Snowed In

The custody arrangement with my ex-husband has been very liberal since we first separated.  Currently, the boys spend the weekends with their dad and then Monday- Friday with me which means that I don't get much down time with them, its strictly all business... baths, homework, school.  This week, with the storm and the whole county at a stand still I got to finally spend some time with them.  The first day was rough, I have to admit, there was a lot of fighting amongst the boys, and a lot of me, losing my patience! I struggle each day to keep our routine here with Walker and Sawyer.  It has been a way to head off any issues with Walker and keep my sanity. So with Mason and Dylan home, I was out of sync and wrapped up in being aggravated with the other things going on in my life. 

By day two, I awoke and decided that I could make the day go good or bad, it was up to me, the mom (I also got to watch a few episodes of Super Nanny the night before so I was inspired!)  Yes, they still had to get their chores done, but that day I offered up incentives that we would do an art project when they were finished. 

I am not very artistic, but I do think some days I can be creative. So after the chores were done (with no bickering) we got out a bunch of old magazines, scissors, glue and some scrape book stock paper. At first they weren't sure what to do, since I told them that they could create whatever they wanted, so I gave them some ideas and they were able to come up with what they wanted to do!

Mason's ideas were inspired by an advertisement that had little pictures of kids toys, GI Joe men, slinky and various other things... He titled his picture "RANDOM"

Dylan came up with an underwater theme and found some great orange and black prints to make his Nemo. Then he used a picture of a nickle, a ball, a head of lettuce and other round objects to make bubbles.

 

The best part was spending an hour and half with my boys without anyone fighting (Dylan did have to complain that Mason got the better magazines of course!) but  we had fun and I got to enjoy the sense of humor that they are each developing!