Kai told me the other day — in a very animated fashion — that he had a dream where he was flying. It’s been a while since I’ve last had a flying dream (hmm, stress much?), but I remember it being magnificent and exhilarating.

When my kids are grown, I hope they will look back at their childhood as one being full of love and happiness. Comments from Kai like this reassure me that I’m dong an okay job!

It’s been a bit of a harried, chasing, bickering kind of day, so I was pretty exasperated to see Elsa the Cat flaunting her talent at lazing about.

Now it’s one thing for BP’s CEO to be off yachting in the British Isles, but it’s another thing for my cat to be enjoying nap number six in my perfectly unmade, rumpled bed while I play peace ambassador and short-order cook because my kids are going through an insane growth spurt. That’s wrong.

On my way out the door last Sunday, I had a last minute idea to cut up a past design of mine into little robot tickets to use as little “prizes” at church. I then got to thinking how circles would be a much nicer shape for the boys’ little hands, thus the robot coin was born!

Click on the image below to download robot coins for yourself.

I spent a good half hour playing with my new Tilt Shift Effect app for the iPhone (thanks for the tip Melissa!). It’s the best time-waster since Kitteh Roulette. Three things are for sure: I love taking pics of my kids, I love my husband’s music, and I love cats.

Have you met Candace yet? If not, you should. She is inspiring, honest, has the neatest tutorials, and designs rad posters. In short, I hope to be like her some day.

This week, she has a wonderful line up of giveaways and guest posts on motherhood. I encourage you to check out her lovely blog, because it is a happy place. And you can read my thoughts on being a mother here.

My favorite part this weekend was touring the Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA. It was hands-down amazing. Amazing! We took a self-guided audio tour (free) and was happy to see lots of other families with young kids and even some childrens’ activities. Afterwards, we visited the California Science Center — also no charge.

We’re very much about no/low-cost cultural activities to do with the kids, so let me know if you have any other places we should hit up. So far, I know that kids get in free to LACMA and the Griffith Observatory. And also that you can get 3 mini cupcakes for five bucks at Vanilla Bake Shop, super important to know!

…is adorable.

Trying to convince to him to get the kerchief.
Adorable-ness would then triple.

Pictures also by Kai.

Newspaper pom-poms made on a rainy day.

And Beach House. Also good for rainy days and/or grumpy days.

A couple of weeks ago, Raya took the most incredible family photos of us. I want to keep the rest of the set under wraps until we gift them to grandparents, but I can’t help posting this outtake. Because it makes me smile.

Dax is dramatically telling us he wants more gumdrops (bribery food) and Ryan is trying to get Kai to stop shooting pretend missiles out of his hand. What tickles me is that we were supposed to be playing with the kids, and trying to make them laugh for the camera.

Over the next few weeks, I am participating in the online Poppy Talk Handmade Market along with dozens of artists, crafters, and designers. Make sure to check it out — it’s a great way to get some Christmas shopping done in one place for one-of-kind items by independent artists.

In other news, I am hurting to do some Christmas crafting but must tackle an amazing load of freelance work right now. A blessing, really, but life suddenly got exponentially busier. Paper chains, advent calendars, and pipe-cleaner garlands, I will get to you I will.

And lastly, Dax ate his very first (vegan) cupcake a couple weeks ago. Poor child of mine. Never knew what he was missing, and it showed when he went for seconds and thirds. He is his mother’s son.

Kai’s mood as of late has been feisty. Just like his artwork. Very feisty. Yet festive.

I kiss his cheeks and smoosh his toes to my face probably ten times a day. It usually ends with him slapping or kicking me in the face.

Isn’t it funny how prep for a craft usually takes much longer than the actual craft itself? Even if Kai prefers to smear paint everywhere and inevitably takes off to play with cars or Star Wars Legos, I still enjoy myself.

In case you try this: 1) Acrylic paint works much better than tempera, and 2) You get a better print if you lightly dab the paint onto the potato using your fingertip instead of dipping it into the paint. Happy printing!

This morning, as Kai was walking — correction, running — around the house, a fridge magnet, that was for some reason on the ground, got stuck to his foot. He exclaimed to me “Mom, I’m made out of metal!” I love his funny observations and his innocent view on how the world works. It’s moments like these that lighten up my otherwise stressful and harried life.

This week in particular has been particularly trying, and if it were made into a movie, I’d title it Damages. Kai’s proficiency in the use of scissors has been evident in the drapes, the living room sofa, and Ryan’s keyboard cover. When asked as to the location of the offending scissors, Kai explained that a magician used his magic wand to make them disappear. Amusing.

Sweet little Dax is our indoor hurricane. Aside from his usual hobby of pulling things out of drawers and knocking down all the books, he broke two of my terra cotta pots (soil, everywhere), and is fond of picking away at the wall paint that Kai had previously punched a hole into with my craft hammer. You may be wondering where am I during all this destruction. Maybe the bathroom. Maybe putting clothes away. But it’s very likely I was at the washing machine, throwing in yet another load of soaked bedding, as bed-wetting has been a recent problem with Kai. Between the destruction, the bickering, the rapid-fire questioning (Kai), the teething and subsequent crying (Dax), I am just beat at the end of the day.

Anyways, I didn’t mean for this to be such a long-winded “woe is me” post. But it feels therapeutic to complain a little bit instead of trying to keep my game-face on all the time. I love my boys dearly and I love that they’re still little enough to cuddle and kiss and are easily tickled. But I look forward to the day I can order them to scrub the shower and wash their own dishes.