Train Begins Again!

This is my second post today, so if you haven't read the SUPER long one before this, please scroll down-- DISCLAIMER-- it's REALLY long, so you might want to go to the bathroom before scrolling down

We had a baby... that pretty much takes up all of our time these days, but Matt and I were determined to get over our fear of starting the new phase of the train table.... scenery. Knowing that we would have the long weekend, we decided to set the date-- this was the weekend we were going to resume work on the train.

Earlier, when I said we were afraid to start the scenery-- I meant it. We knew that anything we had done up until that point-- any imperfections, would be covered by the scenery. Well what if we sucked at the scenery part? It would ruin the ENTIRE set. So there you have it-- our mindset going into today.

We had already cast plaster rock faces and adhered them to the cliff face, riverside, and above the tunnels-- those were the first things to paint. We took turns "leopard spotting" the rock faces with burnt umber and yellow ochre before going back and spotting black over all the rock faces to tie everything together.


Next, we had to start laying down the Earth undercoat, which is really just a watery brown paint/stain. We had to cover EVERYTHING except the rock faces we already painted-- but we had to blend the Earth undercoat into the edges of the rock faces.





The layout is much easier to see now that we have the Earth undercoat on. Next we will do the road and start working on the foliage... but while we are watching tv these next few days, we will work on making trees!

Weston was a trooper through all of this... he stayed downstairs with us for a while before deciding he was hungry and tired. So Matt fed him and laid him down in the cradle for his afternoon nap-- he's still asleep. He had a very busy day today. This morning he stayed outside with us while we worked on the yard, he ran some grocery errands with us, and played the drums some too (video to follow). Next up, BBQ chicken and corn on the cob on the grill!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND-- hope you all enjoy your weekend-- we sure are!

Shower and MORE!

SHOWER...
Last Saturday, Mary, Katie, and I hosted a baby shower for Amanda's baby girl-on-the-way, Emily. Mary, Katie, and Amanda hosted the Seuss Shower for me (and Weston) last October, so I was grateful to be able to return the great shower to at least one of my hostesses.

Refreshments included pink lemonade and bottled water with custom labels.


The buffet included cheese and crackers, veggies with dip...

cupcakes

with bees and butterflies on top

chicken salad and pimento cheese sandwiches and meatballs (not pictured)

as well as the most fun... a chocolate fountain with dipping paraphernalia

We also played games like, "Guess what's in the diaper?" Amanda was smelling the contents of one of the miniature diapers filled with a surprise condiment.

The gift table with the growth chart I made for Amanda.

Mary, Katie, and I made flower pens for favors.

Katie and Mary

Katie, Mary, and me.

ART SHOW

This past Wednesday, North Paulding and the middle school down the hill, McClure Middle, hosted our first student art show. Below are just a few of the many pieces that were displayed. I am extremely proud of all the work my students have accomplished this year.

Trompe L'oeil ceramics

colored pencil

Surrealism painting

Magazine mosaic

Our principal, Mrs. Browning, giving out the awards.

WESTON! Like I said before, it doesn't seem like I can post an update without some updated Weston pictures.

He has been growing and changing SO much lately...

We got him some baby sunscreen, a sun hat, and his first pair of sunglasses yesterday. Today, he played outside while Matt and I worked on the yard!

he's so frigg'n cute!


He has also started solid foods. Every night now, we give him one serving of either fruit or vegetables. He did not really like the rice cereal, could take or leave applesauce, does not like bananas, but he does love pear, green beans, peas, and carrots!

Matt's Dad, Grandpa Shooter, with Weston

He has also been teething... no teeth yet, but a lot of drool...

... and hands in the mouth
my baby and me! (and the new wine rack on the wall in the back)

Doppelgangers EVERYWHERE!

doppelganger is a ghostly double of a living person.

In the vernacular, the word "doppelganger: has come to refer to any double or look-alike of a person. The word is also used to describe the sensation of having glimpsed at oneself in peripheral vision, in a position where there is no chance that it could have been a reflection. They are generally regarded as harbingers of bad luck. In some traditions, a doppelganger seen by a person's friends or relatives portends illness or danger, while seeing one's own doppelganer is an omen of death.

I don't know about the harbingers of bad luck, but everywhere I turn at work I see some student that reminds me of someone I went to high school with or another student I taught while at Griffin. It's weird.... really weird

New Blog

In an effort to stay connected with the other high school art teachers in Paulding County, we have started a blog, hosted by yours truly. I will continue to blog here of course, but if you are interested in the happenings in the high school art world, please feel free to check it out-- there's a link you can follow on the right... just click on Paulding Co. Art Forum. I have just posted about my ceramics class.

Baking

Okay, so the two pictures below aren't about baking, but I couldn't not post these pictures of the most adorable baby (YES, I know I'm biased!!)


So on to the baking.... I have been trying to come up with a good recipe for yeast rolls to have with dinner. Saturday night was a bust-- I think I kneaded it too long. The tricky part is that I am using my Kitchen Aid mixer with the dough hook to make the dough and I'm not really sure when to dump it in another bowl to rise. Plus I think the recipe I used on Saturday was not a good one. I could not be stopped however! Sunday night I used a better recipe andended up with not only dinner rolls, but enough dough for a loaf of bread too!!
looking and smelling yummy...
looks great, haven't tried it yet.
these rolls were soooooo yummy! They were even delummy-- that's a mix of yummy and delicious, and a term saved for only the most deserving!