Artwork on a Saturday Morning

This morning, we got up early so that Scott could take me to retrieve my car. (Long story short, the rear brakes and a front tie rod went bad on the way home from work Thursday...thankfully I made it home but it was no fun making that drive in the rain!) After we picked up the car, Scott left for work and Angelica asked to "Go Target, see Angelica TV!" (You know the security TV on the way into Target? Yeah. She LOVES it.)

So we're really just there hanging out. We didn't need anything. I just wanted to hang out with my little girl, so we walked around and looked at things. She played with the Zippity demo toy (can't wait until she's old enough for the real thing, it'll be super fun!) and then over to books, where she saw a Ni Hao Kai-Lan book with watercolor paints. She says, "Ooh, paints Mommy!" and then proceeds to tell me all of the colors.

I ask her if she wants paints and her eyes light up and she says, "Yeah! Want paints!" So we head over to the arts and crafts aisle and pick up some Crayola Kids Paints, some brushes, and some paper. I also have to add...the paints, paper, and brushes only cost $9 and I think it may have been the best kid purchase I've made in awhile, maybe next to the Tag Jr.

This was the result:

It was so much fun. I put on some Laurie Berkner Band on my iPod (Angelica's favorite!) and she painted. And told me all of the colors. And made a mess of the table, her bib, and herself. Thank goodness for washable paint!

And now I have two pieces of homemade art that I actually got to see her make. Not that I don't love the artwork she brings home from school, but it's so cool to see her make something in person.

Sidewalk Chalk

[caption id="attachment_65" align="aligncenter" width="512" caption="It says, "Save the Earth! It is the only planet with ME!""][/caption]

I live in an apartment complex, and there is no shortage of families with young children living here. The other day I saw a group of them hovered around a staircase, drawing hopscotch on the sidewalk. Playing hopscotch is one of my favorite childhood memories, so I'm glad that in today's world of virtual, digitized, synthesized everything, kids are still going outside and playing a rousing game of hopscotch, and drawing with sidewalk chalk. 

Upon looking a little closer, I noticed something else that hasn't changed - the fact that kids are so very egocentric. Today I walked past the remnants of the hopscotch game, and noticed, surrounded by many hopscotch boards, the pictured masterpiece.
 
Ahh, the innocence of youth. I miss those days.