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Yes, and I used to update it every time I read a book but I stopped years ago. :(

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Trying to clip the toenails of certain bloodhounds has also resulted in minor injuries at our house, and a whole lot of major dramatics! No llamas yet, but our little farmhouse in the country should be habitable soon and along with Alice the pig we were thinking a South American camelid or two might be fun. We are thinking of calling the spread "Barnia" since it has two. :)

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The beer bottle full of butts reminds me that any subject looked upon with careful and loving attention of the artist can be GREAT ART!!! Thanks always for sharing your ruminations, Carson.

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I love the fairy house! And totally get it--the tension between knowing these moments are precious and fleeting with your children and pushing forward to make meaningful work. I think the fairy house will be a beautiful memory, so kudos to you to creating space for that.

That looks like a pretty good bruise! And girl, nobody can see anything on your legs. Thanks for sharing that though. I also have not shaved my legs for years now for the same reason.

I can’t wait to see the 2001 work!

I hope you make beautiful memories with your little ones.

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Omg thanks for sharing I'm so excited for the new book!!

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Jun 23, 2023Liked by Carson Ellis

Love your tonally related illustration! And for what it’s worth, I think you are making memories with your children that will last a life time. Mine have flown the coop, some are near, some far: one even left this planet and is discovering what awaits us after this life. But they all still love camping and the outdoors, and still bring loads of friends to join us on camping trips and some holidays. So fear not, as they grow up they will continue to be amazed by what a wonderful mother you were and are💞

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Ah. That’s nice to hear. I love to imagine my grown kids and their friends camping with us.

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Camping with your grown up kids is the best! We are doing it right now, all crammed into a little yurt on the coast, remembering past trips and creating more memories, collecting beach treasures and building things out of them. I am sorry for your loss, Lisa. You sound like a wonderful mom!

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Thanks Patti, I hope you and your family have a wonderful time camping on the coast.

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Ooooooof, summer break. Planned to the gills so I can work or looser and flowy, by August’s end we’re all freckled and salted and berry-filled. Striking a balance is so hard! I bet in the moments your squirrelling away to work, your kids are making their own worlds too, and that’ll be nice to tell each other about.

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My job gives me the opportunity to cut my hours in half from June to September, so I’m blessed to spend more time with my sixteen year-old before he leaves the nest. I also get half pay during that time, so that part sucks, but I think it’s worth it. He’ll be gone before I know it!

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Love. All of this.

The new book (and the uncertainty of the process) is so wonderful from the outside.

Camping with my 13 yr old (who probably won’t make a fairy house with me but IS having a blast being the 🔥 tender) and trying to get some work done on the WA coast.

🩵🩵

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Thanks Corrina. Hi from the very northwest corner of the OR coast. 👋

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Fellow parent here feeling validated by hearing other parents have all the feelings, too. Enjoy every moment of your summer! ❤️✌️

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Back at you

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Fairy houses! What an awesome idea! I miss my old farm and chickens so thank you for letting me share yours.

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I too have summer parenting guilt. Makes me sad to think of my kids getting older and the stress of keeping them busy gone.

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Much strength to you, Carson, from one idealistic parent to another. School's only been out for two weeks for us, and we're already going nuts. Just when we were hitting the post-spring break stride, it changes again! We can do it, and it will be great for them! 😪☺️👍

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I need to build more fairy houses 😍 Here in Australia we celebrated Winter Solstice this week with a feast and outdoor fire and sparklers and candles and high quality red. We read The Shortest Day and the kids ran around battling the darkness with their sticks of fire. I don’t know how to be a good parent all the time, but occasionally, it feels like we’re doing it, you know? So many deadlines...

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I had a black kitty -- midnight. Why are they so special?

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