I know I am painting a lot when I actually stop and think, "Wow, I wish I had time to clean this place, it's really a mess!" Cause THAT statement hardly ever comes out of my mouth, much less is a thought floating in my head. When Best Boyfriend Ever and I got together and it began to get 'serious,' I told him I needed to let him know a powerful truth about me. I said very, very seriously and with a tone that let him know I was speaking the truth in the same tone that the first jerk you ever dated told you that he was an a-hole and he would probably treat you like dirt but you just giggled and thought 'How cute is HE!?' and you realized later that was no joke, that was the god's honest truth and oh how you wished you would have listened tone, said: "I would rather paint than do laundry. I would rather paint than do dishes. I would rather paint than decorate my house. I would rather paint that clean the toilet or scrub the tub. I would rather paint than make the bed. I would rather paint than vacuum. And painting will ALWAYS win out over housework." I am not Martha Stewart nor do I or aim to be like her although I would love a house where she came in once a week, but if he wanted Martha he better keep on moving. Luckily for me he believed me and loves me anyway. That, plus I promised all this painting was to ensure that one day I could afford to pay someone to be Martha for me. And I am going to make her bake me really cute, adorable cupcakes at least once a week too.

My living room looks like a design studio and painting studio blew up. But now, with kid stuff everywhere too. I have a laptop on one end of the table for my part-time job that i am doing from home this week while I have my kids. My personal computer is at the other end. It looks like a dueling piano bar that gets all crazy and loud and you are laughing and singing with your friends and after that last Billy Joel song and third dirty martini, you think, "Ya know, I really CAN sing!! Screw what my friends say!" Or maybe, yeah, maybe I am just a bit tired.

I am waiting on client emails, so even though I should be outlining that beagle painting I am waiting for the effects of coffee to kick in. The kids (3 of 'em, Soph had a sleep over last night) are still asleep and I am grateful for them staying up late last night because it means I can get most of my computer work done before they wake up. It is slightly overcast and I feel like a terrible parent because I am doing a little raindance inside hoping it pours all day because I don't really have time to go to the pool. But if it does not rain I will do what I did yesterday at 2pm. Lug a bunch of stuff downstairs to the pool and paint in the crazy humid weather. I was up until 2pm last night, but painting seemed to go in slow motion. I got a lot done, but it was slow goings. I finally gave up and went to bed. I woke up at the crack of 9am and turned on the computer for work and stumbled to the coffeepot. Oh, sacred coffeepot how I love you. Love you so much I would marry you. I would. And I am not that into marriage anymore. But I would marry coffee. In a stunning beachside sunset ceremony with just a few of our closest loved ones. Um, yeah. Ok, maybe I could use a nap later.

I have over half of my paintings for the book done. I need to go deliver them later today for copy shots. Then I need to begin the other half. Tonite I need to finish a 22x28 commission to be delivered at 11am tomorrow. I have to finish the big 5 ft x 5 ft commission by July 1. I need to finish the rest of the paintings for the book by July 1 as well. Oh, and that big old website design job that came in needs some design comps by July 5th. It sounds like a lot, cause it is. A whole, whole lot, that WILL get done in time. Cause, did I tell you? I am marrying coffee. Look for the invites in your mailbox.