Just a BlinkProof Time Flies

Just when my mind is ready to snap from being unable to paint anything outside, open the bedroom windows or get a grip on running my home,

I find a moment or two like these…

Winter sun rays

Brighter than summer days

Snow banks beam light

Warm sunspot, just right

Children bounce off the wall

Mama is ready for Spring to call

But for now, Winter’s here

Another storm rumbling near

Drifts a mile high

Childhood days blinking by

Look for giveaway below!

Today’s artist, 3 year old Ryan, is still in his formative years. He has been toying around with several types of art media such as: charcoal, pastels, watercolor and crayon. He is often found at his kitchen table studio doing “projects” with tape. Lots of tape. He prides himself with a rotating art gallery found at the coolest art gallery around, El Refrigerator.

His current collection features 3-D paint also known as fabric or puffy paint

Flower, Caterpillar and Friend, Spider by Ryan

Here is an inside look at McWilliams at work in his studio.

Giveaway Details

Everyone please join in! Make a comment on this post to enter a chance to win one small painting from today’s On the 6 artist.

I am struck more now (as a blogger) than ever before with the thought; my kids won’t remember a thing! Taking the time to photograph and journal about our lives together has been a gift to me. The chance to slow things down one post at a time.

Ry took a bike ride down to the corner gas station while I pushed Molly in the stroller. Which of course turned into a race. I am not sure who won but we were all laughing in the end. We purchased our treat and sat watching the traffic from a grassy spot on the bike path. Molly and Ryan took a moment to share a cold milk while eating M&M cookies. Ryan gave Molly an M&M from his cookie. I had picked most of hers off. I was impressed by his kindness. I gave him a smile and asked why he shared something that he too likes so very much. He squished up his nose and said

Well I guess because it fell off and went into the grass on the ground…so…I thought Molly could use it, that’s all.

Nice. Never been more proud!

I hope some memories seep into their beings as we navigate through these fleeting, precious and meaningful years.

I have a hand full of vivid but scattered memories of my own childhood during the wondertime years.
A few of the things I remember:

• Cooking or “muxing” with my Mom or Grandma in the kitchen
• Listening to Thriller on cassette tape at friends house
• Rubbing my knuckle calluses earned from swinging on the monkey bars
• Smelling shampoo flowing down the kitchen sink drain from having my hair washed while lying on the counter
• Tasting white bread at the neighbors house. Yes, thanks to my Mom I was raised on whole foods–all of the time

I am in the midst of packing for a trip to family camp. I am swimming in camping chairs, bug spray and more kids clothes than I know I’ll ever need but can’t seem to leave behind. The process of leaving is always a chore but a necessary part of the privilege of actually going somewhere.

Long gone are the days of throwing a few things in a backpack, picking up some friends and fluttering off to a campground for a music festival.  Though, Peter would say he has never fluttered off anywhere, you get my drift. The children, I call them that when I distance myself from them, can not be crammed in a backpack and tossed in the car. Trust me, I’ve tried.

I was feeling so proud of myself that I didn’t tell Ryan about Family Camp until today (I usually can’t keep a happy thing to myself for long). I have learned however that anticipation for a happy thing just kills Ryan. He can’t stand the joy I guess. He gets moody and whiny to say the least.

He was way too out-of-sorts today! Maybe something to do with staying up at friends house last night to watch the Olympics until 10:30! That’s my fault, yes, I know. So on to why this post is called Camily Famp.

I scolded him with all that was in my special forces inspired Mama Arsenal. But alas, I broke down and just started saying cliche parenting comments.

Me: You know Family Camp is a treat so start acting like it! (What that even means I’m not sure.)

Ryan: Camily Famp is NOT a treat! That’s icky it would taste like dirt. You don’t eat Camily Famp!

Me: Bust out laughing. (How could I resist?)

The tension broke and on he went helping me pack up his back pack with his CARS flashlight, sunscreen and Blue (his blanket).

So off we go to Camily Famp to bond together at the end of this glorious season, summer.