What a busy weekend!  We have really come to enjoy our Saturdays, Rowan and I.  Andy goes off to the shop, and if I don't have any work commitments, we stay in our jams as long as we can, puttering about and enjoying the down time.  But this weekend, Rowan spent both days with friends (fun but exhausting ~ she played her first video games and quite enjoyed meeting the Mario Brothers!) while Andy and I did the first half of our 27 hours of PRIDE training towards adoption through the public system.

So this morning, we played hooky.  Rowan was due to be at school, and so was I.  For some bizarre reason, I had volunteered to help with lice checking of the whole student body (thankfully a small school of 170) with a few other volunteers.  What was I thinking?! The mere mention of lice sets me itching. So we both bailed, and had a relaxing day at home with a mid-day cross country ski outing (brrr!).
This afternoon, Rowan asked to make 'big art'.  And since I stocked up on rolls of paper after Christmas, we were all set!  Rowan chose pastels to work with and we decided to repeat a favourite activity ~ the Thanful ABCs (an idea gleaned, among many others, from Amanda Blake Soule's wonderful 'The Creative Family').For this one, we just write out the alphabet (we share the task) and then proceed to write and draw about all the things for which we are thankful: Archie, bees, Daddy, houses and hats, Auntie Jenn, Puppy, quilts, wellies and zebras, among other things!  Sometimes the letters become part of the illustration (as in the rubber boot wearing 'w') or suggest the picture (M for mom, yes, that is *just* how I look over there by the M!).  It is such a simple way to enter into art and great discussion about gratitude, too!Go make something!♥