Month: May 2015

Houston – We have a Baby Cardinal!

/ Jodi / 48 Comments

Baby Cardinal Day 1

The wait is over!

Remember I shared with you that we had a Momma Cardinal building a nest and then laying eggs right outside of our bedroom window?

Well – right on time – on Mother’s Day afternoon – the first baby cardinal was born.

You can barely make the little bugger out above, and he/she isn’t quite what you might call “cute” yet, but oh what a thrill!

And I wasn’t home when it happened!

My Mother’s Day started out with a trip to the gym in the morning with my youngest son, Nick.  When we got back home, I was surprised to find my oldest son, Jake and his wife, Colleen in the kitchen with hubby, Marty preparing a beautiful surprise Mother’s Day brunch.  What a sweet way to start the day – eh?  It began with a Mother’s day toast of orange pineapple mimosas, homemade chocolate-covered strawberries, pastries, bacon-wrapped filet Mignon, cheesy potatoes and luscious miniature spinach and brie quiches.  And as if that wasn’t enough, there was fresh flowers, cards, and a bunch of fun watercolor art supplies.  Am I the luckiest or what?!?

After stuffing ourselves and relaxing and visiting a bit, the kids asked if I wanted to go play tennis (which I haven’t done for years!),  so off we went, leaving Marty and Mikey home to enjoy some much deserved and coveted quiet R&R time.  After about two hours of sunshine and tiring, sweaty, but oh so joyous running around the court and hitting the ball to racket a few times, I got a text from Marty with this photo:

baby cardinal just born

We had been watching diligently as this was Day 12 after Momma laid her eggs, so this little baby can’t be more than two hours old here, and likely less.

As the day grew dark, still only one baby and one egg remain, and Momma is keeping them both warm.

Is that the icing on the cake for my Mother’s Day or what?

Happy Monday friends.

Wishing you joy in cherished moments.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

PS – I thought this photo would be a perfect submission for this week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge:  Forces of Nature.  What greater display of nature than this?!  A brand new birth – the most extraordinary force of nature.

A Perfect Mother

/ Jodi / 32 Comments

good mom

Those of us with grown children can look back and know this is true.  But if there is anything I can say to young moms out there struggling to be a “perfect mother,”  I would say:

Cherish the moments.

Many of the days are long, but the years are short.

Even on your worst days, I’ll bet your children still think you are THE Best!

Your children will become what you are, so be what you want them to be.

Be their sunshine when their clouds are gray.

Embrace the gift you are given in your children…

and just LOVE them!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

The Important Places – A Mother’s Day Message to my Sons

/ Jodi / 24 Comments

home mothers day

Growing up,
when people would ask me:
“What do you want to be
when you grow up?”
I would say,
“a Mom, of course.”

So imagine my joy
when my dream came true,
and I was blessed
with the two of you.

There is no greater joy
I could ever compare
to the love and the happiness
you brought to my life.

Now that you are grown,
your lives are your own.
You have things to do
and places to go.

But please remember,
of all the important places
life will take you,
the road to important places
can also lead you home.

My hubby (Marty) recently shared a beautiful video with me (and our boys) that totally struck a chord with me this weekend with Mother’s Day approaching.  If you have 10 minutes and are ready for a few tears of joy and gratitude and contemplation, watch the video here:   https://vimeo.com/126544483.

It inspired me to share this message of gratitude for the honor and joy I have as the mom of my two amazing sons.

Love you guys,
Mom

Happy Draw a Bird Day!

/ Jodi / 39 Comments

First Bird Drawing and Watercolor Downy Woodpecker

Today is the “official” “unofficial” monthly Draw a Bird Day, and with the support and encouragement of my buddy, Laura at Create Art Every Day and inspiration from Jill at Jill’s Art Journal, I was brave enough to draw and watercolor my very first bird.

I used the photo I took the other day of the downy woodpecker hopping on the back deck as my inspiration.  (Don’t laugh  – – – too much!  It is my FIRST!)

I had a bit of a block about doing this, so first I stamped a bird from the StampinUp Love Life Stamp Set and watercolored it.

love life bird watercolor card

Then, still worried about trying to actually draw something that resembles a bird, I decided to do a silly owl drawing and paint it.  And to be even more fun, I added some nut brown Flower Soft to make fuzzy feathers, a couple of googly eyes, and a linen thread bow.

silly owl watercolor

After doing these is when I allowed myself to try drawing a bird.  I have a long way to go, but I made the first step and drew my first bird.

And it was FUN!

Happy Bird Day Friday!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Doggone Dogwoods – A Guest Post with Mikey

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

Mikey head shot

Hi Friends –

It’s good to be back as a guest blogger for Mom today, because I have a doggone bone I’d like to pick with all of you.

Let’s talk about Dogwood Trees.

Yes – they are beautiful…

Especially this time of year when Mom makes us stop for ridiculous amounts of time while she takes pictures like this of their flowers.

dogwood blossom

But really….  DOGwood…  What about this tree even remotely resembles a DOG??!!

Let’s take a look at me….  I am a DOG…

Mikey in the grass

And a fine specimen I might add…  if I do say so myself…

As a dog, I have a tail that wags when I’m happy, a nose that is always slightly damp to sniff out important things, whiskers to add a little charm, fur to keep me warm and for my family and friends to pet.  I have four legs, pads on my feet so I can go for long walks WITHOUT shoes, two eyes to stare people down when they are eating something delicious (which is everything except for raw green beans), two floppy ears that perk up when visitors come to bring me cookies (like Mike the UPS man), one very hungry mouth (I must remind you again)…

Need I go on?  You get the deal – right?

I am a DOG.

dogwood blossoms
DOGwood trees have NONE of these important things?  So I asked Mom to Google it and try to explain this phenomenon to me.

With a couple clicks on that darn laptop that takes up the space that belongs to ME on her lap, she learned a few things I thought you might be interested in about dogwood trees from Askville and Wikipedia:

The word dogwood comes from the original term dagwood, whose slender stems of very hard wood were used for making ‘dags’ (daggers, skewers). The wood was also highly prized for making loom shuttles, arrows, tool handles, and other small items that required a very hard and strong wood, wine and fruit presses, and it was used to make the first styles of tennis rackets made out of the bark cut into thin strips.

The name Dog-Tree entered English vocabulary by 1548 and was further transformed to Dogwood by 1614. Once the name dogwood was affixed to the tree, it soon acquired a secondary name as the Hound’s Tree, while the fruits came to be known as dogberries or houndberries.

Another suggestion as to how the dogwood got its name is the distinct barking noise it makes when its limbs rub together in a gentle breeze.

It is also possible that the common name of dogwood may have come about because dogs were washed with a brew of its bark, hence dogwood.

Hmmmm.  Interesting?  I’m not sure…

Barking???  I’ll be listening for that.

And as far as washing in a brew of it’s bark….  NO THANK YOU!  I am NOT a fan of baths.  I think I smell quite good just the way I am.

Unfortunately Mom disagrees.

And she’s the boss….

Or at least the one who fills my breakfast and dinner bowl and drops food on the floor while cooking and takes me for walks, so we’ll let her think that…

Thanks for visiting with us today.

Wishing you a doggone great day!

Sincerely,
Mikey

May Flowers

/ Jodi / 41 Comments

CYCI 68 Flower Punch Mothers Day Card

There is ONE single joke I can remember to retell, and it is my favorite….

If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?

(ready?!)….

Pilgrims of course!

We have lots to celebrate in May, so I’ll be busy making special cards for a lot of very special people this month, including this  May”flowery” card for a special Mom in my life I fondly refer to as “Mom II.”

Sunday is Mother’s Day – a very special day for those of us who have been blessed with the privilege and honor to be called a “Mom” or “Mum” or “Mother” or “Momma” or “Mommy” or “Mummy” or “Mom II”…

Carole (aka Mom II) is my Dad’s wife.  When I reunited with my (birthfather) Dad five years ago in July, the first thing she said to me after I said “Hello” was, “Your Dad always promised me a daughter.  Now I have one.”  That was followed by a big tight hug from a beautiful, petite woman.  A pretty warm welcome – eh?!

I will never forget that moment.

So this fussy, frilly Mother’s Day card is for Mom II.

The design was inspired by the CanYouCaseIt #68 Sketch Challenge.

CYCI68

And I’m also sharing this card on the Paper Plunge #32 Mother’s Day Theme challenge.

For the card, I used a variety of Stampin Up flower paper punches, Best Day Ever Designer Series Paper, and lots of buttons, pearls, and linen thread.  It was fun to create and flower up!

So Happy Mother’s Day this coming Sunday Mom II!  I hope your day is as special as you!

Cheers & Hugs and Motherly Love,
Jodi

 

 

Leftover Lunch Salad

/ Jodi / 31 Comments

leftover lunch salad

One of the best things about having a job where you can work from home most days, besides being able to roll out of bed and be at your desk in about 17 seconds, not needing to comb your hair or put makeup on, working in yoga pants and t-shirts, having a furry co-worker by your side, getting to take walks at lunch time….

Ok – there are A LOT of things I like about my job and being able to work from home…

But, one really nice benefit is being able to make healthy and easy leftover lunches instead of going out and eating fast food or having to pack a sack!

Like this salad I made the other day – a small piece of leftover grilled Delmonico steak on top of leftover salad.  Voila!  Veggies and protein and nourishment that tastes good and is good for me!

And after yesterday’s DECADENCE of those Fudgy Fresh Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies, I thought it best to show I don’t always eat like that!

QUICK TIPS:

  • Always make more salad than you need for dinner and throw it in a Ziploc bag to keep fresh for a day or two.
  • Don’t add tomatoes to your salad until serving.  Tomatoes completely lose their taste when refrigerated (so never refrigerate them – you don’t – right?!!?!!).  Tomatoes also make leftover salad SOGGY.  Yuk!
  • Make an extra piece or two of your protein – chicken, steak, pork, fish – and throw it in a Ziploc bag too.  It can be sliced on a salad, added to a wrap, thrown on a bun, or even just eaten as is – hot or cold – depending on your work day and stress level.
  • Keep seeds and nuts on hand to toss in and on things.
  • Hard boil some eggs in the beginning of the week, and you always have a quick protein ready.
  • Canned beans area also great additions to salads and wraps.  Open a can of black beans or any kind you like, drain and put in a plastic container in the fridge.  This way you can easily toss on your lunch or pop in your mouth in a jiffy.
  • Keep fresh fruit around so you can grab a handful of berries or snack on a clementine or banana or crunchy apple when your tummy gets to grumbling.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Fudgy Fresh Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies

/ Jodi / 27 Comments

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies

Just when I thought my guys couldn’t like anything better than the Fresh Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies I made recently — – – TWICE! – – – meet Fudgy Fresh Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies!

Get ready to rumble friends!

Not only are these super easy – they are TOO DIE FOR!

My guys were practically fighting over the last one.

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies before baked 1

The kids were all coming over Saturday evening to watch the “big fight” (Mayweather / Pacquioa).  I’ve never watched a fight in my life before Saturday, but I kinda got caught up into the hype as my guys talked about it.  So when Mom and Dad offered to pay the Pay Per View fee, our house was the place to be.  (Any excuse will do for me to have the kiddos here and have a chance to cook and visit with them!)

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies before baked 2

The weather was gorgeous this weekend, and I didn’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, but I certainly had to have some goodies just in case.  I had a box of Ghiradelli Triple Chocolate Brownie mix in the pantry (is there any other kind – chocolate brownies with chocolate chips in them and a packet of chocolate syrup to assure there is enough chocolate?!).  So I thought I would zip it up a bit (as if it isn’t zipped up enough – eh?)

But O.. M.. G….  throw in some fresh raspberries and a handful of white chocolate chips – and we are talking DESSERT HEAVEN!

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies in Pan

And just like when I bake cookies, I always slightly UNDERbake my brownies so they are ooey and gooey and fudgy wonderful!   This is barely a recipe, but I guarantee you will be a ROCK STAR if you make these for your family or take to a gathering.

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies

Fudgy Fresh Red Raspberry Chocolate Chip Brownies

Ingredients:
1 Box Ghiradelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix (or YOUR favorite brownie mix)
1 pint fresh red raspberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
Prepare brownies according to package directions, but after you pour the batter into your pan and before you put them in the oven, press 16 whole ripe fresh red raspberries into the batter and then broken up pieces of the remainder of the berries intermittently throughout the batter.  Sprinkle the white chocolate chips on top.  Bake until just down.

Take these to your next picnic, make for your hubby/wife/partner if you want to buy a new outfit, living room furniture or a new car, or make for your boyfriend/girlfriend if you are waiting for a proposal! 🙂

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Watercolor Whimsy – Week 6

/ Jodi / 28 Comments

whimsical green and purple polka dot birdie watercolor card

This week I went in a little different direction with my watercoloring…

Wanting to loosen up and just create FUN like my artsy bloggin’ buddies, Laura at CreateArtEveryDay and Jill at JillsArtJournal, I poked around on Pinterest and found some super fun work by Lucia at StressieCat.  Such unique, original, crazy, zany, whimsy!  I used Lucia’s inspiration to draw and paint this first crazy green and purple polka-dotted bird.  You should check out her blog – crazy awesome talent!  Mine turned out nothing like hers, but I still kinda like it.

whimsical green and purple polka dot birdie watercolor card birdie doo doo inside birthday

And any card that has a crazy green and purple-polka dotted bird on it naturally needs some green birdie doo doo on the inside!  Right?

whimsical watercolor birdie card

Then I made this other silly guy from a photo I saw that stuck in my head, but I’ve lost the source (since I did it over two days – starting one evening and letting the base dry and polka-dotting the next day).  It was a paper mache bird, but I thought I’d recreate it in watercolor and for a card.  I just tore off a piece of watercolor paper and went to town.

whimsical watercolor birdie card 2

I really had fun making these silly guys, and this green one is already on its way to a friend who is celebrating a birthday this week.  He’s a pretty great guy – so he even gets a Superman stamp!

whimsical green and purple polka dot birdie watercolor card read to mail

Have some fun today – and EVERY day!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Bleeding Heart

/ Jodi / 38 Comments

bleeding heart 2015

My favorite, dear Bleeding Heart,
are you happy or do you mourn?

Your bright color smiles,
but your tears look so forlorn.

You show us the beauty we oft overlook,
and elicit a pause when our own hearts are shook.

(My bleeding heart plant is my favorite of all in my yard.  It has moved with me a couple times as it was a plant given to me by my Grandma.  It is a symbol to me of her very special heart every year when it blooms.  It reminds me of the joy and the sorrow of love.  It demonstrates the intense and powerful artistry of Mother Nature.  I could never create or imagine anything more beautiful.)

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

PS:  I love the intricacy of this flower, and this week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is Intricate.