Snapshots of Spring Break ~ Creativity

Today is our last day of our Spring Break Stay-cation.  Bummer and Whew ... all in one breath!  It was fun and it was filled.  A most definitely fun-filled week with my kids.  Here's the first installment in this week's series Snapshots of Spring Break.

On Monday of last week, we headed to Hobby Lobby with a cash in my pocket and a list of crafty thoughts.  And spent all the money and made it all!

Before the paint started flying!  Look how clean they are. 

Ashley had several craft projects that she had received on her birthday so she was busy painting her music box and designing her little bling-covered butterflies.  She was so happy glitter glueing and sequining everything in reach.

I had a jewelry box with the dancing ballerina, too!

We painted wooden napkin rings that were personalized for each family member.  We even did a few extras for guests.  That way when you come to visit you don't have to worry about getting one of the nasty cloth napkins from the kids ... the one sealed shut with syrup.

Meticulous stripes.

Look at the smile on that happy crafter!

Aaron even worked on a paint by number - for a few numbers.

We make little clay figures.  And plenty of large clay figures.  After several hours of forming ladybugs, hearts and daggers, we peeled the plastic table cloth off the table and kitchen benches and tossed all the clay crumbs and dusty bits in the trash!  More about those little creations in a later post.

My favorite project was making cement stepping stones with the kids' handprints in each one.  They each added their own unique touches ... and trinkets.

Aaron's ginormous hand ... and an itty-bitty Lego guy.

Norah's handprint with one of her
gymnastic medals nestled inside.

How old is Ashley?  I think she's six. And she added the most bling to her stone.

Lydia's handprint turned out great ... her picture?
 Well ... let's just say that this was the best one.

During this intensely artistic day I confess I had moments of, "Don't touch anything!" and, "Hands up until I get you a paper towel!" and, "Nobody move!"  Please take note of the exclamation points ... they were used appropriately.  At one particular moment during our painting time, Aaron was headed to the sink with a thoroughly coated paint brush.  As he walked along, he kind of twirled the brush like baton.

"Hey, Buddy.  Be careful with that brush.  You don't want to drip paint."

"Okay, Mom."

Sitting at the table, I spotted him out of the corner of my eye rinsing his brush.  And flicking the brush up and down with paint flying up, down and all around.

"Hey, Buddy!  Watch it!"

"What?"

He looked at me with obvious frustration on his face.

"Don't flick it, just let is sit under the running water."

"O-kay-ay."

"Hey." Deep breath, "I just don't want you to have to clean up a mess around the sink."

He then proceeded to walk to the refrigerator and wipe his still-paint-covered paint brush on my green checkered towel.

"Aaaahhhh!  Don't!"

"Uggghhh!  What am I supposed to do?!"

I stared at him in disbelief for just moment before launching into a bit of a mommy-tirade ...

"What do you mean, 'What am I supposed to do?'?! Use. Your. Paper. Towel."

Shining Mommy Moment ... twinkle, twinkle!

He shuffled back to his seat and I felt bad.  There is nothing quite as terrific as getting reamed while you're supposed to be having fun!

Looking back on this moment I am reminded with a grateful heart that this isn't how God operates.  He doesn't zing us when we mess up.  And He doesn't expect us to already know how to do everything.  He gave us His Bible for the purpose of giving us the necessary instructions and directions in life and then He gave us His Son for when we blow it anyways.

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful 

for teaching, rebuking, correcting and 

training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the 

servant of God may be thoroughly 

equipped for every good work. 

(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

This is the same way I want to train up my kids ... with clear instructions and a lot of grace.

This 45 second interaction was a vivid reminder for me that my kids still have a lot to learn and I still have a lot of years to instruct, remind, forgive and re-direct.  And instruct, remind, forgive and re-direct.  And ... instruct, remind, forgive and re-direct.  That is the patient and persevering job of a parent.

And I'm in it for the long-haul.  With God's help.

⁴ Fathers [and Mothers], do not exasperate 

your children; instead, bring them up in the 

training and instruction of the Lord.  

(Ephesians 6:4, addition mine)