Sorin and Medvedenko.

Then he play Tranio in The Taming of the Shrew

and Last but not least, landed 

a part at Flat Rock Playhouse playing

Scut Farkus, bully, for 

A Christmas Story.

This was such a great year for him. 

The challenges of acting keep him

grounded and fill him with determination and

purpose.

Recently he auditioned for his first commercial and

got a spot! The link above is the director's cut of the commercial.

He entered Middle School this year and

is making his way, as we all have.

Max had a wonderful year cultivating friendships, discovering his love of learning,

playing soccer three days a week, swimming, reading, making us laugh, helping his mom,

being patient and gregarious. 

Max is an independent spirit.

He is strong willed, a hard worker, and yet loves to relax and be silly

with his family.

He has developed a passion for board games, which he and his dad play often.

He is competitive and a quick learner.

He is growing up fast.

A leader.

I have made it in my first year as a business!!!

I would not say I am making a living yet,

but I am certainly busy and am constantly 

filling orders.

I am working on new ways to expand the business with less time

at shows. I am guessing Etsy will be my next

focus.

Rohan and I spent a lot of time together on the road in December making

our way to and from Flat Rock Playhouse.

8 shows a week is quite a commitment for a kid (and his parents).

One late night returning home from a show, we were hit by a drunk driver.

He tried to run also. And he did. I was able to get the license plate number

and he was caught, 30 minutes away from the accident.

It was a life changing moment.

We were okay and the car was damaged but not undrivable.

But it left its mark on our hearts and souls.

I share it only because stories can be important. And you never know if a story might

help someone not drive one night, if they will take a cab instead, knowing that this could happen.

But back to Freeman Clayworks...

It has been awesome. My work has shifted and changed so much. 

I am hoping to begin blogging again.

Finding it hard to be in the moment.

Here a few photos of my work:

I miss reading my favorite blogs everyday. 

Life is a wild adventure.

I am so glad to be a part of it.

It's September ya'll!

Time, and how we perceive it depending on the moment,

continues to just befuddle me.

Here it is September.

Max will be 9 next month,

Rohan is now officially a middle schooler.

What happened to those cubby cheeked boys.

Those toddling wonders.

What I would say is that each step of the journey... 

of this parenting thing,

amazes me.

It is beautiful and utterly, and terrifically hard.

Here are this weeks images.

(We play a game called the drawing game. Each person adding onto anothers drawing. I 

am always amazed and surprised by the results.)

So long ago, yet not so long ago.

Time, slow down just a tad, would you?

The fairy is floating on clouds... oh i do love that.

The pig and being chased by a butcher and the fairy is leading him to safety, or her.

Pickles is feeling very lovey dovey this week.

Max gets to choose different ways to study for his spelling tests... writing the words in salt is one of them

So Cool.

Rohan drew this at school and hung it on my wall.

Here we go... hold on tight... It's a New Year!

This year, this beginning of a new school year, seems significant.

It seems powerful and full of possibility.

I suppose it always does. 

This year feels different.

Maybe because Rohan is now a middle schooler.

And Max is in the upper elementary school classes.

6th and 3rd.

They seem so much more mature this year.

So full of responsibility and purpose.

We ended our summer with political rallies, the Taming of the Shrew (put on in two weeks, yes, holy cow), hikes in the woods, time viewing screens and revamping and rethinking and regenerating for this new year. This new school year. 

It always feels new for me too.

Like this is when we should celebrate  New Years. 

Rohan continues to love acting. He continues to push himself and wow's me in the process. 

He is loving Middle School and that right there is

 something to be in awe about. 

Max continues to show me just how mature he is for an almost 9 year old. 

Max is a kid who feels safe with himself... He feels confident.

I love his free spirited attitude and his seriousness about about which he goes forth in the world, on his own. 

As August becomes September, I always stop, and pause and reflect on just how fast it all happens. 

This life thing.

North Carolina is passing laws that are directly affecting the kids.

If we get the kids involved, things will change. Yes, they will.

Dress Tacky Day. I am so proud. :)

Friends and laughter

Rohan/Tranio in the Taming of the Shrew

A special order for a friend heading off to college.

something I try to do everyday.

our beautiful world

Rohan picked this flower for me.

The first day of school. Morning.

The first day of school evening. 

(He did love school, just his way of unwinding, making potato art)

Fooky's first bath by the boys... it went well. And Mom is thrilled they have a new job!

Happy New Year to you All. 

Rohan and Max.... growing like weed. Beautiful Weeds.

A few images of our year so far...

Rohan continues to love acting... performing in The Seagull this past June and Taming of the Shrew in a week. I love to watch him perform. He always surprises me with his talent. Rohan is officially a middle schooler and begins 6th grade in three weeks! Holy Cow.

Max continues to love Soccer, building, helping and inventing. He loves school and is a natural leader.

I admire his determination and fire.

I am making pots and loving it. I am struggling a bit with the business part but slowly but surely it is coming together. I feel so fortunate to have this opportunity to even try my hand at being a potter.

Jay, my other half, makes this possible with his working a soul sucking job. 

I am a lucky lady and wife. 

Here is to summer and all it has provided us. Here is to an approaching fall full of

possibility.

Hope you all have been well.

I miss blogging.

Not sure I will be consistent but I sure do miss it.

encouraging courage

My boys just went on their first walk in the

neighborhood.

(almost a mile from home)

alone.

Okay.. yes, this is a different time,

yes, media makes the world

so much scarier.

Yes.. we did so many things our kids don't do.

We are too scared for them.

The past month the boys have begun walking the dog around our small block.

They each take a turn. 

Each building up their own confidence 

about what feels safe.

About feeling like a part of the community.

Today they went together

(not always a safe option: brothers are not always nice to each other)

and I gave them $5.00.

They are on their very first adventure to a candy/soda/convenience

store.

They get to buy what they want.

They get to experience freedom,

and decision making,

and real life learning.

Yeah, we did this all the time as kids.

Today, though, is their day.

May it be successful.

May they be excited 

and may they come home safe and 

wiser for their experience.

I am excited for them.

I will also be happy when they come barreling in the house,

out of breath and full of their stories.

Life is a beautiful adventure. 

Hold on tight, take a deep breath

and love.

time...

Three or four times a year I get this deep aching sense of time passing.

As I see my kids grow and inch, listen to their wise words,

notice them needing me less.

I want to grab them and wrap them up and duct tape and savour the moment.

Most often I do not do this. I wallow for a moment 

and then move on.

I say promises to myself about how I will spend more quality time,

how we will be more purposeful.

But more often we just move about our day. 

I am not saying I do not cherish them.

The boys.

I just sometimes forget to stay put.

To absorb the hug given

or the plea for my time.

I forget to be present.

Parenting is a 

wild and

awesome

ride.

Live Big

I have not forgotten this blog.

I have not forgotten how awesome it is to have

children.

To be a mom.

Even when it seems insane and

completely out of control,

I would not change any of it.

I have kids who are funny.

They are intense.

They are creative

and whiny

and argumentative,

and huggy 

and gift me with words I do not deserve.

My kids are growing up so quickly.

Breathing and watching and being, in the moment

seems impossible sometimes.

But we all want it.

We seek it.

Rohan now 11, a magical year.. a year that brinks the magic of 

a young child to the beginnings of a man.

5th grade has been good. It has been a year of yes's,

of finding friends who get us, of feeling frustrated and misunderstood, but loved and safe.

Rohan continues to blow my mind with his creativity 

and test me with his swinging emotions. 

All part of the beautiful package.

He will begin working on a play The Seagull by Chekov next month,

The play goes on at NC Stage The last in June.

Max is 8 and strong and determined. He works hard in school, annoys the heck out of brother, continues to like to play soccer and challenge himself with other venues. He still cooks, and like to vacuum, and to emulate his brother while despising him all at the same time. 

This is a year of finding his own way. Of making some small breaks from his attachment to his brother and find his own friends and spaces to figure out who he is. 

Max is a lover. He is also a mini tornado or volcano. 

As we moved now into this new year... we find much to be celebrating.

WE are blessed. 

We have many people we adore and who adore us. That is all we can ask for.

Carpe Diem.

Hoping to make it back here more often. Like once a week. I miss reading blogs and

I miss sharing my own thoughts and ideas....