Well, I'm back to painting after quite a hiatus.  I get so easily preoccupied.  Below are two of the latest.  The first is a stargazer lily (from a picture my husband took) - it's oil on canvas and about 2' x 3'.  The second isn't quite finished (I dread backgrounds), but it is an iris (from a picture I took) - it's oil on canvas and is 4' x 4' (crazy big).  I'm really liking both of them, and they were quicker to paint than I usually am.  Perhaps I'm becoming a more seasoned painter?  One can hope. :)

Well, I'm back to painting after quite a hiatus.  I get so easily preoccupied.  Below are two of the latest.  The first is a stargazer lily (from a picture my husband took) - it's oil on canvas and about 2' x 3'.  The second isn't quite finished (I dread backgrounds), but it is an iris (from a picture I took) - it's oil on canvas and is 4' x 4' (crazy big).  I'm really liking both of them, and they were quicker to paint than I usually am.  Perhaps I'm becoming a more seasoned painter?  One can hope. :)

I'm trying to remember to take pictures of paintings before I sell them these days.  It's always awkward to go to the people I've sold the painting to and ask them to take a picture of it.  I also want to keep a portfolio of them in some way, and I guess this place is as good as any for now, so here's some paintings from a ways back that I just haven't cataloged.

I've been busy lately.  All good things, but just busy.  Luckily, Memorial Day gave me some time to finish a painting that's been waiting for my attention a long time.  Enjoy it, along with some other paintings I've forgotten to post:

In August I am walking the 3-day again.  Though it's a lot of fun, it's also difficult.  Raising that much money is hard.  Walking 60 miles and sleeping in a tiny pink tent at night is hard.  Drinking a ton of water and not peeing your pants is hard. :)  


I am really excited to be walking with both my mom and my sister this year, but there is just one problem.  We haven't even begun training yet! Uh oh!  


I know it may seem silly to train for walking, but it really takes a toll on your feet, and if you get shin splints like me, it's not altogether gentle on your legs either.  We train in the shoes we'll be wearing so that we have some semblance of skin left when we're done.  The less prepared and less lucky have feet that resemble ground beef when they are done, and I'd like to stay out of that camp.


As soon as this rainy weather is done, I'll be out there with my brand new, beautiful, fitted tennis.  They are amazing, and cute!  Maybe I'll show you all a picture once I start walking.

In other news, my sweet pea Camryn is a year old today!  It amazes me that time passes so quickly.  Cam is on the cusp of walking and babbles at me when she sees me.  I love it.  She can't really talk, but she's great at imitating the tonal quality of what you're saying.  It's the cutest.

The job I have now is the first I've had where I'm officially managing people.  I was nervous at first (especially about disciplinary issues), but I'm absoluely loving it.  It helps that the students I manage are amazing. 

Lately my current student workers have been helping me interview student workers for next year.  It's nice to have their opinion, and it helps them learn more about what goes on in an interview and helps them learn to be more professional (win-win-win!). 

Yesterday after a few interviews and some good chats with a couple of my current student workers, I left work feeling good, but a little overwhelmed by the work I didn't have time to do because of sitting in interviews.  I came to work this morning a little hesitant to throw myself into a busy day.  I went on Facebook to check how many of my student workers had accepted the year end party invite, and that's when I saw that all of them changed their status last night to Katie L. Sawatsky is Boss! I sat there, staring at my computer with a big, dopy grin for a few minutes. 

What a sweet, amazing group of students!  I can't even imagine finding another group of employees as great as them.

What made you smile today?