Painting Party

Over the past few months we have been making trips to help with the renovation of my parent's house.  It has been a long time coming and we have been so happy to help out in any way we can.  During this trip we had a painting party.  Unfortunately, we weren't able to start painting as soon as we planned because the dry wallers weren't quite done with the mudding upstairs.  However, the downstairs was done and just needed a quick sand.  While we waited for final touch ups we played outside and visited with Great Nana Audrey and Papa Leo for a bit.  When we returned, the downstairs was ready so I painted with Meemaw and Papa K, while the kids got to hang out with my cousin {their second cousin}, Alyssa and a few of her friends.  Avery got her nails painted rainbow colors, while Wyatt got to sit and watch his favorite movie - Rio - uninterrupted!  Rowynn got oohed and ahhhed over by the girls.  Avery and Wyatt got to help eventually and had a great time painting Meemaw and Papa's closet and each other.  We had a great time helping get the house ready for Thanksgiving.

 

My little fairy

I couldn't resist adding a pic of Rowynn from our Trunk or Treat.  She was having such a great time and looks like a picturesque fairy - wisps and all! 

Happy Halloween

Halloween was a blast this year.  This year, when asked what they wanted to be for Halloween, Wyatt immediately knew he wanted to be a knight with armor.  It was inevitable that Avery would want to be a princess, and boy we were right!  Avery decided Rowynn would be a fairy.  Morgan paper mached a helmet and we created some great armor from cardboard with hot glue rivets for Wyatt.  I took a dress that mom-in-law had made for a flower girl dress years ago and dyed it to match Avery's personality.  We added a shirt and made a lace crown using starch and spray paint.  Rowynn's outfit was pre-fashioned and I only had to add our Asay flair with some sparkly leggings, a big flower and the cutest little girl to make it all work!  The kids had a blast getting it all on and we opted for a photo shoot with a friend of ours the weekend before.  Her pictures of the kids are below and they turned out great!  It only took the kids the 30 minutes to warm up and by then we were all done with the pictures.  My shy kids {except for Rowynn}!  They sure are sweet though.  We enjoyed a trunk or treat at the church on Halloween night.  They have already started planning for next year.  Among the options are Spiderman, Ladybug Girl {one of Ave's favorite books}, cowgirl and cowboy, Batman, and I'm sure many more ideas to come! 

 

The Beauties of Fall

Pumpkin bread, pumpkin pickin, and a day with our lil' pumpkins playing in the leaves! 

Imagination Station



PVC creations!  This is a great idea for intuitive little boys!



This summer we made our first trip to Imagination Station with our Aunt Michelle and cousins, Ethan, Kierstin, and Kinley.  We explored a fire truck, plane cockpit, trains, dinosaurs, building blocks and much more.  It was a great trip and everyone found something that peaked their interest! 

9 Months, 10 Months......11 Months!

In just a few more weeks our sweet Rowynn will be one year old.  She has brought nothing but joy to our family... full of smiles, curiosity, and such a wonderful personality.  I can't believe it has been a year.  To add to my wonderment, she started walking a week and a half ago.  Go, Rowynn, grow!  There is no stopping her now! 

Miss Pouty Pants

It's amazing how quickly a frown can turn upside down! 

Happy Anniversary!

In June, Morgan and I celebrated our 8 year anniversary.  It definitely does not seem that long ago that we were planning for our future together.  We had no idea the wonderful things that were to come.  Since our marriage in 2004, we have moved once, added three children to our family, Morgan landed a job and I have changed jobs once.  A crazy number to think about - since our marriage there have been 14 nieces and nephews born into our families combined.  I will give props to the Asay's though.  They can claim 12 of them!  We have enjoyed trips either as a couple or a full blown family to Wyoming, California, Florida, and Michigan.  It has been an exciting 8 years and I am so looking forward to this year's adventures!

Morgan surprised me with a trip to one of my favorite restaraunts, The Melting Pot.  I'm not sure which course is my favorite, but I might have to go with the cheese fondue, bread and veggie appetizer.  Delicious!  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  It was a great thing to spend some quality time with my forever companion.  I could not have asked for a more caring husband, loving father, and I can't leave out his cheesy sense of humor which I adore!  He's quite a catch as you can see! 

Ch Ch Ch Changes!

At the end of the 2012 school year I got some exciting news - the middle school just around the corner from our house was going to have an art position open up.  I didn't immediately jump at the chance to start fresh for many reasons. 

1. I started my teaching career at good ol' WMS!
2. I have been teaching there a total of 10 years.
3. I have mighty strong attachments to this wonderful school and its staff.
4. I designed the current logo, which adorns much of the school including the gym floor and main hallway mural that I painted.
5. I have alot of heart vested in WMS and the students there.

Needless to say, the decision to even apply to this new position was a tough one.  In the end, all the practicalites won out and I applied and got the job at KMS.  I don't want my WMS comrades to think I bailed on them, but I also don't want my new KMS colleagues and students to think I am not pumped for this new adventure.  Starting fresh is always invigorating.  I am so excited to meet my new students and get to know them as part of my "family".  I miss the closeness that I had at WMS, but know that it will happen with time and energy at KMS.  Here's to a great new adventure and a new beginning of sorts!  I will always be a Mustang deep down, but promise to embrace the Nugget Pride!  Go Nuggets!

My room is crazy and I love it!  Here is a sneak peak at my new art crib....a work in progress!

Summer Projects - Part II

Since we enjoy our backyard birds, finches in particular, we decided to paint some birdhouses.  An inexpensive project as the birdhouses were only $1/ea and the paints I had on hand from various other craft projects.  I let each of the kids pick their three colors.  Avery found that blue, violet and pink mix really well together and Wyatt found that after a few coats, blue orange and red make brown.  He was so excited that he made brown!  This time I let them do their thing, but we might pull these out again and "print" on them or add a paper mache or clay bird. 

Wyatt started out with a paintbrush for each color, but really got into the
mixing of colors on his brush, palette, and birdhouse.



Avery was very particular about her paints - she had
 a different paint brush for each color.



Avery's Creation

Wyatt's Creation

  

Summer Projects - Part I

This summer I have tried to incorporate some fun art projects into our agenda.  It's kind of expected from an art teacher/mom! 

Our first fun project was milk toast!

Materials:
Milk
Bread
Food coloring
Toaster
Paint brushes or any kitchen tool that would work like a brush

Mix milk and food coloring
Give kids a piece of bread and and a brush and let them go to town.
Once they are done creating their milk masterpiece, toast the bread and let them enjoy a snack! 

Avery and Wyatt absolutely loved painting their food.  They thought it was so tasty too!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Dad - the one who makes us laugh, soothes our cries when mean ol' mommy tells us no, teaches us between right and wrong, snuggles us, has more patience then we will ever know, and loves us unconditionally.  Happy Father's Day Daddy!  Love, Avery, Rowynn, and Wyatt

My Little Ladies

It's not often that  I really "match" my girls, but Avery sure loves to match her sister.  I came across some buried denim dresses in their closets, a couple pink shirts in their dressers and then decided to try my hand at some t-shirt flower bows for their hair.  Guess what happened next?  A photo shoot!!!!  Enjoy my cuties!