Art Project

The past couple of weeks I have just kind of been muddling through everyday life.  I have not been super productive or creative with the kids.  I do not consider myself an artist or even creative, but I have realized I am someone who needs art and creativity in my life.  I haven't had my camera out, baked anything new, or had the paints outs with the kids.  With that being said, I have felt myself crumbling a bit.  I need to create on a regular basis, or my soul truly suffers.  So today Sonya, Teddy, and I headed to Hobby Lobby to pick up some art supplies.  As we walked down the aisles we spotted some masks that were perfect for painting.  I wish I could say we read some great book and I am tying this project back to the story, or I am teaching the kids about Mardi Gras, but I can't.  I think I get so worried about making a themed educational project, instead of having fun.  
This was just a fun project to do.

Take a look.

Of course Sonya started with blue paint on her mask.

    Baby T went for the rainbow approach.

Sonya showing me her paintbrush.

I love this picture of Sonya.  

I was focused on the paintbrush, and then I saw her face on the viewing screen.  

I tried to get her to make the same face so I could get it in focus, but no such luck.  

Now I kind of like that it is blurry.  

I think she looks lovely and old fashioned.

I know I am gushing, but she is my girl.

Now this picture of Teddy on the other hand, is well...less than stellar.

Here is the mess, I was left to clean up.

I think this is why I take such long breaks from art projects...

Here are the completed masks.

Baby T wouldn't wear his.

I love these masks, a bit creepy looking, but a super fun random project.  

I hope to be showing a lot more creativity on here.

Monday Manifest on Friday

Things I Plan on doing with the Kids on this Snowy Day

1. do a color hunt
2. blue tape hop scotch
3. paint
4. dance party
5. play restaurant
6. read some books
7. watch a movie
8. take a rest
9. photograph our day

Good Breakfast??

Monday Manifest on Wednesday

Random (superficial) Things I Want My Kids to Remember About Me When They Are Grown

1. That I am always on quest to find the perfect water cup, and I ALWAYS drink out of a straw.
2. That I wear a yellow apron with my initials embroidered in blue on it, to cook in.
3. That I always smell good after a shower.
4. I make really good cookies and bread.
5. I totally care about what they wear.
6. I sleep in the most awful pajamas.
7. That I enjoy making food from scratch.
8. I only paint my nails light pink.
9. I like my food spicy and salty.
10. My wedding rings.

A Family that Sword Fights Together....

A couple of weeks ago Josh and I went on a romantic date to Toys R Us.  We are so lame, that we always just go to Target, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Toys R Us when we have a babysitter on a Saturday night.  Anyway while we were walking the aisles deciding ways to spoil our kids, we spotted some Nerf swords.  We picked up one sword for Sonya and one for Teddy, and then Josh and I decided to get one for each of us.  We figured we could have family sword fights.  That's fun right?  

The kids love the swords, and so do we.  

  We always hold our swords two handed like a Jedi Knight would, and it is a little safer.

I like to pretend I am Beatrix Kiddo, aka The Bride from Kill Bill.  She is possibly my favorite female character from a movie of all time.  One time we were at a meeting for church leadership, and we had to go around the room and say if we could be any movie character who would you be.  One lady said Princess Leia, somebody else said Annette Benning in Open Range.  I proceeded to say The Bride from Kill Bill, and was met with a room full of blank stares.  If you don't know the background of Kill Bill, The Bride basically goes on a killing spree rooted in revenge.  

Isn't that your movie idol?

She just plain kicks ass.  

I was offered some phone numbers of qualified counselors after that statement to help me with any issues I might need to talk about.

Just kidding.

 How do you all have family fun?

Imagination

Sonya's imagination has exploded recently.  Over Christmas Sonya received a karioke machine.  We bought her a few CDs for her to sing along and listen to, one of them being a compilation of Disney Princess songs.  Lets just say this broke the princess dam in our house.  The girl's entire world became "the princesses, the princes, and the star wars characters."  The "princesses, the princes, and star wars characters," in that order, have become Sonya's new best friends.  She talks to them and shows them her outfits.   They sometimes ride in our car, sometimes they ride in their own rainbow car, sometimes if there is not enough room in our car, like the other day, Rapunzel rode on top of our car, and sometimes the Millennium Falcon flies next to our car.  There are times when only certain "friends" come with us places.  Like one day when we went to swimming lessons and Luke came with us because he knows how to do a flip into the pool.  Things did get a little awkward, after swimming when Sonya was taking a shower and Luke joined her.  
I always ask her what all her "friends" are doing because I want to her encourage this imaginative state for as long as possible.        
Here is what a typical afternoon at our house looks like:
Music

A princess puzzle.
  Side note:  Sonya doesn't really get edge pieces, so I taught her to do a  puzzle by looking for the faces first.  This is a great way for her to find specific pieces.  My girl is can work a 100 piece puzzle all by herself, of course I think she is brilliant, but I am her mama.

Always wearing a princess dress.

She pretty much hates the camera.

        Sonya is the type of kid who obsesses about a certain subject for weeks at a time, ie Star Wars, Princesses, Taylor Swift, handwriting, puzzles, trains, etc.  So I have taken the philosophy with her to strike while the iron is hot.  So if I can find cheap puzzles, dress up clothes, whatever it is, I will buy it, talk about it, make it  a big deal.  My hope and prayer for  my kids is them live a life full of passion and inspiration.  I want them to know, I love what they love.  Right now for Sonya it is Star Wars and princesses, later on it could be music or sports, whatever it is I love it.     

Sonya's List

Tonight at dinner Sonya was particularly chatty.  

So I just asked her, 

"Sonya, do you like to talk?"

She replied, 

"Yes."

I then asked her what she like to talk about, and this is her list.

1. Princesses

2. Ice cream, more specifically blue ice cream

3. Mermaids and ponies

4. Mermaids riding ponies

I love her.

Tell Me How....

A little boy can soak himself like this,

during his nap.  

Monday Manifest on Wednesday

What I need to make by Friday

1. Fajitas
2. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
3. Two Loaves of Almost No Knead Bread
4. Two Batches of Chocolate Chip Cookies
5. Pizza Crust