while on vacation jenny said "well….it's thursday! what craft do you have planned for us?!"
ha.
our internet was out like it was 85% of the time.
so we had to go with a picture of a craft i wanted to do but couldn't look up the details.
THIS ONE right here at deep space sparkle (again).
drawing fish with sharpie markers.
painting the picture with watercolor paints.
i actually ran back in the house as we pulled out the driveway leaving for vacation to get my paints.
craig looked at me like i was crazy.
i said "you'll thank me if it rains!!!"
i brought my big sketchpad paper too.
it was cloudy outside.
perfect time to take a break from the beach.
fish drawn with a crayola marker and not a sharpie.
no one was listening to me about using a sharpie marker.
when you don't….and then you paint….the marker bleeds.
dangurs fish.
i LOVE that.
jake used a sharpie. good boy.
sean rarely follows my instructions.
mrs. burns…..i feel for you.
he used oill pastels for the whole thing. no marker or paint.
no marker.
paint only.
i had one out of five following instructions.
i am not a good teacher.
oh well…the point of craft thursday is to CRAFT.
not to follow my instructions.
this was mine.
annie asked "mom….are the other animals laughing at the squid cause his eyes are so wrong?"
(cheryl just pointed out that my picture is also not done in sharpie! ha ha ha
i forgot.
i was using oil pastel because that works also with water color paint.
so sharpie or oil pastel or crayon works if you want to paint over it without it bleeding all over.
thanks cheryl. :)
there was actually LOTS of art at this table over the week.
chicago jen's kids are very artistic.
dave made his own sign that hung in the kitchen all week.
since i am thinking about michigan again….
let's see the last pictures from our trip. (i promise)
lego letters made by DAVE.
peach raspberry tart made by JEN.
lego space shuttle made by SEAN in two days….for ages 16+ on the box.
goofing around at an awesome toy store in st. joseph.
makes me want a tire swing in our yard right. this. minute.
sean's birthday cake.
chili's molten lava….mmmmmm.
.
the grill masters.
(not to be confused with the thigh masters….)
fireworks on our last night….just for fun!
photographer dave.
he is really good…even if he did buy a nikon.
last shot before we headed for home.
sad.
as i have said many times….it was a great trip.
so good.
loved it all.
too short for me and jen.
i am ready for a trip with just the grown ups….where to jen?
michigan rocks.
dave and jen you are the best.
you are definitely….with out a doubt….our best first hand mates!
Melanie - Great photos!
Jenica Cory - Was this a house rental? We vacation near St. Joe and are looking for a house for next summer. If it’s a rental could you pass along the info, please! It looks amazing!
amy jupin - this whole series of posts have made me miss my best friend like crazy. and i loved the pics (of course). your photography is really shining meg. really so good.
Nicole Q. - I want that tire swing in my yard too!! I also want the adults only trip too!!
Mindy Harris - awesome post, as usual. love the sunset pictures. the last picture is just darling but your shirt is blue rather than purple. ha.
k-state is my alma mater…so my allegiance will forever lie there.
hugs from our family!
Jodi - What a fun trip! Your pictures just convey the energy and how fun everyone is! I read everyday! What an inspiration you are!
www.Kellyloves.wordpress.com - Bowlarama .. hilarious! I also love the slip and slide shot. what fun!
http://www.kellyloves.wordpress.com
Stephanie - totally LOVE your blog!!! I look forward to every post. It is just such a happy place, even when you are having a bad day. I like that it is just REAL! Anyway, I have a big question that is going to rock your world….what kind of water colors do you use? I’ve been wondering this forever. They are so vibrant. Mine always look so pastel. I hate that. I need bright, happy colors. Actually, a post on your favorite art supplies would be great. Thanks a bunch. I hope you are having a wonderfully colorful day!
Jess Mead - Love the fish pictures!!!! Thanks for the Sharpie tip!!!
mkpoggie - I nknow how you feel! Our best friends live in Minnesota (we’re in AZ) and when the four of us are together we forget to relish the time because being together just seems so natural…Then, when vacation is over, we go, “Oh, no! Where are my friends?!?! That was too short! I didn’t stare into your faces enough! Panic! Panic! Panic!”
tammy kay - the painting looks like so much fun!
I don’t think I’ve ever commented before. “HI”
Love your blog and all the color that it brings each day.
Glad you had such a wonderful time with your friends!
Tara - Great pics…fun crafts…we’ve done several of the sharpie/watercolor crafts from Deep Space Sparkle this summer…ALL THANKS TO YOU! 🙂
tara pollard pakosta - You are so blessed to have friends that you can travel with!!! I can’t think really of any couples that we could travel with and have such a great time!
from the legos, puzzles, painting, reading to all the fun at the beach = an amazing triP! cant’ wait to see if you scrapbook these?!
tara
Beth - P.S. Oil pastels and then watercolor are one of my favorites!!! I taught a “water media” class last week and we learned about an artist who did that (Paul Cezanne). Very cool!
Beth - Your trip truly looks idyllic. So nice to have family times like that! Great memories. And I laughed out loud at your comment about following instructions. Creating is the most important though, I so agree with that and strive for it, although in a room full of 25 kids . . . sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of that!!! And the bleeding marker — natural consequence. Sometimes we learn better when things go just like that, hmmmm maybe mom (dad, Mrs. Burns) did know what they were talking about when they said to use sharpie or crayon or oil pastel 🙂 I still remember and love Sean’s comment during printmaking last year “this is actually fun” (like he was surprised by it!).
nichole shinners - I love all the pictures from Michigan. I am originally from there and ( now in cali) I try to sneak back as often as my husband lets me! There is nothing out here like the lakes, the wide open farms and fields, the sun setting over the corn fields, and chasing the fire flys. I try to get my girls back there as often as I can, so that they have those same memories stamped on their hearts. Pure summer Magic!
Andrea - You have inspired me! I want to plan a vaca to Michigan right now! Where was this?
Julie - The tire swing picture is my favorite; had one growing up and every child should have one! Sean’s lego space shuttle ~ WOW!!!!
Heather R. - Sean did great with his Lego set! Annie presenting a sunset…sweet. I want a tire swing, too, now.
Great pics, as always.
~Heather R.
Sharla - Love them all – especially the tire swing photo, Annie pointing at the sunset and the lego letters. I love the Lauren’s shirt too! 🙂
Jennifer - Looks like a blast! Did anybody run into your face while you taking the slip n’ slide shots? Anything for a great pic!
Leslie - An entire family that you can vacation with and everyone has fun. The hubbies like each other, the kids like each other. Priceless!! We are blessed to have three of them and often go on huge family vacations together. We are off to the lake for a long weekend before school starts. So fun!!
PS Lauren’s shirt rocks!
donna - hi meg. as always ~ great pics. i live in michigan and we always seem to get such a bad rap here – i am glad that you are showing the blog world that michigan really isn’t so bad. however, everything you do always looks so fantastic – even if it’s your piles of laundry – love it!
Marina - Where did Lauren got that Where the Wild Things Are shirt??
It’s awesome!
Becky @ Farmgirl Paints - So fun. I feel like I was there with you. Great craft project too. I looked up that site and did one with our girls a week or two ago. We did the hot air balloons. I didn’t make one though. Now I want to go back and do it again. Oh and you NEED a tire swing. That would be a perfect addition for your family.
deb meyers - so fun! I love that you share your vacation : )
I think Lego puts “16 and up” on its boxes so sons who too soon pass the Lego stage feel that it is still okay to spend some time fooling with them (as my 16yo has done this summer, and as Chicago Dave proves), and the younger guys can feel cool and ahead of the curve. STILL … impressive Sean!
Staci - Pure awesomeness!!! Wanna go there!! And way to go Sean!! IMPRESSIVE!!!!!!
Laura Phelps - I am surprised that Sean didnt go for the sharpies….
I love you Meg
that is all
really
I miss you
and I want to craft with you
and vacation with you
and have our kids run around til mid night together
Cheryl @ a pretty cool life. - Um…did you forget to use Sharpie on your drawing too?? LOL Great pics. Looks like fun!
Kim - I live in Michigan. Not far from where you were on vacation – had I known…… Think of yourself as a celebrity and some random stranger comes up to you and says, “Are you Meg from Whatever?” That would have been fun! Come back any time to Michigan!!
Julie - I just came home from my second Michigan trip this summer and now I am ready to go back again!
These are beautiful pictures and memories.
tara - i don’t know why but this made me cry.
just so fun and happy.
great memories.
gorgeous families.
Holly - very cool photos Meg! Thanks for sharing!
Gemma - You guys are so lucky to have a great relationship with another couple/family! I hope I have the same someday : )
Gemma x
Sarah - Thank you for your lovely blog… it cheers me up when little else can.
Dana@Bungalow'56 - What is truly amazing is that you all get along together as couples and as families. This is definitely something special.
Dana
Kat - Awww, I so want to go on a holiday with my bestie, who lives too far away.
It looked like a truly awesome trip.
Happiness everywhere in those pics and that tart looks goooood! 🙂
Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Oh, you guys look so happy! makes me miss my best friend Chicago Jen (who has just relocated to DC). I need to go write her a letter. And go on vacation. And eat a raspberry tart thingy. And hang a tire swing!
I loved your vacation pics! Thank you for sharing them with us!