Pre-School Paint Presentation
Jade gives me a personal presentation of her latest painting.
It’s fun listening … But even better watching her paint.
Happiness Is Making A Snowman
Vancouver had a massive snow fall last night!
And new snow is PERFECT for making a snowman.
Today was super fun! Jade and our neighbour helped make a snowman.
We then added a carrot nose … the final touch!
Emitting Joy & Love
“Love came down at Christmas; love all lovely, love divine; love was born at Christmas, stars and angels gave the sign.”
~ Christina G Rossetti
Snowflakes, Big Flakes, we all scream for Snowflakes !!! * * *
In Vancouver, people either scream with delight or frustration over the first snowfall.
Thankfully, there wasn’t much trouble in our area.
Jade’s Digital Doodle Bunny
We downloaded an iPad app called ‘Drawing Carl’ and Jade’s really into it.
She had fun exploring the different features (pattern fills, mirror drawings, etc).
This is my fave from the other day.
Drawing with Icing + Candy
I think our family has a new Christmas tradition!
Jade and I hammered on the icing and candy. Yum!!!
Our drawings have never tasted sooooo good !!!
July Christmas Tree?
Okay, maybe not July — but my wife was adamant about an early tree.
Making Memories
Our daughter Jade is 3 and these might be her first Christmas memories. Needless to say, we’re super excited. But there was a little issue about the tree …
Traditions
When I was young, our family had a REAL tree and it had a lifespan of around 3 weeks. Because of this, our tree would be up 2 weeks before Christmas and we’d take it down after the new year. Ever since then, December 12th just FEELS right for setting up the family tree.
Maybe November?
In Canada, some stores set up Christmas trees the day after Halloween (November 1). For me, this is WAAAAAY too early. For my wife, this sounded like a GREAT idea.
Finding Peace
All November, we wrestled about Christmas tree dates. I was holding out for December 1st. Finally, we reached a compromise with November 25th — one month before Christmas. The convincing argument was United States didn’t have Thanksgiving until November 22nd. How can we celebrate Christmas before the USA celebrates Thanksgiving ???
I still feel “wrong” setting up a tree in November … but at least there’s peace in our home.
Now Santa, Let’s Get This Straight …
Our family started a tradition last year of “drawing” our letter to Santa. This year, Jade asked for a “Minnie’s Bowtique” toy. Pictured is a warm winter sun, Minnie, Goofy and the brightly coloured bows. I added the text and snowflakes.
Last year, we requested a toy kitchen set. Santa really enjoyed listening to Jade with her artwork. And most importantly, Jade had a lot of fun too.
Santa, Can We Have Snow For Christmas?
As a prairie boy growing up, it’s still strange not having snow in December.
It was a dry day and we decided to spread some Christmas cheer.
Animated Gif
Click the “gif” artwork …
The image is a visual response to an engaging post:
The Animated GIF: The Antithesis of Mindfulness
Personally, I love rich visual imagery … It’s the way I think and communicate.
For me, the best Art has ambiguity. I like having the time and silence to appreciate and question.
But now, EVERYDAY feels like an animated gif. The average person is exposed to 3,500 advertising messages a day. We devour images, resources and ideas.
And along the way, maybe we’re debasing and dehumanizing ourselves?
Drawings For Jade 