A Colorful World, One Room at a Time

I found out yesterday that painting a world filled with charisma and color begins one room at a time. That's right. The Bielicki family is coloring the world, starting with our family room. 

We sampled some peach and pink.



And some blue too. We almost went with the one on the right.

The final cut: TURQUOISE - YAY!
A very special thanks to the best paint crew ever!



 

 

Walls of White

(A true story)

by Jenni Bielicki

There once was a house

Filled with boredom and gloom,

Void of all pigmentation,

Walls of white filled each room.

 

There was no creativity.

No wonderment there.

Just plain old white nothing

Through the house everywhere.

 

But then on a fine

Sunny day in July

the mother rose up,

Grabbed a brush, waved GOODBYE

 

To the walls of vast void,

Lacking brightness and joy,

as she handed a brush

to her girls and her boy.

 

They splished and they splashed

and they all gave high fives.

The color began

to spill into their lives.

 

When the last spot of white

Disappeared, out of sight,

the room filled with hope,

Great ideas and delight.

 

So they no longer live

in a house filled with gloom

Because Mother says

Everyone’s painting their room!

 





Polish, Purpose and Pride

 Yesterday I pulled out the ugly, corroded silver dishware from my china hutch: a plate and large serving tray from my husband’s mother and a gravy boat and saucer from my mother.  Horribly tarnished and gray, they weren’t much to look at. And although I’ve always known that there is something more, deep underneath the tarnished layer of nasty, sadly, I’ve never used any of them.

Of course, it’s understandable that we haven’t used the silver from my mother-in-law. It was passed down to my husband only a few months ago when his mother died. But the gravy boat, on the other hand, the one that’s been in my family for four generations, the one that was passed down to me by my mother ten years ago when she died, should have had more attention by now. I’ve never used it. Ever. It’s just sat there on a shelf in the hutch.

 

As I pulled out these prized, yet dull and stained dishes, I reached for the silver polish too.  I mean, they deserve it, especially this year. The dishes deserve to be more than just a tarnished thing of the past. I sat on my back deck, clouds overhead. I reached for a rag, scooped up some polish and began to work on one piece at a time, one corner at a time, and one detail at a time. I paid special attention to the areas that had been neglected for so long. Little by little, I could see what began to reveal itself as my reflection. And as the sun began to break through the clouds, my reflection became clearer and the brilliance of something special began to show itself. It shined with a clarity that I hadn’t imagined. It was beautiful. The kind of Beautiful that has purpose and pride.

 

So as the New Year’s season comes upon us and the thought of revisions and revival arise, I’m reminded that those stories from the past that look ugly and tarnished, may very well need some extra polish and scrubbing, especially in those areas of fine detail. And who knows, perhaps something stunning will emerge with purpose and pride, just as the fine silver dishes will tonight as they present the most sparkly Christmas Eve dinner ever.

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and happy revising to you all.

 

 

*Cheers*

Endless Days

Endless Days

An original poem by Jenni Bielicki

~

Endless ocean. Endless sky.

Endless hopes and dreams to try.

Endless laughing. Endless play.

Endless footprints left today.

Endless future. Endless care.

Endless me to shine and share.

Endless friendships. Endless trust.

Endless days float by like dust.

~

I sit on the seashore watching them play, wishing I could get back to those days. Those childhood days, when our hopes and dreams are but a reality before us. When our footprints are left without fear of what perfection we might trample along the way. When our future is endless. When we share our love freely and trust without end. When our days float by, wherever the mighty wind of time shall bring us.

I sit on the seashore watching them play and I realize, those days are not so far gone for me. The child in me won't let them be.

Spring Break Recap and Some GREAT NEWS!

Well, as you can see by my last blog post, I've NOT been blogging. So, what have I been doing???

In addition to all my PTO Secretary, Room Parent, School Raffle Organizer, New Girl Scout Daisy Troop Leader, Mom, Wife, and Schnoodle Owner duties... Let's see...

Of course, Spring Break was amazing. After spending some lovely time with some friends in Chandler, Arizona, we enjoyed an excursion on the Grand Canyon Railways with our kids.There was snow on the trail and it was C-O-L-D, but it was beautiful and lots of fun!

Here's my husband and two older kiddos on the trail...

Okay, so here's a zoom shot...

We all admired this super-cool squirrel from afar. As you can tell, he loves living on the edge of excitement, just like me.

Now, on to the GREAT NEWS! Warning: I'm taking the scenic route to get to the best stuff...
This past weekend I was privileged to attended the SCBWI-LA Writer's Day. I really don't know where to start! First of all, I had the pleasure of meeting one of my talented critique partners from the PICTURE THIS critique group, Sherry Dargert. We hadn't met in person yet, so we decided to carpool up together.
We heard about "How to Wow an Editor" from HarperCollins Editor, Rachel Abrams. She said to find your voice, write effective dialog, develop your characters and she discussed plotting, pacing and style.
Next, my rhyming hero and friend, Lisa Wheeler, shared her tidbits on Rhyme with Reason with the group. Right about that time I was pretty much in a daze. At the break, I added four of her books to my library, including Castaway Cats, and managed to walk away with this lovely picture. THANK YOU LISA!!!
I also met Nancy Sanders, author of D is for Drinking Gourd, one of my favorite picture books! She spoke to the published authors at the break out session, so I didn't get to glean from her speech (this year, that is... just you wait).
Now, on to the SUPER-DUPER-GREAT NEWS!

As if seeing lots of friends, making new friends, and learning from other brilliant and hilarious speakers (including Rachel Abrams, an editor at HarperCollins Children's Books, Herman Agency's, Jill Corcoran; middle grade author, Kathleen O'Dell; and YA author, Libba Bray), something even more exciting happened.

Just before we were dismissed, the contest winners were announced and my very own manuscript, Starry Kalahari, WON the non-fiction category! My friend, Rita Crayon Huang, posted a photo of my win on her blog here. All I can say is that my head is still spinning from it all and I'm floating on a cloud. Now I have something awesome to reference on my BIO for my query and cover letters - woooo hooooo!!!

Some Serious Cuteness!

Well, we've finally given in to some serious cuteness!!!

My 9-year-old daughter has been sweetly asking to buy her own hampter for the past few months. She's saved her money (over $50 in allowance) and wants to buy it for herself for Christmas. Now, the cute grammy says she wants to buy it for her for Christmas.

Now we're outnumbered, 3 against 2 (when you count this precious little thing...)

How can we resist so much cuteness? Grammy wins! This little guy is coming home tonight. Now, how will I hide her until Christmas Eve Dinner?

Pieces of Our Heart

Today I found broken pieces of memories. Although they weren’t my memories, it hurt to see them broken, just the same. My mother collected shot glasses for years, like the years of her life that were collected, one by one. They were precious to her. Whenever she went somewhere special, she would grab a memory off the shelf and add it to her batch or memories on the wall. Many days would pass, even months as they sat in that place, unnoticed and overlooked. But when a glace would bring attention to these memories, she would let them flood her mind; Dallas, Atlanta, Arizona, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite... Those memories, her memories, were left in my care. And today, those memories were shattered.

I dug through the clutter in my garage, clearing out trash and making sense of the rest. I grabbed a box and as I saw my mother’s memories in a pile, shattered like the years of her life, my heart shattered too. I froze and wondered, “Had they all broken? Had her memories been lost forever?” Then I took a breath and in a moment I saw. A few scattered memories were saved in the impact...

The Meteor Crater – Yes, I remember our trip; laughing, walking, sharing life. Knott’s Berry Farm – Right, that was when I was 8 months pregnant; loving, admiring, asking everything. New Orleans – Of course, I remember her sharing pictures; friends, growing, learning new things.

Memories lost and memories saved. Love lost and love forever embedded in my heart. What a beautiful opportunity to remember. What an amazing moment to realize how important it is to cherish our memories, and those of the people we love. Likewise, I realize how rare and precious those memories are. Especially the ones that never shatter; the ones that never leave us; the ones we call pieces of our heart.

(photo by Afton at www.flickr.com)

Oh, To Be Four Again...

Well, my daughter was dressed to the nines in her golden princess gown tonight, dancing around our livingroom to classic piano... What a beautiful sight! I was so envious. So, since I couldn't dress in my own princess gown and join her, I wrote this poem instead... Enjoy!

Oh, To Be Four Again

by

Jenni Bielicki

Oh, to be four again, just for one night.
What an amazing, engaging delight!

Dancing around in my beautiful gown
and glittery, shimmery, beautiful crown.

Oh, to be four again, just for one night.
Wouldn’t it be such an excellent sight!

Curtsey, then laugh, to the pink prince giraffe
and the elegant elephant holding a staph.

Oh, to be four again, just for one night.
Wouldn’t it feel like the whole world was right!

Playing piano concertos for all
that make me feel ten feet, no twenty feet tall.

Oh, to be four again, just for one night.
Just for one night... Oh, just for one night!

Francina: A Mother's Day Tribute

Francina Lee McLendon Tucker

On September 15, 1970, a very special woman, Francina Lee McLendon, became a mother. From the moment she laid eyes on her new bundle of joy, love was redefined. That day, she held me for the first time and started her journey of motherhood.

Through the trials, lessons, and mistakes, she learned that no bond was like that of a mother and her child. As an only child, I soaked up her affection and devotion day by day. She focused on teaching me to feel and express love, to have compassion and understanding for those around me, and to stand with strength for what I believe in with an unwavering independence. In fact, she was a fine example in each of those lessons.

As the days and years go by, I’m often reminded of her wisdom and simplistic way of looking at things. I remember calling her one day, early on in my journey of motherhood. I was overwhelmed with the simple task of cleaning my messy house. She told me to blot out the thought of “the house” and focus on just one room at a time. In fact, she said to focus on one corner and move around until the room was done. That was a lesson I’ve carried into many areas of my life. I do my best not to worry about the lot and stay focused on one task at a time. Of course, I’m still working on fine tuning that skill.

Francina’s journey as a mother became illuminated in a whole new light when her “baby had a baby,” as she would say. Grand-motherhood seemed to come natural to her. She did all the things that Noni’s should do; give the grandbabies candy and cookies when mom wasn’t looking; cuddle and read stories together; have spend-the-nights; and of course, the very important “fussing” over birthdays and Christmas.

Family time was important to her. I remember a conversation we had in the hospital a few days before we lost her to cancer. I thanked her for all those times she had the kids over so that Brian and I were able to spend time together alone. She simply explained how important it was to her that my marriage was nurtured. And of course, time with her grandkids was more special to her than words can say.

I’m honoring my mother this Mother’s Day with what she would want me to do most... I’m spending time with my precious family. After this post, I’ll change clothes and we’ll go on a family bike ride. Then we’ll eat together and laugh together. As I wake in the morning, I’ll sip my coffee and eat my much anticipated breakfast in bed. I’ll relax and contemplate the meaning of motherhood and remember what Mother’s Day is all about for me...

It’s about honoring my mother by loving my kids openly, passionately, and simplistically, the way she did so well... the way every mother should.

A Guaranteed Return on Your Investment

Over the past year, we’ve all learned that financial investments are never guaranteed. In fact, if we want a huge return, we have to take huge risk. This is the name of the game in the financial world. Of course, these rules do not apply with investments into our children.

In contrast to financial investments, we parents have the opportunity and privilege to make a no risk investment in our children and get a guaranteed overwhelming return. We may not always see the benefits immediately, but they are constantly accumulating. The more we invest in our children, the more return we, and ultimately they, will receive in the end.

Take bedtime reading, for example. This investment takes five to ten minutes per night and will guarantee that your child will have a higher interest in books as he grows up. You can start reading to your child as early as the day he’s born. When I started reading to my son, he was only a couple of months old. He loved to hear my voice and at the same time, unconsciously learned that books were great. Now, he picks up just about every book he sees and reads it. He reads all the time, every day.

Another example of a guaranteed return is with volunteering at your child’s school. For those parents who are blessed enough to be at home during school hours, one hour per week in your child’s classroom is guaranteed to do wonders. It’s been proven that children who have parents involved in their academics from a young age have more security, encouragement and confidence in school learning and relationships. By volunteering in my daughter’s classroom every week, I not only get the privilege of knowing what is going on in class, she enjoys it immensely. My second grader is proud to show her work to me every time I walk into her room. She feels special knowing that all the students know her nice mommy, Mrs. Bielicki. She gets the added benefit that mommy ALWAYS checks to see how she’s doing on her homework and passing her spelling tests. This makes instant rewards possible as I smile and hug her saying, “I’m really proud of you, Sweetie!” The look on her face is return enough, but the benefits of investing in her school days is guaranteed to return benefits beyond my imagination.

One of my favorite examples is showing the children how I invest in others, outside our core family. On a regular basis, they see me taking Grammy to a doctor visit or helping her with her bills or whatever she needs around the house. Not only do these times prove to be a great opportunity to spend time with Grammy, they see what a blessing it is to Mommy to offer her help. Showing my children examples of love and compassion is an investment that will not only mold who they are today, but ultimately they will be more inclined to help others as they grow up. This is one investment I am hoping will come back around when I’m old and need help with driving or doing my bills.

There is no investment more rewarding than what we put into our children. Whether it’s time, affection, assistance with homework, reading at night, or just the good old fashion family time at the dinner table, it’s all worth every minute. The dividends are consistent and sure, whether we see them or not. THAT is guaranteed!

Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden... THINK AGAIN!

Friday’s spring sky was a clear blue. A slight breeze blew the 65 degree air across the green, through the trees and out over the lakes. Our foursome was assigned to start at the twelfth hole on the eighteen-hole course. In a charity golf tournament, each team is assigned a hole where they begin their game. Teams then cycle through the course, ending on whatever hole was before the one they started on.

I took my place for my first ever tee off. Brian offered a couple more tips: feet apart; arm straight; keep your eye on the ball... I swung! The ball rolled a few feet away as I gasped, then giggled and shook my head. Ironically, it felt amazing! I had just earned my amateur title of Golfer. After several swings and misses, I quickly absorbed my flash lessons from the most handsome man on the course.

On one hand, Brian was a great teacher. On the other hand, he was a horrible golf cart driver. At one point, we were inches from the lake while he was looking for a ball. He stood his ground claiming, “Don't worry. These carts are made for this.” I trusted the cart but I struggled with trusting Brian only three inches from the water that threatened my beautifully new yellow and navy golfing outfit.

Since we began on the twelfth hole, we systematically planned to take a quick lunch break when we reached the first hole near the entrance. The cheeseburgers were hot off the barbecue grill, cheese melting down the sides and all. We enjoyed a quick visit with our guests and promptly jumped back into the game. We were now in front of a foursome team of teachers who inevitably won the honorary title of Lowest Golf Score, which earned them the appropriate prize of golf lessons. Lucky girls!

My favorite hole was number seven. The flag was behind a lake with head-on traffic behind a row of trees on the right and a beautiful sliver of lovely green grass on the left. We stood elevated, looking down at three steep slopes dropping down towards the hole behind the water. Knowing that my swing did not have enough power to get my ball over the lake, I set my sights on the small patch of green to the left. I aimed. I tilted my club slightly to the left. I swung two practice swings to make sure my grip and distance were aligned properly. I watched the ball, paying close attention to all I had learned over the past few hours from the greatest teacher on earth. I swung! The ball sailed flawlessly to the exact spot on the green that I aimed for. This was a moment of victory!!! In fact, after everyone on our team had completed their drives, mine was the best. This was a moment I’ll never forget! Beginners luck? I think not.

All in all, the day was delightful. I finally learned why the game of golf was so loved by so many. Other than my seventh-hole success story, my favorite moments were spent holding hands with my darling husband in the golf cart on an amazing spring day in sunny OC, California. What more could I ask for? Oh yeah. I want to go again this weekend, OK?

Surprise After Sunset

Our family encountered a stunning surprise this past Sunday. The five of us went on a nature walk in the Bolsa Chica Wetlands the other day, just before sunset. We enjoyed time together and I took some pictures of the kids with the beautiful Pacific Ocean sunset as the backdrop. We were amazed at the clarity and admired how well we could see Catalina Island. The island's main strip was so visible it looked as thought we could bound over the ocean and land on the island's shore. My husband and I stood with the kids and enjoyed the breathtaking view of the entire island framed by our personal California sunset.

As the sunset wrapped up it’s finale, we began our walk home. That was when we noticed the mountains to the east, directly in front of us. They appeared to have a slight halo as a strange glow hovered over them. This glow began to settle behind the mountain and we realized that the light was not a reflection of the sunset. The faint orange light slowly transformed into a brightly burning fiery blaze. The children cried out, “It’s fire!” We agreed that it must be a fire that was now creeping towards us over the mountain.

Soon the fire began to spread so quickly that it instantaneously arched over the top of the mountain with a bright yellow core and a hovering deep red silhouette. We watched intently as the inferno began to rise hundred's of feet into the air. Our excitement elevated as our concern deepened. At one heart stopping moment, the fire began to explode into a ball which lifted gently and slowly into the air. We were astonishment as we noticed our fire was floating and now hovering above the distant mountain. In that moment, we realized we had just witnessed our first magnificent moonrise.

Reading With My Children

Isn't it amazing how a little encouragement and support about reading can be offered to a child and it can change them forever? This phenomenon is in the process of sweeping through my house as we speak.

A little background...
I home schooled my son and eldest daughter for their first two years of school. My #3 soon began walking and the home school lessons soon began dragging. Needless to say, my children got way behind on their reading and writing progress. They were finally enrolled into public school about two years ago, but have struggled with reading and writing. My son caught the reading bug soon after his enrollment, but my daughter has struggled with discouragement and feelings of inferiority as she constantly compares herself to her classmates' reading levels.

On with the story...
About a month ago I purchased the children's classic novel, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, for my 10 year old son. Since the books were on sale marked '3 for $20', I purchased three. My son got hooked on the storyline immediately. I was so inspired by his inspiration that I returned to the book store several times over a six week period and stocked his bookshelf with a total of twelve children's classic novels (so far).

While picking up the books, I remembered that my daughter's teacher recommended The Secret Garden so that was definitely added to our new library. We began reading a chapter a night together. I didn't just read the words. Just as any

good reader knows, you must give each character a different voice and in this case, some get an accent. Over the past month or so, as we spent family time reading, snuggling, and anticipating together I exemplified how fun and exciting reading can be. I noticed that my daughter was extremely attentive during reading time and had amazing comprehension of details. I was pleased to notice that she showed improvement in her descriptive writing at school. When we were a few chapters into the book, my daughter who had previously been intimidated and overwhelmed a the thought of reading any chapter book on her own, independently picked up a Magic Tree House book and read three chapters... in about an hour. I was so impressed with her achievement. She finished the book in less than a week and started another book adventure from the same series the same day. In addition to her excitement, her self confidence about reading has increased. It's as if she only needed that little nudge to help get her over that reading speed bump.

I do my best to live by the rule "teach by example" with hopes that good behavior will rub off. I was elated and amazed when I saw how quickly my children picked up on good reading behavior with simple bedtime story reading. As I took their story time to another level (from picture books to classics), they took their desire and hunger to another level. They have encouraged me beyond words. I've recently found myself inhaling as many written words as I can breath in each day. The written word is certainly contagious in my house and is notably powerful beyond our comprehension.