HKG168: The Artiste and Her Gifts

this is a couple of drawings livie left on our bed as a surprise. mine is the butterfly drawing; josh's is the orange card. it's taken me about three years, but i am finally over being the second-rate parent. now, when i hear (or see) livie declare that she loves josh best or most, it makes me smile.

olivia recently turned 5.5. she's been learning to read for a few months now. one of her recent favorite activities is to write us notes and/or draw us pictures, wrap or roll them up, and then leave them on our bed as surprises. it is pretty awesome to walk into our room and find one of these treasures. my collection of these notes and pictures is getting pretty massive. i have been using blue tack to stick them up on our closet doors and/or the bathroom mirror...she creates so many things that we are running out of display room.

other than artistic pursuits, today was another very quiet day. i am still feeling pretty crappy AND we were in lockdown waiting for a repair technician to come and resuscitate thor. thor needed a new motor and drum; he's been fussy and temperamental lately. here's hoping he can now keep up with us. i have to say that trying to get through vacation laundry for the four of us when a typical load is around 6 items AND the washer was acting up....well, it was painful. i think i will probably kiss our 3rd-hand whirlpool washer when we return to texas, and i will probably do a happy dance when i can wash more than 6 items at a time :-)