Down with the kids

Today was a glorious day. Spring sunshine, not a cloud in the sky, not too hot and no wind. Just beautiful…. A day where you are happy to be alive and even happier to be downwiththekids!

Anyway, Big Sis was keen to get outside and get a bit of art under her belt, which I thought was a great idea. So, we smocked up and got the paints and easel out. Even Little Bro knows what to do with a paintbrush. Actually, as second child Little Bro knows what to do with everything. I guess he spends a lot of time watching and learning….give him a toothbrush and he’ll brush his (4) teeth, give him a hairbrush and he’ll brush his almost bald pate. I found him concealed in the laundry the other day “drinking” from all the empty beer bottles from the recycling tub, but that’s another story…….

So there we are, and Big Sis starts doing some amazing paintings. Painting the whole family, all to scale, everyone has a belly button and it is fantastic! I leap up and retrieve the canvas I have been keeping for just this moment. A chance for Big Sis to produce a painting that can hang on the wall forever - or be gifted to loving members of the extended family!.

Of course by the time I return Big Sis has mixed all the paints together so there is now only one colour - a kind of browny, yellowy green. She also refuses to paint on the full canvas - preferring to decorate one (very small) corner. She has firmly decided to do a very very small picture in mucky brown on one corner, so small in fact it just resembles a blob.

Nothing, and I try everything will convince her to replicate the wonderful scenes she was happily doing 5 minutes ago. Even an attempt to refresh her colour pallet is met with hostility - “I don’t like those colours!” she cries.

Finally, I back off, it’s not the picture I imagined - but best we all continue to enjoy the perfect day. I’m sure grandma will love it!