.louis picasso at work.

To go along with the other post about my cubism modern artist, here are some photos of the master artist himself at work:

And my little Picasso? Turns out he's color blind. I don't have a lot of details at the moment, but we had a big ro.fam excursion to the eye doctor yesterday. Tommy had been complaining of headaches, Mark always has headaches, it's been 10 years since I've had my eyes checked, so we decided to all get checked together.

The diagnosis?
Mark needs glasses
Tommy needs glasses
Louie is color blind (thanks dad!)
and me? perfect vision. I know. Hate me. But if it makes you hate me less, I still break out at age 33 and my once perfect teeth (thanks to braces) are now slanting.

So that's all pretty big news isn't it? Tommy is pretty excited actually. He had already picked out his glasses in his mind before he even had his eyes checked. I blamed my hypochondriac genes for his thinking he needed glasses. Turns out not all hypochondriacs are wrong in their diagnoses.

With Louie, he couldn't pass the color blind test, but at the same time the doctor said he wouldn't say for sure he was color blind at this age. We'll have him rechecked again before he starts kindergarten. In the meantime, if there were any dreams that Louie would be a pilot, those have been dashed. Then again my colorblind dad somehow made his way into the Navy working with electrical wires. We're lucky his ship didn't blow up.

I'd also like to take this moment to say:

I told you so!

Yes, I did say I thought Louie was colorblind when he was around 2.

Turns out this hypochondriac has some legit diagnoses too sometimes!

And Mark, well, that guys needed his eyes checked for a long time. I hope glasses will tone down some of those headaches.

Stay tuned for pictures of my four-eyed boys soon.

.submerged.

but then Mark said everything was going to be okay. And with this face, who wouldn't believe him?

And you know what? It was. I kicked my hiney into gear and folded all those clothes (yep, those were clean clothes) and when I came home from reading with Tommy's class today that living room was spotless. i mean spotless. so peaceful and inviting. you know i owe that to that guy up there in the photo right?

my office? looks exactly the same.

but i'm looking at mark's picture right now and am reminded once more that everything is going to be okay.

i'm going to purchase wallets of that photo and keep it with me wherever i go.

anyone else want one?

.motobaby rediscovered. | {art show}

Anyone out there remember my little motobaby?

I am happy to report that the 24x36 canvas gallery wrap of this image was accepted into Minnetrista's Annual Juried Artshow.

I consistently miss the deadline for entering every year, and just made the deadline this year (I'm talking same day friends). This being my first competition ... It's safe to say I feel pretty special that motobaby made the cut. I felt even more special walking into the opening reception at the Minnetrista art gallery on Friday night and finding it displayed among so many amazing works of art.

The show is on until May 2, 2010. I'm sure all those fantastic works of art would love to see your face ;o)

| help share the love : fan me on facebook |

a belated valentine | {memories}

Since I can remember, my dad has been buying me heart-shaped Valentine boxes for Valentine's Day. The catch? They're always given a couple days after Valentine's Day. And for some reason this never, ever bothered me. I really think he was on business trips much of the time and just brought them home to me when he got back (plus you know they're on clearance by that point so it's a win/win). Regardless, I hung onto those valentine boxes for many years. (And I admit, I'm one of those who sticks her finger in the middle to see what kind of gooey-ness is inside.) I can remember opening the boxes at random times and still catch a hint of the chocolaty sweetness that was once inside.

And just the other day, my Valentine arrived in the mail. Fashionably late as usual.

{didn't get the photos taken before the chocolate was gone! but an empty box with sugary scents is even sweeter to my memory}

Thanks Dad!

Louis Picasso Kandinsky Dali Rohlfing

What do you think of my little Picasso?

These are the typical drawings from my Lou. So unique. So different from Tommy (shouldn't be a real surprise). But honestly, I think I kept holding out and waiting for the big splashes of color that Tommy used to paint me.

And therefore, poor Louis, does not have any framed art in our home.

Until the other day:

This was the day he learned the word 'doodle' from watching Super Why. Immediately he asked for paper and began to 'doodle' for himself. He spent at least 15 minutes drawing all these intricate designs. The end result? A waterpark for the whole ro.fam to enjoy!

And now I'm on a mission to frame.

I may need more wall space.

Especially since every once in a while I hang something of Meghan's up too ;o)

Here's some recent Louie originals from the last couple months.

Maps are some of Louie's specialties. As you can see he named these Islands too:

Louie drew his sunday school class when he was getting their valentine's ready. He said of the big one with all sincerity, "It looks just like me!"

{doesn't this remind your of The Missing Piece? He's never seen that book, but I should definitely get it!}

{be lucky that these people figures aren't anatomically correct. He's known to do that (often). Last time? This past sunday at sunday school while making an anatomically correct play-doh boy. Apparently has his daddy's gift of anatomy (and i mean that strictly in the medical sense!)}

I see the influence of Kandinsky, Picasso and Dali.

{Kandinsky, Harmonie Tranquille}

{Picasso, Sylvette -- which sold for 6.9 million last year!}

{Dali, Apparatus and Hand}

Maybe I'll have a gallery night for my boys.

Stay tuned ...

.human beings.

This post started out originally as: Yesterday?

But it's taken me all week to write it.

So instead I'll start with: Monday?
Not my finest day in parenting.

Monday night? Just as tiring.

Tuesday? Another day off school. That made for eight days of school off in a row including the weekend.

Wednesday? 2-hour delay and Tommy is off to school! I'm not sure who was more excited, me or him.

and now Thursday? Another 2-hour delay. It's going to be pretty painful the first day I actually have to wake up at 6:30 a.m.

And honestly? Tommy? He's great to have around. He entertains Louie. Maybe that was part of my problem. Maybe not getting out the house was the other part of my problem. I'm not really sure what the root of all my problems are, but I do have a problem.

I'm starting another Anne Lamott book. Grace Eventually. Love me some Anne Lamott. I mean really love me some Anne Lamott (just in case you didn't catch that the first time). This is my third book of hers in a little over a month? I read this yesterday and this might just sum up one of the reasons why I love her so much:

Being human can be so dispiriting. It is a real stretch for me a lot of the time.

You can imagine that since the first three chapters are titled:
ski patrol
wailing wall (i.e. lesson learned from the secret life of bees)
and dance class

... that I'm gonna relate.

But honestly, this isn't a post (entirely) about how dispiriting being human can be at times. I have some bright pockets of sunlight that I'd like to share that shows that God and humor come through in the most dispiriting of times.

First off. Real sunlight. And real sunlight that highlights Louie's Legal-Length Lashes.

{louie making his maps: Italy, California, Alaska, Owen's house, and McDonalds ... all the most important places right?}

And secondly, what Louie does when he's told he can't have any apple juice.

When I saw he had gotten a Capri Sun out, my blood pressure started to rise. When I saw that he had only gotten the Capri Sun out to use the straw for his "apple juice", I couldn't help but laugh ... and take pictures of course.

And another bright spot this week? Community at work. I'd like to take this moment to thank Beth Buehler who is taking my Preschool Drop Out under her wing so he can attend Buehler Preschool. It's a perfect fit. She enjoys Louie. Meghan enjoys Louie. I enjoy Louie after I've had a break from him. Beth likes crafts. Louie likes crafts. I like to hang up crafts all around the house that I had no part in. Now pray I can get him there with all our emotions in one piece.

And now it's time to fly.

In the words of my favorite Scrubs' characters: Eeeeeaaaaggggle!

.my valentine.

Louie has been excited about Valentine's Day for the last 2 weeks.

I'm not really sure why.

I mean it's a nice, lovey holiday and all, but it's not like he gets presents or anything.

But today, when I saw the proud look on his face as he passed out his valentine's to his Sunday School friends, I saw what it was all about.

"Hopey really likes her bubble gum!" he said with a big, shy, yet thoroughly proud smile. And with each friend he gave that same look of joy, excitement and shyness.

He's my big boy.

Does things in his own time and his own way. But he's my big boy.

And a little Valentine from my oldest to you!

Because of 4 snow days in a row and a President's Day vacation on Monday, (which Tommy has now referred to this time as Valentine's Day Break) he won't have his Valentine's Party until Tuesday. He picked this photo of himself. Lost in a sea of other Tommy photos, I'm glad he found this one! I had totally missed it!

{love & hugs}
jayne

.listening.

A couple things I forgot how much I loved:

Sitting in a quiet, almost empty, very comfortable and roomy coffee shop
Reading a good book
Enjoying my new favorite coffee shop drink -- soy hot chocolate
And taking photos of these things.

... oh and all by myself so I could actually hear my heart and my mind speak.

and it was good.

"The sound of the surf, the big washing machine of ocean, sometimes seems to rinse out my brain, or at any rate, it expands me and it slows me down."
Anne Lamott in Traveling Mercies

If only I were actually near the ocean. Until then, Muncie will have to do, and I will continue to hear that big washing machine in my heart.

And besides, if I were at the ocean right now I might not be a part of this big fluffy white snow storm we're having.

I ventured out on the deck to snap these and right into the first couple frames a nice, wet clump of snow fell on Louie, and then it fell on me and my camera.

Personally, I think it was worth it.

But, again, I'm from Michigan.

And check out my poor boys sweet red cheeks. He actually did a faceplant in the snow from the swing and just kept right on playing.

That's my boy!

(p.s. thanks beth for lovin' on louie and giving me the time away ;o)

| help share the love : fan me on facebook |

© j.ro photography | muncie, indiana family and kids lifestyle photographer

.family.

We celebrated Christmas in January with my brother and his family a couple weekends back. Our visits are few and far between, but it's always a blessing when we can get together. I especially love the opportunity to have a little girl in the house. Don't get me wrong, I love my nephew Nick too, but how often do I get to dress up an American Girl doll and draw a princess party on our white board? Gotta say, I loved it! Next time Mackie comes she's going to bring both her American Girl dolls so we can play together ;o)

Before they left on Sunday we had an impromptu photo shoot in my living room. I love these four cousins so much. Their friendship amazes me and the bond they share is so special.

And I'm so lovin' their laughs and giggles!

{I'm pretty much loving everything that's going on in this photo. Especially Nick thumpin on Tommy and the expressions they both have!}

My brother had some art direction with these next two shots. He really wanted this one, and despite all the craziness, I love all their expressions!

And this was the football pose Mike set up, thus Tommy's tough lips!

Tommy on his way to be tackled by Nick J.

And finally tired of me:

Love You Family!