Family Art Night

We like to draw together as a family but not in a formal " Ok guys we are going to sit down now and draw together sort of way." After reading this post by Soulemama the other day, I decided we should try it after Sunday dinner. I am soo glad we did.

T and E really enjoyed it. At first, we just started to draw. No rules, just draw. We did that for like 15 minutes. Then we all took turns dictating a theme to draw on. T wanted to go first. He decided we all had to draw squirrels. Oh boy. Topics ranged from your favorite dessert to your favorite activity. They really had a blast.

We will definitely do it again. We posted our finished creation up in the living room and they look at it all the time.

Family Art; the best kind.

Guitar Inspirations.

I don't remember where we found out about this video (go now and watch... we can wait) (Wasn't that cool?) but we were linked to it somehow in the blog world. Anyway, besides it being a cute song, it has been inspirational to E. She is taking guitar lessons, which is so fun to watch her learn. This video showed her the strength and independence a woman has with her music.She really tripped out on how Priscilla Ahn can do three things at once. Oh and the footpetal repeater thingy -- so not the technical term -- was a big hit too.

I feel this responsibility to show her that artistic expression is a sign of strength and not weakness. She is very modest with it all and I want her to know power in personal expression. Of course, this all comes from a personal issues within me, my own insecurities, but whatever. I get to help mold her to be stronger and better than I am.

I didn't know that raising children would be like this... like watching little personalities unfold right in front of you. What a pleasant surprise.

Must Knit This Berry Baby Hat

I must make this. I don't know who for, but damn, that is cute. I made a pumpkin hat for T when he was a brand new baby. I don't even think I got pictures of it.

But that is a cutie.

Cool Little "Clementine" Video

Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

My Kids like to go to You Tube and watch videos. I pick out some and share them with them. Most of the time, I found out about them from ther blogs like this one. We have some favorites. Here is one they like a ton. Nice music, great exposure to different stuff and visually great.

Enjoy.

A taste of Summer in April

Two weeks ago, I got to have a taste of summer. Not in the heat and "what-can-we-do-now-Mom?" part, but the fun parts. My favorite part of summer is what I call Playing Stay Home Mom. Being a teacher allows me to have 10 weeks off with the kids. We settle into this beautiful routine of discovering our adopted home. I love this area and can't seem to get to know it all. I think if we would have stayed in our home state, I don't know that I would have felt the need to get out and do as much as I do here.

This picture is of us at the Smithsonian Darwin exhibit. My mom came and really wanted to see it. We packed up for a day at the museum, as did half of the east coast. We had fun all the same and really kept our spirits up.

knitting for kids

I made this for E for Christmas. It is the Tasha Tutor shawl knit in Cascade 220 Superwash. I Ravel it here. I bought the yarn at the Woolly Bully in Tallahassee, FL this summer. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it at first but then my mother asked me to help her along with the edging and I just knew I had to make it for her.

I worked on it off and on for awhile. I finally finished it on the 17 hour drive down to my parents. I think I like best the way it really is holding up well. The yarn looks great even after it has been dragged across the floor of an elementary school, dragged on and off a bus, and finally down the street to our house. She has used it to carry dolls around the house and to snuggle up on the couch.





This is why we knit these things; to wrap them in our warmth even though we aren't there.

I love that she loves it!

Children

Sometimes... I swear... they grow right in front of you. E came home the other day and she looked like she grew while she was at school. I tried to capture it on camera and it was impossible. Her face just changed. I blinked and the old E was gone.