Sweet Memory

I have been cleaning out my over 6,000 photos in iphoto.

"We’re made of where we’ve been, of who we’ve loved."

I love everything about this photo of my grandmother and Wilder. 
Wilder sleeping, her grin, the pillow/lawn chair combo. Her garage.  
We were having a garage sale at her house. 

Art Camp

Last week was my first art camp. I used my classroom. Most of the girls I had in class but got to know a few new ones too! It was a learning year. At times the week felt long but looking back at all that was created it was totally worth it! We tried a variety of differrent projects and materials. Next year I would like to have some classes with specific themes and maybe do some large projects that would span the whole week...thinking! I had a group of 9 girls that were very enthusiastic and hard working! Here are a few pics from the week.

Back row: Sarah, Baylee, Lauren, Sophie, Faith, Madison
Front row: Allie, Emily, Ella

On Monday we worked with clay. We made two pinch pots and stacked them to make vases. 

Emily and Ella making slip for our clay. 

After a focused morning with clay we let loose and got messy with glue and attached yarn and tissue paper to balloons to make hanging decorations. Some worked some didn't! The goal is to pop the balloon and have the remaining form. 

Because I had all girls at art camp Tuesday was jewelry craft day! One of the several things we did was modge podge unfinished wooden beads. (center bead). I just loved this bracelet made by Faith!

Getting out of the classroom for some sunlight! Girls are getting their boards ready for our corn syrup painting!

Corn syrup and food coloring! I love it! So easy, cheap, and looks like glass or tile when dry. Girls had fun tasting all their colors. 

Emily focused on taping up her tree for watercolor. 

Friday was probably the most exciting day. We made a Dale Chihuly style hanging sculpture with plastic bottles.  The girls worked so hard first washing and painting tons of bottles, then cutting, then hanging! It was exciting to watch the process and see how each girl became engaged.  

I just love how the girls kept mixing paint to make new colors of bottles. 

Bottles were arranged by color to make sure we had an equal number of each color. 

Hard at work cutting. Only a few minor injuries, right Lauren? I told the girls they could cut the bottles into spirals but it was their discovery/idea to cut them into flowers. 

Poor scissors. As if they weren't dull enough already.

In progress.

Madison and Sophie worked SO hard cutting bottles up to the very end.

The finished piece turned out way better than I even imagined. I didn't know if the girls would really embrace the idea. They definitely exceeded my expectations! Thank you girls! I hope you had a great week and will continue to pursue your creative passion. 

Aren't they cute? These are the tie dye shirts they made on Wednesday. They turned out so pretty. I can't wait to do tie dye again!

She really does talk

"The greatest poem...

 is an inventory."

A quote I read in One Thousand Gifts. 

Gratefulness

Thank you for today Lord. It was beautiful in every way.
9 years ago today we were married now look what we have.

"You have to be careful when you got good love because those angels will just keep on multiplyin'"
-Jack Johnson

Seeing

My two year old painted the perfect analogy for my attitude yesterday vs today. I let Addy paint today. She was so focused. She was more interested in dipping her brush into the dirty paint water than the paint which made for a muddy drippy painting. After I brought it into the house I was taking it off the easel and accidentally turned her painting upside down. How beautiful! These two photos are her painting turned upside down. You can see how the paint dripped because of all the water she put on it. I love the cloud like figure at the top that is all marbleized from all the colors running together.

So about my attitude. Yesterday I was my worst enemy. I was sinking deep in a muddy puddle of doubt and negativity. Only focusing on what was lacking. Today I decided to stay in a positive frame of mind.  To try to see as God would have me see. It was like I flipped a switch...turned my thinking upside down. Today was beautiful in every way. I was able to see past the messes, the work to be done, the imperfections that are all tied up into this awesome house. What a gift to be able to spend today doing nothing but playing with these beautiful babies God has given me. (One that included Gwyn's best friend Darci, see below).

 Stories, sun, breezes, shade, colors, laughter, hugs, kisses

...rest. 

...seriously. I couldn't be more happy you're here. 

Best Friends

Can you guess what they're looking for? 

This is so beautiful...

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/05/the-habit-of-a-mother-who-changes-the-world/

Happy Birthday Addy Jane

Addy has graciously agreed to stay 2 forever. 

Book

I have started reading 1000 Gifts, A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, by Anne Voskamp

My first thought is how does someone write so poetic, so unordinary? Simply beautiful. I understand why people have read the book more than once, it's impossible to absorb all of it's truth in just one time. The dare is to name 1000 gifts with the goal of growing a heart of gratitude towards God, therefore becoming more aware of his involvement in every detail of our lives. To gain fullness and joy!

I feel like I have always had an appreciation for little things but I want to go deeper. I want to see more. I would like share highlights of my list here, for the joy of sharing, and with those who are also reading the book.

I am currently on the chapter 4 about time. She says nothing good comes from being in a hurry. Bad, ugly things come out of my mouth when I'm in a hurry. I would love to never be in a hurry. How in the world to I do that? I laugh as Blake moves in slow motion getting cereal out of the panty as I quote "Haste makes waste"

Sometimes all of the things in my life can feel like burdens. I know this not true by any stretch of the imagination. When exhaustion sets in I lose my ability to "see" as I should. I long for more consistency in my ability to feel fullness and joy.

Ok, here goes.
1. Fresh cut roses from my back yard displayed in my single serving wine bottles!
2. Sisters becoming friends.
3. Addys crooked teeth. I mean really crooked.

997 more to go. The true question, how many times can I list coffee and chocolate on the list?

April Blessings