Mural #1

This is Isaiah's mural choice. He wanted jets flying together. I still need to outline them in black to finish them off.

Painting

 Painting #1

 Painting #2

Painting #3

Just because I was in a painting mood (and I love to share the love), we decided on a theme and painted dragons together a couple of weekends ago.  These are watercolor on canvas from the craft store, and they will be displayed in the basement play space.  The boys worked really hard on them, and I love how each one is so unique.  Any guesses on who did what?

New House Pics

Here are some pictures of the new house. It's really hard to take pictures of rooms, but they give you an idea.

In other exciting news, Elijah wanted the training wheels off his bike yesterday and when I took them off he got on and rode away like he'd been training-wheelless for weeks. After he returned from school he got back on the bike, got off to eat and then back on until bed. I'll post a little video when I get back to KY. I'm in Denver for a working retreat this weekend. Woo Hoo, but it's COLD here. SNOW last night. Ugh! I'm such a weenie. Where did my Canadian blood go? So anyway, on to the house pics. They represent what unpacked and freshly painted rooms look like- a far cry from the WALLPAPER and white walls that used to exist here.

Remember?

Remember those paint with water books where the paint is already dried to the page in pictures and you just paint with water to reveal a masterpiece? In an effort to potty-train Isaiah (which is failing miserably in case you're wondering) I made him a sticker chart where he earns stickers for every time he goes, and after 6 stickers he gets a prize. The prize today was one of those paint-with-water books that I picked up at the dollar store for $.50 last week. It had Hotwheels pictures, so I figured that even if they thought the "painting" was lame, they'd at least be excited about the cool cars. The Dollar Store wins again! These little pictures where the source of at least 20 minutes of contentment today. We painted half of the book, but they were happy. Elijah painted too, but I don't have pictures of him since he painted later when he got home from school.

And about potty training, yes Isaiah is earning his stickers, but ONLY when I prompt him and overtly bribe him (if you use the potty you can get a sticker and remember what 6 stickers makes???...that's right, a present). He has yet to initiate potty use on his own. I've tried neglecting the reminders, hoping that the stickers will be motivation enough for him to remember to go on his own, but the result has only been pee soaked carpets and couches, and more laundry in one day than I normally do in a week. Suggestions welcomed! :)

Sunday Afternoon Fun

Just thought I'd share our little Sunday afternoon creativity this week. It continues to amaze me how their personalities shine through so vividly when we sit down to create something.

Elijah can't wait to start painting. He requests specific colors, paper, and paintbrushes, but once he gets all of the materials in front of him, he freezes. "Mommy, what should I make?" "Whatever you want buddy. It's your chance to just create something you like."

He decides on a thin red line of paint, looks at it with disappointment, and asks, "Mommy, can I have your paintbrush instead?" Apparently after looking at my painting he thinks that he can be more effective if he uses my brush.

"Sure, we can trade, " I say. He tries again. This time he makes some dots then sits back, again discouraged by the fact that his picture just won't mirror the complexities of his vivid imagination.

After painting contentedly for 5 more minutes or so, he makes up a story about his series of dots and lines and proudly announces that it is finished. I of course enthusiastically affirm his efforts and proudly hang his art on the fridge.

Isaiah comes in next. He prefers to sit on my lap while he paints and chooses a brush and color indiscriminately. Being 2, I think he really just prefers the textures and motions of painting. He loves to squish his chubby fingers into the splotches of paint on his paper, swirling them around. He too ends up with a series of swirls and lines and stays engaged about as long as Elijah did.

Micah joins the painting party last, but when it comes to art, the boy has stamina. Elijah and Isaiah had gone outside to play, so Micah sat alone at the table. I was unable to participate as fully WITH Micah as I did with Elijah and Isaiah since I was starting to make dinner, but he almost seemed to prefer it that way. I'd stop by the table between potato peeling and mixing to affirm his efforts and he barely acknowledged me prefering instead to focus on filling every square millimeter of the top of his page. He painted contentedly for as long as the other two boys combined.

Here is a picture of all three pieces of artwork on our fridge. See if you can guess who made what?