Another Fun Creative Day

After our family retreat to Three Falls Cove, my niece Laurie left her two daughters here in Amarillo for their summer visit. Poor Sara has been asking forever when it was her turn. This was the first time we all felt Sophia was old enough to stay. They both stayed a couple of days with me and a couple of days with Hester. I met Laurie on Thursday so they could go home. I'm not sure about Sara, but Sophia was definitely ready. She did really good for a three year old though. We did lots of fun things including going to the movies to see the Smurfs. One of our favorites is of course going to Brush With Art to paint some ceramics. I had been promising Shailee and Akili they could go sometime this summer so we all went. Hester and I wanted to paint too, but it's kind of pricey so we just let the kids. I had seen a horse figure the last time I was there and immediately thought of Akili. Turns out she didn't want the one I picked out but instead a bust of a horse that was a bank. Sophia picked the same one, Shailee picked out a snail and Sara picked the original horse I thought Akili would want. Go figure!

Once they made their piece selection it was time to get the paint and get started. Here is Sophia and Shailee busy at being creative.

And Akili and Sara concentrating with intensity. They both definitely had a plan.

 All four busy at work, visiting, talking and making memories.

I reminded the girls that they would not be able to take their pieces home that day, but would have to wait for them to be fired. They all took it very well and didn't make a fuss.

I forgot to take pictures of Shailiee's and Akili's before they took them home, but they turned out really cute too.

This is Sara's. She painted it to look like one of her My Little Ponies. She could tell you which one, but I don't remember. She was very specific about what colors she wanted and just where to put them.

Sara cracked me up with the eye. She at first just made it solid blue. I kept asking her, "Don't you want to put a black dot for the pupil?" She repeatedly said, "No." The more I tried to convince her the more determined she was NOT to put one. I gave up. Then she showed me her pony and said, "I put a black dot."

And here is Sophia's bank horse. She did a great job for a small fry. She stuck with it for at least thirty minutes.

I tried to convince her she had more to paint, but she assured me more than once, she was done! It turned out pretty good and I know she will love it and that's all that matters. 

So Sara and Sophia, I've got your horses back from the shop and I will get them to you as soon as I can. I'm so glad you got to come visit. We had a lot of fun.

Now this next week I'm going to spend a day with John and then I think I will officially be finished with "summer kid duty."