snow day(s)

The dead of winter is upon us. School is cancelled today. What do you do on a snow day when it's too cold to go out and play in the snow? And when one child is running a fever and another is teething and crying and another has limitless energy as he recovers from a recent bout with sickness and another just wants to do projects all.day.long.?????? And you haven't been to the store in 9 days?

IHEARTPINTEREST

I found this awesome recipe for making paint on pinterest. The most amazing thing is that I actually have all the ingredients needed to make this paint in my house today. {score!} Amazingly this paint is super easy to make and takes 5 min. max to whip up. And even more amazing yet is the fact that this paint works wonderfully. Nice consistency. Nice texture. Much nicer than the cheap water paints that you can buy at the store.  Just nice all around.

My kids LUUUVE to paint. Happiness factors soar off the chart when I mention anything that has the word paint or brush in it.

I love to see my kids being creative. It's worth the effort it takes on my part. But it is always hard for me to make the initial mental assent to my day being overtaken with paper and glue and paint.

Once I get past that hurtle, I usually have fun myself. In fact, I couldn't keep my hands out of the paint either. I'm not proud of my work as an artist, but I try to paint and create with freedom in hope that my kids will be able to do the same. There will always be great(er) artists, writers, photographers. Always. It is easy for me to allow that fact to paralyze me. I want my children to know a different way. So we do our best together and sometimes we create bad art.

my attempt at painting a tree





Christopher laughed at the last painting I did. 'Mom, trees don't grow IN water!!!'.

Well.

'Son, this tree is growing BY the water, but since I do not know how to paint that, I painted it IN the water'.

After we're done painting today we're planning a daffy supper, thanks to the inspiration of my good friend, Shari.

And after that, when the boys become engrossed in a chess game, Angeline and I are going to make a valentine's wreath from coffee filters.

And after that we're going to try making snow cream. I'm super hungry for ice cream and since we do not have any in the house.....

And after that Dad will say, "BEDTIME!"

And the kids will say, "Already?!?!" (as if bedtime is a totally foreign idea)

And Dad will reply, "Already!!!!!"

And under his breath he'll mutter, "you're mother is totally pooped!"

And now. Do tell me please, what do you do with your kids on snow days???