Art Therapy for Two

As you long time readers know, Lil has always found watercoloring a soothing, relaxing activity.  As time as passed, this hasn't changed.  I'm still buying a couple of boxes of watercolors every few months, and really, it's not an expenditure I mind in the least.  I too find comfort and peace in creating, be it cards, coloring, etc.

 I remember about a year ago critiquing Lil's artistic ability.  I wasn't trying to be mean or ugly, just realistic about where her true gifts lie.  (Honestly, the child has unbelievable mathematical abilities--it's incredible, but I digress.)  I think I may have spoken too soon.  While I don't think she is artistically gifted, I think she does possess a nice bit of talent.  How many five year olds do you know who fill in the sky all around everything and have the sky and ground meet at the horizon?  She did this all without my prompting.  I just came to have a peek over her shoulder and this is what I saw. 

According to Lil, this is "an old timey picture of Thomas.  It's very very very old."  I can see that, sure.  It's black and white like old timey photos, right?

Meanwhile, Miss Bean has started to show some interest in coloring.  I picked up some So Big crayons for her and she went to work.

Those are some lovely scribbles, no?

Alas, she lost interest within three minutes and putting the crayons away became far more fun.

A note about the So Big crayons (also "Jumbo Crayons")--they break VERY easily if dropped.  The crayon itself doesn't break, but the tip breaks off.  It's rather frustrating.  Of course, we've been using these since Han was but a wee Monk, so for about nine years now, and I knew this when purchasing these.  We've only been through one box per girl because they last that long.

And here, we have a public service announcement:  Be sure your pantry door is tightly closed.

(You would think I would have learned this by now...)

Yes, she began with the Cheerios and moved on to the Ritz and Goldfish.  She was stymied by the Goldfish box, though, as she couldn't get it open.  :oP

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Weekend Sparklies:

1.  The cukes from the neighbor:

2.  More tomatoes:

I have to pick them before they are ripe now because the squirrels are very rude and eat them before I can pick them otherwise.  Worst of all, they leave half.  Who leaves half of a ripe tomato?!??  ARGH!

3.  We finally watched HP7.1.  Now, to get some babysitting lined up so we can watch 7.2.  :o)  

4.  B helped me get the house back in order this morning.  Thank you, Sweetie!

5.  Tacos for dinner.  This is going to seem funny--at least, it is to B and me--in the 12 years we've been married, we've NEVER had tacos!  How is that possible?  We've had taco salad and varieties of Mexican food, but never tacos.  Wow. 

6.  Getting stuff out of the garage.  Hooray! 

7.  We're attempting to make our own lime syrup to use in our limeades:

It's not quite there yet, but we've already noted some changes to be made--less sugar, a little less zest.  This is batch one.  If batch two is perfect, I'll post the recipe over on Follow Your Bliss.  

No milestones.