Just about caught up with the 365 pictures 🙂 This should do it, then I’ll be back on track to post every Sunday.
WEEK 3, YEAR 1
Alek’s final paperwork ready to head off for his summer intensive. He attended his first real audition in Febrary and was accepted into a relatively high level of class. Unfortunately another dance opportunity kept him from attending the 6-week program.
14/365
While Whisper attended a birthday party at a local park, Ravynn and I took a short walk around the walking trail. How lovely that we have a little covered bridge in the middle of the park.
16/365
You’ll see a theme. I just adore the wildflowers [weeds?] that grow in central Indiana. They don’t compare to the ones I enjoyed as a child, but some of them are moving our way. I’ll do my best to photograph them as I find them.
17/365
More weeds. These tiny little flowers would be welcome all over my property.
18/365
Cleaning up the art projects the girls brought home from school. Some are just too big to realistically keep, so we photograph then and keep the pictures.
19/365
Walking Man party!! Jordan’s girlfriend created this 10.5′ masterpiece as part of the Waking Man Project. Because it was near dusk, the Anderson Indian didn’t photograph well. One of the goals we have for the summer is to find them all. Watch for photographic evidence.
The Gothling of the Month feature is being moved over to our blog from our website. This will be easier for us to update and easier for you to follow, which is good for all of us.
June 2012
Say Hi to CRIMSON. She was 2 when these pictures were taken, but is getting ready to celebrate a birthday.
Crimson, Gothling of the Month June 2012
Crimson enjoying a fun day out in a local cemetary
Crimson posing with a monster fur purse and her Spider Girl Tshirt
Crimson dancing
If you want to submit your gothing for our monthly feature, email us at gothing@batsmeow.com.
Pictures 7-13 of my 365 day project. I’ll be honest, on a few of these days I was sick sick sick, so the girls helped out with the photo taking. I do adore my little princesses.
WEEK 2, YEAR 1
Sunday was our annual dance recital. Ravynn and Whisper both performed, as did Alek. The picture we chose to represent recital was an impromptu surprise performance that Alek did at the end of one of the younger classes jazz routines. They were dancing to a song from the Grease soundtrack. Here he is as Danny Zucco.
7/365
While I WANT to be a master gardener, I’m not. My parents had incredibly green thumbs, but mine are black. The joke is that if you want to kill a plant, hand it to me; however, last fall one of our neighbors gave us 5 pots of raspberry bushes. We dug up a row of earth behind our shed and planted 15 raspberry plants. I understand we shouldn’t expect fruit for several years, but you can see green berries – they’re trying.
8/365
One of our neighbors is a great garderer – or at least he hires people who are. I snapped this picture while waiting at the bus stop with the girls. I don’t know what these flowers are, but I wouldn’t mind having some.
9/365
Whisper wasn’t really doing homework waiting for the bus, I promise, but she’s a writer. She’s started working on a short project and wanted the moment documented.
10/365
Whisper took this picture on day 1 of me not feeling so great. She saw the roses from across the street at the bus stop and thought they were beautiful.
11/365
Fever of 104.9. I saw nothing but my feet sticking out from under the covers on the sofa.
12/365
I relied on Ravynn to take this photo for me. Again at the bus stop.
I’ve been a delinquent. Actually, I’ve been a sick delinquent. This post was due to be posted yesterday, but I could barely raise my arms, let alone type. Here is is – better late than never.
Earlier this month a package came in the mail. Ravynn and were doing dishes – which is odd enough to make it memorable – and took a time out to unpack the joy nestled inside.
I’d let my pal know that I like natural/good for me foods and she did an incredible job. There was so much, it was difficult to photograph it all, but it includes.
A box of multigrain crackers
Two packets of super tasty instant oatmal
A bag of organic sour worms
A bag of organic jelly beans
Two boxes of seaweed snacks
And a bad of fruit chips
Also, included but not photographed with everything else was a carob peanut butter cup. But we did get a picture before Ravynn and I gobbled it up completely 🙂
Thank you, Christina!!
If you have any interest in participating, go check out The Lean Green Bean.
-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.
I had such a hard time writing that last post that I’ve gotten incredibly behind the schedule that I made to keep myself on track. Here is a valiant attempt to get back on track.
I’ve made a goal to complete the 365 project. Basically the goal is to take one photograph each day for 365 days. I’m having fun so far, but worry, as always, that my life is boring and that no one will care. I started on a Sunday and am supposed to [ahem] post weekly on Sunday, so I present to you photos 1-6 of 365.
WEEK 1 YEAR 1
On Sunday – Mother’s Day Sunday, the final performance of Highland Junior High School’s “Willy Wonka Jr” ran. Alek was the Candy Man. He was a true highlight of the show. His love for performing and his absolutely capturing stage presense really created a remarkable and memorable character.
1/365 – Alek is the Candy Man
Ravynn worked really hard on her “Making a Mummy” interest fair project for Northside Middle School. This is a little peek at the mummies on day 40 – just before they were unearthed to create her display.
One of my favorite co-workers always comments that she would starve in my house because she “doesn’t eat weird food”. I thought of her when I snapped this picture. Purple cauliflower, yellow carrots, and plain old boring broccoli 🙂
When Ravynn completed her Mummy project, she was incredibly proud and felt very special that her dad let her take one of his original paintings to complete her display.
This month for the first time, I participated in the Foodie Pen Pal program. On Thursday, my first package arrived in the mail. It was a very exciting experience for all of us.
Friday was rehearsal for our annual dance recital. I love my little bunheads 🙂
I married an actor. I’ve spent time on stage, but out of no great desire to perform. I mostly stepped in when a friend needed help. My kids have all had stage time in ballet performances. Ravynn and Whipser especially have taken to acting. We’ve been very fortunate with the opportunities they’ve had to be on camera.
Early this spring, I had the unique experience of joining Whisper on a shoot. I’ve been on set with her, but only when were were both working as extras [Beverly Lane, Lightning in a Bottle]. This was my first opportunity, despite her growing resume of roles, to be “stage mom” and to just enjoy the experience of watching her act.
Her first role was as an extra, the Cheerleader Zombie, in the film Beverly Lane from Arsonist Productions. She enjoyed wearing the zombie makeup and especially enjoyed her scene with her dad, Level-Nine Zombie Killer, Rick Ashley. She was patient and upbeat on set and has nothing but praise for the experience. It didn’t hurt that someone referred to her as a movie star. 🙂 It was also really nice to enjoy the experience with most of the rest of the family. Eric played a zombie killer while Whisper, Ravynn, Alek, and I were zombies.
This film definitely infected her with the acting bug. You don’t see her in the trailer, but that’s her dad in the spiked helmet 🙂
During the filming of Beverly Lane, Whisper and Eric were able to work closely with Ms. Kate Chaplin of Karmic Courage Productions who was working on a short film and needed a little girl. On their website, Kate describes the movie as, “A dark comedy about a baby girl born during the STAR WARS boom in 1977 who shares a similar name to a certain Jedi Princess that wasn’t allowed to wear underwear.” Eric was in this film as well. Jordan and Ravynn worked as extras.
You can see her in this trailer [right around 45 seconds, but you should watch the whole thing].
Not long after that project, Eric took on a lead role in the movie Lightning in a Bottle. When they needed some extras for a ghost scene , Whisper and I stepped in. Ravynn plays a maenad and Alek worked as a PA. You can spot Ravynn and Eric in this trailer.
Ravynn had a lot of fun and left us all wishing that we could be maenads – despite their nasty lunchtime preferences.
Not long ago, we were honored to attend the premier of this movie at the Paramount Theatre here in Anderson. I was incredibly impressed with this film. I’ve seen a lot of independant film and this ranks near the top in quality. Treat yourself to a copy of the DVD.
Her most recent project was filming a music video for the artist Thomasina‘s song “Muddle in the Mud”. She played the singer as a young girl. Yes, she’s in prison, but as the director explained to her, it’s a symbolic prison built by expectations society might have on you and how you don’t quite ‘measure up’.
I was amazed by her professional attitude and her ability to be ‘on’ when needed. Off camera, she was sweet and charming and made friends with everyone.
Thank you all for making ‘on screen’ a good experience after the trauma of Wife Swap. I’ll share more of that experience later.
If you know us, have seen our Wife Swap episode, or have seen any of our Facebook pages, you know that dance [and the arts in general] play a huge role in our lives. All of the kids have studied ballet; most of them added tap; the boys studied modern and jazz. Jordan dropped classes when he turned 13, but was happy to rejoin the cast of the Nutcracker this past year as my partner, “Party Dad – Family One.” Alek, though, has really taken an interest and I’m excited about the opportunities that are opening up for him.
At the barre in Pittsburgh, 2011
Last spring, he spent a week in Pittsburgh with Regional Dance America and had a great time. While he’s been fortunate to study with great teachers, his exposure to other dancers [outside of his company] is limited. Pittsburh brought new teachers and classes with other male dancers – something I think he can greatly benefit from.
This year, an opportunity for a week-long trip to Montreal, Canada was presented. Also with RDA, this was a national festival unlike the regional festival in Pittsburgh. He had a lot of new experiences with this trip: rerouted planes, lost luggage, foreign currency and exchange rates, and choices between tours of the city and a men’s class with a well-respected teacher from France. He chose the class; I would have chosen the tour, but my absolute love for Montreal is not undocumented.
Alek during a solo in a Latin piece.
His company performed a lovely modern piece [their fist opportunity to perform before an international audience] during one of the sows. I was lucky enough to sit in while this choreography was adjudicated and was incredibly impressed. I’ve watched several of these kids dance since they were tiny, so watching them grow is a gift in itself.
One of the most fun events of the trip to Montreal was a chance to perform in a huge flash mob. Guinness was on hold to count participants as there is a chance this was in fact the world’s largest.
A video of the flash mob has been posted to the RDA facebook page. Alek is in a red shirt with the girls in the AYBT track suits.
Dance has given us incredible opportunities. It may not be for everyone, but I encourage you to find some artistic endeavor to include in your life – it’ll brighten your day 🙂
“When I first started this blog I had some people raise the question as to whether or not I wanted to identify myself as a gypsy. Apparently there are some negative thoughts wrapped around the word Gypsy. I guess historically there has been some rather ‘sketchy’ activities. Webster defines a gypsy ‘as someone living an unconventional life’. Uh, Yeah, that would be ME. I had some unfortunate financial disasters (due to an accident), and I’ve chosen to embrace this gypsy journey.”
I will admit to having an EXTREMELY romanticized idea of the gypsy culture. A vagabond lifestyle with myth and magic completely intertwined. The character of Willa on FOX-TV’s “The Finder” is doing nothing to create a more realistic picture for me. At the same time I know I could never be a gypsy – I’ve never even been ‘real’ camping 🙂
But Carolyn is the real thing. I’m inspired by her and her journey. Her story is remarkable. You can find her via her blog at Carolyn’s Gypsy Living. I encourage you to read and subscribe.
I was treated to a lovely breakfast – made especially for me by the two wee princesses – as well as a morning of lounging on the sofa and clearing out the DVR. Relaxation… ahh! The afternoon will be a little more active – well, at least we have to leave the house. Alek has a lead role in the HJHS production of Willy Wonka, Jr, so we’re going to head over to watch and embarass him during curtain call.
Several months ago, his English teacher called to get permission for him to audition. Because he hadn’t mentionned anything about it, I worried that he was just flinging excuses her way to get out of it. Stuck on the phone needing to give an answer while he was at school, I couldn’t check with him. Crossing my fingers, I deflected back to him. “If he wants to and is sure he can manage his dance and school schedules, we can make it work.” As it turned out, he wanted to do the show, but didn’t ask because he thought there was no way to fit it all in. So… good mama. I hear he’s an amazing Candy Man. I can’t wait to see the performance.
I could hear whispering and giggling coming from the kitchen as the girls worked together to make eggs, toast, sausage, and tea and solve the problems of the universe [or at least of the little girls in the neighborhood]. Breakfast was served with a vase of flowers and a steamy cup of Earl Gray with bergamot. Cards and homemade pictures = the best!
All of this means I’m doing something right. That’s not always as evident as it is today, but I did have some really great role models. My own mother was just short of an angel and her mother was a saint. I’m sure that’s not entirely true; everyone has their faults, but I don’t have to focus on that if I don’t want to. And I don’t. In addition to Mother and Grandma Rounds, I had lovely aunts, cousins, and sisters who have taught [and continue to teach] me a lot. I am thankful for them daily. Aunt Lois, Aunt Margie, Judie, Bindy, Penny, and Aimee: Thank you.
Like most women who grew up in an age when the television was as much a member of the family as the humans, I learned from mothers who weren’t my own. On my personal FB page and on our fan page, I asked friends to tell me who is their favorite TV mom.
Roseanne was the clear favorite [she makes my list too], with me coming in second [although I insist I don’t count since I’m a REAL person]. Tied for third were Peg Bundy and Claire Huxtable. Michelle Duggar [also a real person, so…], Elise Keaton, Kitty Forman, and Sophia Petrillo also pulled in multiple votes. Everyone else on the list drew a single vote.
Love her relationship with her daughter. Love her style. Love her wit. Not only is she a great mama, she’d be a great bestie too.
Roseanne Connor//Roseanne:
I’m sure she made her kids CRAZY – heck I’m glad she’s not my mom [or my mother-in-law], but as far as doing and saying the right thing she had it. Plus, Dan Connor = best TV husband EVER.
Lynette Scavo//Desperate Housewives: Love that attitude. She’s always got it under control – even when she doubts herself. She’s not afraid to show her vulnerability, but has amazing power to pick herself up.
Claudia Finnerty//Grounded for Life: Surprise after surprise and she’s still going. Those kids are difficult; her husband needs a babysitter. She holds that family together and does it with style and sass.
Cindy Walsh//Beverly Hills 90210: Umm… does this really need an explanation? Perfect. Just perfect.
I see these women as parts of the puzzle designing the the kind of mom I want to be. Someday, I may get there. Probably not. Being a good parent is a work in progress – my expectations keep changing. Because they should.
That question and other similar comments have been incredibly common this past year – at the park, the grocery, at the bank. Ever since our family was featured on ABC’s “Wife Swap,” everyone in town seems to recognize us, which can be very interesting. Most of the time, people are incredibly kind and curious. It’s nothing for us to spend an extra 45 minutes [or more!] in a store we just dropped into for an item or two, talking about the show to a friendly stranger.
One aspect that isn’t nearly as enjoyable is the idea of being KNOWN to strangers. Strangers who often refuse to consider the difference between fiction and reality where reality TV is concerned. “But I saw it on TV,” is a common response. It becomes tiring to explain how not everything was how it appeared. It becomes tiring to explain, “I did say that, but not in the conversation you think.” It’s tiring to explain our parenting choices.
Throughout the month, I’ll walk you through my side of the swap. I’ve asked Eric and the kids to offer up their narratives as well. Friends may guest post.
During the filming of Beverly Lane, Whisper and Eric were able to work closely with Ms. Kate Chaplin of 
Not long after that project, Eric took on a lead role in the movie Lightning in a Bottle. When they needed some extras for a ghost scene , Whisper and I stepped in. Ravynn plays a maenad and Alek worked as a PA. You can spot Ravynn and Eric in this trailer.
She writes,
I was treated to a lovely breakfast – made especially for me by the two wee princesses – as well as a morning of lounging on the sofa and clearing out the DVR. Relaxation… ahh! The afternoon will be a little more active – well, at least we have to leave the house. Alek has a lead role in the HJHS production of 
I could hear whispering and giggling coming from the kitchen as the girls worked together to make eggs, toast, sausage, and tea and solve the problems of the universe [or at least of the little girls in the neighborhood]. Breakfast was served with a vase of flowers and a steamy cup of 