Art Camp Gallery (part 4 of 4)

Artist #4.  Side note this is Hudson's first ever art camp experience.  He has been enjoying it thoroughly, coming home looking like a hard working artist with paint all over.

Hudson's Art Work

Day 1

Hudson's Strawberry

I painted this part first on my strawberry [pointing to the red berry] and then Mrs. Belinda did this part [pointing to the black seeds].  And then I did the leaves.  And then I added purple around the strawberry and a little on the strawberry.  And that is all.  My favorite thing is this part [pointing to the berry portion again] and that it has a little orange and purple on the red.

Day 2

Tig

[Special note: Mrs. Belinda told me that the reason Hudson painted a tiger was because on day one Hudson walks into the room and declares, "I can make big tigers and little tigers. I'm good at making tigers. Let's make a tiger."] I painted some orange all on the tiger and then Mrs. Belinda did the stripes black.  I did the nose, eyes, ears and Mrs. Belinda helped me do some of the stripes.  And then I painted the green.  I used a paint brush.  I don't know where this tiger lives.  He is a big tiger and I think he is a little sad.  I like his eyes best; they are friendly.  I love it.

Day 3

A Blowie

I think he is a kite.  I made it by squirting it all over.  That's all.  I only squirted it and let it dry.  You know fishes don't really have noses.  I really like the tail best because it is orange.

Final Day

Big Apples and Apples

I really painted the red first that is on the apple.  I think I painted the leaf next.  I painted it light blue, dark blue...Oh! and under the leaf its green.  I think I did the tem [stem] after the leaf; actually I did the tem second.  And then the leaf fird [third] and just the background last.  And then another part that we didn't do.  It was some more colors and some more red.  I used almost all of Mrs. Belinda's paint colors on the background...red, green, black, dark blue, dark green, light blue, white, pink and dark purple.  Really the light blue turned into the light purple when I was painting.  There are a lot of colors in my picture but what makes it good is the red.  My favorite part is the red.  

I did my first art camp.  I will want to do art camp again next summer.  I don't know what made art camp so much fun probably that little girl.  That little girl was kind of cute and nice.  I think I mostly don't and mostly do like Mrs.  Belinda.  Well right now she [speaking of Mrs. Belinda not the "cute girl"] is a little funny and a little nice and she IS a good artist.  So most of the time I really do like Mrs. Belinda.  And right now Mrs. Belinda is better than that cute girl.  [I have no clue who this girl is because Hudson doesn't know her name.] I should paint more pictures.

Art Camp Gallery (part 3 of 4)

Artist #3.

Caleb's Art Work

Day 1

A Crab

I did the body first, red.  Then I did the six feet all together red.  There are three feet not together red and arms and pinchers red too.  Then I did his forehead black.  Then I did the eyes white and then the black.  Then I did the smiley face black.  I also painted the background dark blue.  His name is Pinchey. My favorite part about this crab picture is the pinchers.  Pinch, pinch, pinch.

Day 2

A Smart Owl

I painted the orange beak first.  And then I did the wings orange.  Then I painted the yellow face and then the forehead brown.  I did the eyes next very, very dark brown and then I did the body.  The color of the body is very, very dark brown too.  Then I painted the dark blue all around him.  This owl has the name Yellow Tweet Tweet.  My favorite part of the owl is his body.

Day 3

Bishy

Bishy is a fish to throw in the air kind of like a kite.  I squirted it with paint all over.  I used red and light orange paint in the squirters.  My favorite part was getting to squirt it.  I had to wait to squirt it.  I did not write my name.  Mrs. Belinda did because she had to write it when the paint was on.

Final Day

Pokey Fish

I painted a canvas.  I painted the body of the fish green and yellow first and I mixed-ed them.  Then I did all around the fish blue for water.  I was done for that day.  Then I came back this day [Thursday] and did the dots.  First I did the black dots and then I did the light blue dots [I personally call it purple].  I did some of the dots like shapes.  To make the dots I dipped the handle of the paintbrush in the paint and dipped it onto the painting. After the dots I did the orange fins and tail.  Next I painted the seaweed.  First I did the line of the seaweed then I came back and put the bumps on it.  After that I painted the fish's eye.  I painted it red first then added the black and then did the white twinkle.  I'm done; I was done.  My favorite part about Pokey Fish is the eye with the red in it.  That was my idea but I did not figure out how to do that twinkle by myself.  Mrs. Belinda figured out how to do that twinkle and that twinkle makes it awesome.

Art camp is fun.  I like painting.  I like Mrs. Belinda.  She sometimes does the colors that I want her to do that makes her special.

Art Camp Gallery (part 2 of 4)

Artist #2.  This is Dean's first year of the "big kid" art camp.  It lasts 2 hours a day instead of one.

Dean's Art Work

Day 1

Blue Face

Blue Face is a painted dog.  First I'm pretty sure I did the eyes.  Then I outlined the dog with a black Sharpie.  Next I painted the blue on the dog.  I used a Sharpie to make his nose.  Then I did the background by painting it all yellow.  After it was yellow I added some pinkish-reddish paint in three spots.  My favorite thing about this painting is that this dog looks like he would be a good friend.

Day 2

Night at Sunset

First I painted the white then I painted the pink making it gradually brighten moving from light pink to dark pink.  Then I painted the dark blue.  Then I painted light blue on the grass then layered light green on top of the blue.  Finally I did the trees.  I painted the tree trunk going back and adding the branches later.  What I like about this painting is that it shows that God made the sky and trees.

Day 3

Clay Pot

First I took brown chalk pastel (I think it is just pastel) and drew the sides.  Then I did the middle white and colored it in the middle.  Then I shaded the sides into the white in the middle.  Next I colored the bottom of the pot white.  Then used the brown from the sides again and shaded that in.  Next I colored the white background above the table.  Finally I used brown and colored the table.  Mrs. Belinda helped make it look round.  What I like about this picture is that it looks like a clay pot.

Final Day

Teeth of the Shark

First I painted the blue ocean on the canvas.  Then I painted the dark blue on the top of the shark.  Next I put some really light blue or white that surrounds his mouth and creates his underbelly.  After that I painted his red tongue and the black on the inside of his mouth.   Then I painted the green island.  The next day I came in and added palm trees to the island.  I wanted to do the sky but it was too late so I did blue clouds in a white sky.  My favorite thing about this canvas is that it reminds me of the beach and it looks cool.

Overall I loved art camp and really loved the free draw time.  Mrs. Belinda is a sweet art teacher.

Art Camp Gallery (part 1 of 4)

This is one of my favorite times of the summer...art camp.  Last week was Anna Grace and Dean's turn.  We are bringing the gallery to you along with interviews from the artists regarding their masterpieces.  So without further ado (in birth order) artist #1.

Anna Grace's Artwork

Day 1

The Begging Dog

First I did the blue.  I painted the outline of his ears, the sides of his face, body and tail leaving a little white at the tip of the tail.  Then I used Sharpie to color to the nose and mouth and then outline it all.  I left a little white spot on his nose then I painted the eyes black with a little yellow under each.  After the yellow I added a little white twinkle in each eye.  Next I painted the background.  I started with yellow then added in a pink color.  It made the background a beautiful orange.  After it dried some we went back and Mrs. Belinda painted a little around the eyes black.  My favorite part about the picture is that begging dogs are cute and this one is just adorable.

Day 2

The Sunset and the Tree

First I painted the very center of the painting white even though it was already white.  Then I painted a very, very light yellow around the white.  Next I added the pail pink around the yellow then pink, and finally purple.  After that I painted the sky dark blue.  Then I painted a very tall tree and a little tree beside it.  Finally I added light blue with some green on top for the ground.  My favorite part about this picture is the sunset.

Day 3

The Flower Vase

This picture is a pastel.  First I colored the whole vase brown.  Second I took white and made a tornado in the middle of the vase.  Then added a line of white on the bottom.  I shaded the line of white into the brown on the bottom and did the same thing in the middle.  At the top of the vase I smeared in the brown.  Next I used my white to color the background then used my brown to color in the bottom.  After that I put in the white around the hole of the vase.  The opening of the vase, I colored brown.  My favorite part of the vase is that in the middle where the white and brown come together it makes the vase look more round.

Final Day

The Bird 

This painting is a canvas.  On Monday I picked the bird.  Tuesday I painted a light blue background.   Wednesday I painted a hot pink, a yellow, an orange and a hot pink-orange flower.  Each flower has an orange center.  I also painted the bird except the wing.  The top is plain yellow, the bottom is hot pink and between is a mix of the two colors.  Next I painted a black, curled tail feather.  It was then time to do the wing.  On the edge of the wing I did the same thing as the tail feather but brown and smaller and traced the wing in the same color brown.   Next I painted the light green inside the wing.  Thursday I began by painting the bird's legs.   Next I painted the light green stems on the flowers.  Then I painted the beak light orange.  After that I painted the eye with the black line under placing a white twinkle in the eye.   Next I used a sponge to paint the green grass.  One side of the sponge was white and the other was green.  I turned the sponge over layering both colors so I could get the best light green color for the grass.  Finally I painted white plaid on the wing.  My favorite part about this picture is the shading on the bird.

My favorite part about art camp is that I pick my picture for the end of the week and get to spend time with my friends.  And Mrs. Belinda is a really smart art teacher.

Life Goals

When Neal and I were still newly married we witnessed a sweet unnamed family member about the age of four (who happens to have a braided hairstyle named after her) loudly announce while pushing her baby doll in a pretend stroller, "I need to feed my man!" We laughed so hard then, horrified her mother when we relayed the story and still laugh at the memory.

Fast forward 10+ years...

Anna Grace and I were at the church this morning for a few minutes and she asked me if helping in the missions office was my job. I told her no not really that taking care of my family was the job God had for me right now. She sat quietly for a minute and then very directly said, "Well, when I grow up I want to have 3 jobs: a regular job - like a chef or something, taking care of my children and kissing my husband!" After a moment of stunned silence I looked at her with a smile and said, "Well, I guess you will be a busy lady!" I looked around the office and never quite figured out how those sweet ladies were containing their laughter.

A Year of Birthdays

2013 was full of change for our family.  I did not take the time to get birthday blogs posted for each child but that does not mean that I did not write them.  So all in one post; Children, for you....

Sweet Hudson,

I cannot imagine what it is like being 2 in our family of constant chaos.  You however are making a name for yourself and will not go unnoticed.  Your deep voice and your facial expressions make us all laugh.  Your excitement for life and joy brought playing with your siblings makes me smile.  May it be said now though that you are quickly learning to work the system.  Your Daddy and I have our work cut out for us.  You are growing so fast and turning into such a little man - 2 going on 5 if you ask me.  One thing that I adore is your love for Boris and your faithfulness to play with him dragging him all over the house.  Yet you know your bounds and put him back in his place on your bed when told.  You are a character and I cannot wait to see all that God has in store for you little man.

May the Lord always be your rock, fortress and deliverer and may he be your lamp that lights the dark places.  This God - his ways are perfect.  We pray that you understand this early in life and that he make your feet like the feet of a deer and set you secure on the heights, train you, strengthen you, give you the shield of salvation and support you that your feet may not slip.  (Psalm 18)

I love you!
3/1/2013

Caleb,

I know you are 4 now but you are still my little love. Your laugh, no its more of a giggle, is infectious. Your smile can fill a room. And the fact that you have to concentrate to say words that begin with s-blends (stuffed often comes out tuffed and squirrel is quirrel) is adorable. You are funny, silly, happy and loving. Watching your face and reaction is always a highlight for me when you encounter new things; you are truly amazed and express a sense of wonderment. You get that from your Daddy and I hope you never lose it. You love to sing and are so full of joy. Caleb, you are such a good big brother to Hudson desiring to teach him and/or do things for him that he cannot do on his own. You are an excellent younger brother to Anna Grace and Dean choosing so often to be the side kick...to be player two, willing to be 2nd to do stuff, always choosing Robin over Batman and the list could go on. You are a helper to me in the kitchen and just about the best at cleaning up at the end of the day. Most often than not you are very agreeable - but when you are not, well just say, you are set on being not. You include others and are concerned for others. That is a special quality God has given you. I have said this before I feel certain but your father and I often discuss how fearless you remain. You go through the day willing to try to conquer anything. It reminds me of Caleb from the Bible - where we got your name.

I pray that you will always rejoice in the Lord, that you will take joy in the God of your salvation and you will find your strength in the Lord even at this early age (Habakkuk 3). And we pray that as of Caleb of Judah you will wholly follow the Lord your God all the days of your life (Joshua 14).

I love you, Sweetie!
5/12/2013

Dean, 

Wow! Six years old. It seems too old to me. You are growing, maturing and learning so fast. You are so smart and a leader. I enjoy watching you love baseball and play with such excitement and joy. I also enjoy watching you figure things out and seeing your mind in action. You have dimples and a smile that melt hearts young and old alike. You are cautious and stubborn. People think I am crazy but you and I both know that your stubbornness gets you into trouble. I pray that those particular qualities will be your ally through life and help guide you away from trouble. I am continually amazed at how you think things through and come to a solid conclusion to solve the problem. In that sense - and many others - you are like your Ottie. You are steadfast and unless caught in a chatty mood thoroughly processed before speaking. You are sweet to accommodate Anna Grace so often. You love your family.   You are in tune with others needs. I have watched you express your love and genuine concern this year especially. I think it is so sweet that you pray daily for Juju as well as Ottie and you realize her need for wisdom and strength that only the Lord can provide. You may be rough and tough but you still hold a tender, compassionate heart. What a special gift from God.

I pray that your salvation will come from and rest in the Lord. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil...stand firm...having fastened on the belt of truth...the breastplate of righteousness...readiness given by the gospel of peace...take up the shield of faith...helmet of salvation...sword of the Spirit..." (Ephesians 6:10-20)

I love you, Big Man!
6/15/2013

Baby Girl,

You are growing so fast leaving behind the look of a baby girl. Eight! Where has all the time gone? All refinements of the baby face are completely gone now leaving behind a thin beautiful girl. You hold a special place around here being the only girl. No matter your age you will always be the little princess to each of us. You are funny and silly and squeally; you are all girl. You are a leader. I am no longer surprised at your ability to get your brothers to transform into your knight, king, prince, guard, jester and so forth. Watching your love for dance deepen this fall after the Snow Queen and as you have experienced tap for the first time has been exciting. In so many ways you seem to be such a natural. Who knows if it will last much longer but we (even your little brothers) have enjoyed watching you perform this past year but especially this fall. Your creativity doesn't end with ballet and tap however; you are extremely creative in art, play and writing. You make up the most creative funny stories in school and games to play. You have remained a very black or white thinker which is odd to me because you are drama. You are frank and have no problems calling someone your "3rd best friend." While I understand your thinking we are going to continue working on that so you will keep these sweet friends for years to come. In so many ways you are my heart. You do things like me (Let's be honest, Daddy never got out of bed to straighten his room so he could sleep soundly.), say things I would say, enjoy much of the same things. It has kept me on my toes and certainly made me examine my words and actions. I am grateful. I am looking forward to teaching you how to sew on your new machine!

May you continue to grow into a woman who fears the Lord who works with willing hands, rises early to care for all who have been placed in your care, decisive, full of God's strength and dignity, merciful, a cheerful giver, not fearful and full of wisdom (Proverbs 31:10-31).

I love you, Baby Girl!
11/29/2013

Hudson's Party

 

 

Caleb's Party

 

 

 

Dean's Party

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anna Grace's Party