For the Joy it brings....

Life is flying by faster then I like it.... Every day seems to go by faster then the last. My babies are growing so quickly.... My big guy is already 4 and a half!!! And Baby Girl turned 2 in February!

 I can't believe I'm even saying this but I'm getting the baby itch. My younger sister just gave birth to her second, and as I held him today, I itched EVERYWHERE! Oh man! We have no room in our current home with two little ones already sharing a room.... And moving may not be an option at this time but that itch is not going to go away that easily....

 I sit up at night, wondering where life is going to take us during the next few years. Am I going to get to have another baby before I'm too old? Are we going to be able to afford the home I hope for, dream about? ...  time Am I going to be able to continue working part time so I can keep spending this irreplaceable time with my  children? I'm sure I'm not the only mom sitting up in bed at night with these crazy 'What if's?' running through her head ....

I've made a decision though...For now I'm going to just focus on the joy! The joy the two of them bring me each day. Between all the craziness: the running around, the cramped and MESSY house, the constant fighting ( I didn't realize the fighting would begin this young!) and the long, endless list of to-do's that I usually never seem to get through each week.  I want to stop worrying and enjoy this time in their lives when the first site of spring birds outside her window brings pure joy to my little girl. Or when my little man  is slowly beginning to read and write on his own! When a trip to the playground is like talking them to Disney World  and when the day is coming to an end, there is no place they would rather be then in my lap reading  'Good Night Moon' for the billionth time...... :)  Things will fall into place I'm sure... until then I'll just have to put up with being ITCHY!

Video I wanted to share~

Love the artist James Rizzi- have been wanting to do a project with my elementary students about him for two years now but it has never fallen into place. Found this video at this http://artrageousafternoon.blogspot.com .
Has inspired me to incorporate a lesson about him very soon!!

Check out this link below:

artrageousafternoon: Genius of Love

Try, try and try again....

Like most things in my life, I have failed as a blogger...... No- I'm not trying to be a downer... I'm just coming to terms with the fact that I'm a little bit of a quitter....not afraid to admit it. Maybe its the artist in me- I lose interest in things and move on to new things quickly...? Just an excuse? Probably.....
 My original attempts here were to post pictures of stuff me and my kiddos were doing at home, art with my elementary students and maybe a little of my own art. But I've come to realize that most days, I don't have time to even tie my shoes ( hence why I wear boots in winter and flip flops come April through October ) . So instead, I will continue to LOVE reading others hilarious Mom blogs like http://mylifeandkids.com/- one of my faves... and great art teacher blogs that inspire me daily .. such as http://elementaryartfun.blogspot.com/- a great art teacher/Mommy artist~ 
I'll stop being hard on myself and give in to the fact that I'm probably too lazy to remember to do this daily....weekly....maybe monthly? I'll try..even its if only for me to read!

Rainy Days...

So the past few weeks with Baby Sister home have been, needless to say... an adventure! The ugly winter weather has refused to leave our little spot on the globe so we have been stuck in! As a nursing mommy to a newborn, my Little Guy has watched more movies then I like to admit and looks downright bored with his matchbox cars (who would have thought that could happen.) It’s been challenging finding a new 'balance' here at home with my little ones. And even though everyone tells me I’m being too hard on myself, I can't help but feel guilty! My Little Guy was very accustomed to our daily adventures about town, lots of fun games at home and play dates with friends... it’s been an adjustment for both of us. And I know, I know... things will get better but for now, I still feel bad. As I said in my last post- yeah, I know- weeks ago- my Little Guy lost interest in our daily art projects- boo! But during our rainy day yesterday, in a moment o f desperation not to have to play another game of "monster trucks mash", I convinced him that we could make some 'SpiderMan' and 'Batman' art. I don’t usually like to influence his art. It’s always so much fun to see what he comes up with on his own. But this lapse in art making has caused me to change my perspective- for now~ So here is Little Guys renditions of "Spidaaa-Maaan" and "Battttmannn"! Aren’t they a hoot? Hopefully this is my way of getting him re-interested in our art projects. That would make this Mama happy! There is only so much Diggers and Football one lady can take!

Just what I thought, never seem to find the time! Well- here I go again trying this....
I decided to go a different route and just blog about my art at home- with my little ones being that is where I spend the majority of my chaotic but wonderful days! And yes, that 'ones' was plural.....Baby Sister has arrived! Big Brother is 'almost' ecstatic..... Continuous wet kisses on her face and sneaky squeezes of her head.. hmmmmm?
Back to life at home with a toddler and a newborn... not much time for MY art. But then again, when has there been in the past few years. My little guy has actually begun telling me "NO ART Mama!" This is new because for two years, I have enjoyed exploring all forms of art with my little guy that sometimes made less then artsy friends gasp and my husband nearly faint at the messes.... But now he's sick of it! I think the later months of pregnancy where I was too tired or large to get down and dirty with him had something to do with it.
Oh, how this breaks my heart! So I fake a cry and sometimes it results in 10 minutes of coloring and pasting! Faking out a two year old isn't wrong, is it?
My husband and I both love the arts. The hubby is a self taught musician; guitar, harmonica and a little piano. I had YEARS of piano lessons as a kid and have been a fine artist since as early as I can remember. So naturally, we want our kids to love the arts as well.... But somehow my little guy has become obsessed with ........FOOTBALL! Of all things! Not that this is terrible but the hubby isn't especially huge on sports and lordy knows it didn’t come from this right brainer.
So that’s it in a nutshell. This art-starved Mama needs some release... Hopefully when "Baby Sister" gets situated a bit more, me and the little guy can get back to some mess making!

Hello!

Hi all!

My first BLOG! WHOO!

I'm hoping that this blog will become a source of inspiration to other artists, art teachers, mama and papa's home with their little ones or just anyone who LOVES art and making a mess like we do~ ;)

I'm a stay at home mom 90% of the time but I teach elementary art one day a week and some local Caregiver and Me art classes. As much as I LOVE ( and I mean LOVE) being home with my best little buddy, I still love getting out and being able to teach and use my skills. So I feel I have the best of both worlds and am so very, very grateful to my amazing and hard-working husband who makes this possible for my son and I!



You will see lots of art here- art with my students who range from one year olds to my 'fun' eighth graders! But mostly, you'll probably get an inside glimpse of the fun stuff I make at home with my little man Lucas, who has been painting since he was seven weeks old and is pretty talented if I do say so myself! But of course I may be a little bias.....

Well that's all for now- keep checking in for new 'Happy Accidents!"