03/24/08

This is grape hyacinth. It is actually pretty tiny so this is using my 90mm. I took this at Mom and Dad's yesterday. It was a bit comical the way I had to get down close to some of the stuff. You can click on this to see it larger. I love these when they pop up in the spring. Mom has always had them pop up somewhere in their yard since I can remember.

Today was a good one and much was accomplished... just not what I had intended. lol It was nice not to get up at 5:00 and to get to putter around the house without HAVING to go somewhere or DO something.

We continued to work on our "trash treasure" projects for school. I knew last night would be too much to get out all of the paints so I decided we'd start on them first thing this morning. Wesley was so cute as he was trying to tell me ideas he wanted for his tractor. I was actually in my element and had a lot of fun with helping them.

Remember you can click on any of the pictures to see them better and larger! I had to post them small to fit them all in the post.







Mikayla's was not as "intense" because Steve did a lot of hers last night with the wire hangers and tissue paper. I felt like I didn't take as much time with her, but her butterfly just didn't require the cutting and painting like Wesley's tractor. She was pleased, so that is all that matters. She worked on painting her paper towel roll that turned into the head, thorax, abdomen of her butterfuly. After that dried she painted a face on it. She also painted her "designs" on the wings. I let her do whatever she wanted because I knew she wanted her own thing. Her painting turned out really pretty, I thought. We had to go up to my Mom's and get a couple of pipe cleaners. I thought I had some but found I didn't!! I then let her twist the pipe cleaners around a pencil to get them curly at the end. She helped me press down the "head" with antennae in there and hold it while the hot glue dried in place.

It took us a few hours to get Wesley's painted, dried and assembled with the hot glue gun. It wasn't hard work, I just needed to sit with him and help him understand HOW to paint neatly (lol) and how to cut a circle without it turning into a square typed shape. I had to cut out the wheels and a few other things because they were made out of the thick cardboard and it would be too hard for him. I did help Wesley paint the tissue box because the paint was not wanting to absorb at first. We had to keep painting over it till it dried and the other paint had something to hold onto. I also did "touch up" painting. My motto is: "Be the labor, great or small, do it well or not at all... and you know you've got to do it, so do it right!" I heard that all of my growing up years by my dad and I teach it to my students and to the kiddos. I know it was just a "trash" project, but I still desired for it to look great.

I realize I have a ton more views on Wesley's tractor, but that can't be helped. There were so many "parts" that he wanted to put on it and a few that Steve or I suggested and the views are all around. Mikayla's was more one-sided. These additions are all Wesley's thoughts, though. I had thought of another way to do the tractor but he wanted it done this way. It is a good thing I think like him because our first tissue box was "destroyed" by Steve's "thoughts" on it. lol I knew what he wanted but wanted to give Steve an opportunity to work with him, too. I was so glad when Wesley said he had another empty tissue box. lol I am so visual, so that helps. I know that is how Wesley learns as well so we could picture it together. It came out even better than I imagined... and Wesley was SO stinking tickled.

You can see in the many pictures what Wesley thought of in the details. He wanted a place to show the engine so we used another thin piece of cardboard, painted it and then he drew the "engine" onto it. The John Deere signs came from one of his John Deere tractor boxes he recently got. We cut them out before we threw it away. Then, he wanted the headlights. He had to cut out lots of circles to get them to look like CIRCLES before we glued them. (I had to help with all gluing because I used the hot glue gun.) The back of it shows the sign that is on the back of all tractors... the orange and yellow one. (Is it a caution sign!??) I just can't think of the name of it right now!! Steve also suggested the red "back lights." Wesley came up with the smoke stack and steering wheel idea. I hadn't a clue as to how to do the steering wheel before he suggested it. We used toothpicks and he cut out a black piece of cardboard for the steering wheel itself.

I told Mikayla we could hang up her butterfly from her ceiling when we get it back from school. I think that would be precious for her to have always. Wesley's tractor WILL be a keepsake. I don't plan on doing this for every project we have, but it goes with his room theme and we worked quite hard on it! lol

Last night we did watch "The Passion of the Christ" and it was beyond words... I can't believe it has taken me 4 years to watch it. I must admit that it was overwhelming at times. I just wanted them to STOP beating Christ! But, then, I thought about how He took all of that for ME. There are just no words for me to describe what that did to me last night. I was humbled, yet again, at the sacrifice that was made. Tears flowed freely and I began to visually realize how my troubles here on earth PALE in comparison to what He went through those hours. I have NO right to complain. I pray the Lord will continue to teach me to be a humble servant and one that continues to accept things as they come. I am quite strong willed so I know the Lord isn't finished with me yet, but I am thankful for how He has allowed me to grow in Him.

I didn't get any scrapbooking done today... I had planned on this being my "power scrapbook" day but figured the weather was cold today so it would be good for the kids to finish their projects. Tomorrow I will plan on scrapbooking. I think I will journal on my already finished pages tonight, though, so that will help me feel a bit more caught up.

I actually cooked supper tonight. I hope you didn't pass out when you read that. In fact, I need to go check on it now!! I think since it is cold tonight I'll also fix some coffee for Steve and I after the kids go to bed. There won't be many more fires and coffee nights till fall. I know the air will be changing soon. (I just heard on the weather that it is supposed to be in the 80's by the weekend!)

Have a blessed evening. Enjoy a moment to make a memory....