Art Night at Elkton Elementary

Whew! What a night! At the suggestion of Joel's coworker's wife Suzie, I drew caricatures for Elkton Elementary's annual art festival as a way to get the word about my drawing classes out. I was a little hesitant (in my brain, not on the phone) because I've never done caricatures before and I knew that there would be a crowd. (Which there was, and huge...) But, with the encouragement of my husband, I let go of my inhibitions. Besides, I do love a good challenge. After practicing a few days before, Friday night Cassandra and Annie and I were sad to leave a feverish Joel behind. (He's still under the weather...Annie too...)


I tried getting likenesses, but it was my first time... The caricatures need more exaggeration to be really funny.



It was intense. I drew child after child for three straight hours with only two breaks to nurse a crying baby. (An hour more than I agreed to because there was such an incredibly long line and people were waiting for more than half an hour just to get their son or daughter's picture drawn.) Poor Annie, I felt so bad for her! At one point I tried to hold her while drawing, to no avail. She finally calmed down, completely exhausted.











This one lady paid me $10 on the spot to draw her two boys (above) after I said I was finished. They'd been waiting forever. The whole place was cleaned out when we finally left. Cassandra was such a help with Annie. She said she had a good time and she told some people about the art classes. So far, one person has signed up for the next class. All in all, it was hard work and good fun.

When Cassandra and I were turning onto route 11 almost to her house, we saw flares at the stop light and we were stopped by a fireman who wouldn't allow us turn onto the road. He told us to go back down the other way past the subdivision where my parents live. So we did. On the way, this is what we saw:

The house was on a hill just a ways from Blue Ridge Community College. When we tried to turn onto 11 again, the policeman said we'd have to go around the other way, because of firetruck traffic. We told him that was exactly what the other man on the other side told us. They made us wait off to the side. Finally, I was allowed to take Cassandra home. She thought it might be her grandparents house. Later we learned that the owners of the house weren't home, praise God! But their house burnt to the ground.

My brother Lucas came to see us!

Annie was cautious around him...intrigued at least...

We've fooled you all this whole time!! We actually have twins!!!

I woke up this morning to find hearts everywhere! What a fun surprise...what a wonderful husband...

Snow...again...

Annie's New Friend

Joel and Annie with Jeff and Luke at their house for the superbowl. As new parents, we left before the game was finished. We were exhausted from the weekend. (Has the superbowl always been that late at night?)

How to Get that Annie Baby to Sleep

First, we wear that baby out with fun and games.



Next, that baby gets a bath, usually given by papa while mama washes the dishes.



Then that baby is 'super-swaddled' by papa.



Then, mama feeds that baby.



And if all else fails, we rock that baby to sleep in her carrier.

Grass?

It's a flip-flops and t-shirt day outside and we wanted to bask in it. I set Annie down in the grass to see her reaction. She was mesmerized. I can't wait to introduce her to all the beauties of this great wide world God has given us. This must have been something of what the Creator felt when he was forming Adam. Oh, there's so much I have to show you... you're gonna love it.

Joel in his new suit (brand new from Goodwill for $12!) getting ready for a presentation.

She's a Keeper!

Down the Hall

No more Annie-in-the-box for this little girl. She's gone completely mobile. And she's gaining speed. I had to take away the trash bag that was around the corner before she discovered it. Our new game is for me to go around the corner and peek over and wait for her to come find me.
But wait--there's more! Just the day before last, I put her down in her room to crawl around while I was washing dishes and I looked back over and she was standing! Yes, standing, holding onto a cardbord box.
"You're not supposed to be standing!" I said in my astonishment, quickly rescuing the teetering tot from possible collapse.
Then, just a while later, when I was on the couch reading, Annie girl crawled right up to me and pulled up to her knees holding onto the couch cushion. "What do you want, Little One?"I asked. Then I realized she was coming to me telling me she had to go poopoo on the potty! So I took her...and she did.