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Pancakes and Painting Elephant Trio

'Elephant Trio' by me and my daughters

One of the things that I've implemented with my daughters is our Saturday morning 'Pancakes and Painting'. Sometimes painting is the last thing any of us want to do, but once we, (okay, I) get the mats out, the paint brushes and paints, and a big bowl of water, and our blank page ready, we get in the flow, and it is quite meaningful. Sometimes it lasts for a good part of the morning, and as always we make room for a plate of yummy pancakes with maple syrup.

I always love how my daughters get chatty and ultra creative. One time my younger daughter made a macbook out of cardboard with a Minecraft screen. It was pretty impressive, and when I think that I almost let her resistance win out that day. That was a good compromise for one who would rather be on her screen!

The pancakes have been replaced at times by pastries, or breakfast sandwiches, but I've tried to make it something regular for our weekends. I've been pretty strict about making us all show up, including me, but both of my girls have expressed being happy once they've begun, even though all of us have often have felt a huge level of resistance until our paint hits the page, monster-size at times! and even after we begin it can terrorize us, but the rule is to keep painting and keep exploring.

I am amazed at how the fresh page always feels threatening. I am thankful that staying with the practice has helped me to feel softer around beginning to create. It feels like the more I show up to the page, the more I relax and focus on what colors I would like to see together, and what would be nice to play with or to paint. I always enjoy when my girls get in the flow. Their energy is different, like they've just been playing outside. I am starting to truly believe that we must exercise our creativity as much as our body, that it is invigorating and life-affirming to cut through resistance and use our hands to make something!

One day, there was extra resistance, so, I said what if we made it a game and all painted our version of an elephant, to see what unique elephant would be born from all of us.  Here is what resulted, which was very fun to see. I thought they were the most precious trio!

Happy weekend!


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Comments

  1. Elizabeth CunninghamFebruary 6, 2016 at 7:02 AM

    Such a cornucopia of gifts! I loved the napping donkey, too! <3!

    ReplyDelete

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