Sleepover...

...at Z-Dawg's house tonight:)

For her 11th birthday (can you believe it??) Breanna once again invited a number of friends over for a slumber party. Once again...I was severly outnumbered.

First up was a delicious spaghetti dinner...

Followed by our traditional walk to the park...

Having lived here for 10 years now...we have NEVER walked through these woods...until today!

"Where's Michael?"

"There he is!!!"

Awesome sunset on the way home... Spring may be here afterall :)

A little singing and brownie afterwards...

Wonderful friends she has...and a wonderful young lady Breanna has become :)

The BIG Day

1am...somethings pulls me from my deep slumber...

2am...cats outside wailing away...they must know I have a big test today.

3am...head begins to pound...

4am...off to church for some last minute inspiration...

5am...do I dare cram in a few more equations?

6am...ready for bed now...

7am...kids to school...

8am...wish me luck...I'm going in...

Of Strays and Sprays

My door is open . . . they come.

My stoop is soft and cushy . . . they purr.

My house screams to be painted . . . they paint.

Tide, vinegar . . . I scrub.

Paint, paint . . . I spray.

Over my mantel . . . they shall hang.

We CAN re-build it...

...Picked up my Cooper today...after a mere $11,000 in improvements...

Mr Sinclair, I NEED MORE PAINT!

Truly an honor, hosting this weeks girl scout meeting. The theme was somewhat appropriate for me: drawing and painting. I had originally planned a more "architecture-related" meeting at the office, but upon reviewing the merit badge requirements, I decided to pull the plug and let Breanna and her friend Megan plan the majority of the meeting. (My duties were reduced to rolling up the girls sleeves, refilling paint dishes...and clean-up)



Activities included "brushless painting" (paints), a collaborative mural (markers), and shades of color drawings (colored pencils).




Kudos to them for doing a wonderful job!

Slavic Church...nearing completion...

After school the girls and I visited the construction site of the church that my friend Lyubov and I began designing back in 2006. Up until now her congregation has been renting various churches around town with the hopes of someday having their own place of worship. The two of us volunteered our time to design and draw up plans for them , as well as guide them through the construction process. It really was a case of biting off more than we could chew, but we had plenty of help along the way. With any luck it should be complete by the end of the year.

If you are ever in the neighborhood, it is just north of Superior Street on 14th.

Lessons Learned..

Put it on casters...

Need...more...power...

Overstock carpet will work wonders...

There is no such thing as perpendicular...

Paint it green :)