Blizzard Art

The DC area is covered with more snow then I have seen in 30 years. The girls can only go out for a few moments at a time, and then they remember how wet and uncomfortable snow can be and flee to the warm safety of the house. We have been inside for close to a week, living on hot chocolate, wine, popcorn, and frozen pizza. At this point, nothing is where it is supposed to be and all TV rules and bedtimes have been discontinued until at least Monday. It is a free for all!

Today, at the height of a Blizzard that closed down Dullas Airport for the first time EVER, I decided to take a tiny bite out of the elephant and straiten the kitchen table. At the bottom of the piles of stickers, crayons, and coloring books that were stationed in what used to be the "family command center", I found the following treasures. Something tells me that my kids are getting by just fine ................................


Ms. Bean's Solar System. Pluto will ALWAYS be a planet to us!



Little Bee tells me that this is a "house with an interesting window". Who doesn't LOVE abstract art?


Only a wonderful optimist could pull this out of their imagination on a cold, dark, snowy evening .................


Little Bee's "fish in the ocean" ...............

and;

A "world of swirls"


..............I wonder what they could pull off during a hurricane!

Overheard ..................

Tom (to little Bee): “So, how was your dinner”
Little Bee: “I didn’t have dinner”
Tom (after a pause): “yes you did. I brought you a Happy Meal. Remember?”
Little Bee: “that wasn’t dinner. That was lunch”
Tom: “No, that was your dinner.”
Little Bee “No, McDonalds is lunch. Dinner is healthy, and tastes bad”.

Happy Earth Day!

Every day is Earth Day, in the world of Ms. Bean!

Little Bee's New Years Resolution

My resolution is to spend more time with my Mom and Dad.

Ms. Beans New Years Resolution

My New Years resolution is to spend more time with the people I love. Im going to go across the world and visit the people that are in my family but I havent seen them in my whole entire life, because they are in different states.

Craft Weekend - 2009

I am really not a craft person.

Sure, over the years I have tried. When I was pregnant with Ms. Bean I even asked my mom to buy me a sewing machine and then spend the baby's future tuition on all the needles and faceplate's required to make quilts, cloth diapers (no really, I'm serious), bibs, and clothes. In the end, I successfully completed catnip toys for Skippy and then gave my mom the sewing machine.

I then spent about 2 years stalking the clearance sections at Michaels an Total Crafts. So, in my house is a ROOM full of foam shapes, tye dye components, beads, photo frame kits, paint, egg dying kids, charcoals, floss, yarn and fabric.

It will all be donated to a women's shelter right after the 1st of the year.

Recently the girls (now 6 and 4.5) have really taken to do-it-yourself projects. Knowing that I was unable to teach them, I looked to Google and in just a couple of minutes managed to find a host of free activities that were remarkably cool, and provided a full day of entertainment.

At 0900 we started out at HomeDepot for their monthly kids workshop. I discovered this program a few months ago while Tom shopped for a grill. It is the first Saturday of the month and the kids make adorable projects in about 20 minutes. Today, we made a wagon (below). Last months project was a Trivet. They give the kids an apron (just like the employees), an achievement pin, and a certificate.


After HomeDepot, we drove directly to Lowes for their Build and Grow Clinic to make a Wooden Ginger Bread House. I wasn't sure if we wanted to go the this because the craft looked lame in the promotional photo, but it was really cute! In addition to the craft, the girls received an apron, a patch with a Ginger Bread Man on it (which will force me to SEW, but I digress), safety goggles and a certificate. Bean (Purple) and Bee (Pink) made the following ................





Michaels was next on our tour. In just a few moments, the kids made a card and a stocking. They were offering the opportunity to make a Trinket box as well, but we were needing to prepare of part 2 of craft day.





Following lunch at Fridays (the kids wanted McDonalds, but Spouse wanted a beer and he was driving) we went to the local Unitarian Church (thanks Jim and Tamara for the invitation) which was having their Craft Workshop. The kids had a wonderful time and for a small donation made these gingerbread houses in addition to cards and ornaments.




So, for under $16 (which includes the paint), the kids walked away from this weekend happy, self confident, and tired. I walked away with a HUGE jump in the holidays. And, my house was not impacted by mess or additional clutter. In some commercials, they call that Priceless.

My return e-mail to Hardtimes Spam

I have NO idea what has happened to your King Street location, but our service last Sunday (and frankly the last several times we have been there) SUCKED! Your staff is clueless. We were there at around noon. There were about three tables filled upstairs and three staff members working. It took us 15 minutes to get water while one of the staff stood at the bar and looked as us (I guess that we weren’t at "her" table). I needed to ask for crayons for the kids 4 times (because we were given placemats to DRAW ON without them). The food was cold and the entire experience unpleasant.

Please take me off your mailing. At this point I have NO interest in your promotional materials.

Ms. Bean has a LOT to be Thankful for ................

The worlds BEST present!

Look at the charming note that greeted me this morning!

"Dear Family - I hope you have a splended Thanksgiving. Love, Sarah"

I truly am blessed! Happy Turkey Day!