Just a couple more things...

I thought I'd show you the uncharacteristically neat work area I had going on today while working on my cousin's triptych. If you remember from my Kelly Rae post, most of these collages will get covered over, at least thinly, with paint. The reason I point that out is that I noticed the fact that I used three, nearly identical heart pictures is glaringly obvious in this picture. My plan is that only one of them will be strongly revealed. The other two will remain veiled, to varing degrees, by paint.

I keep changing my mind about what to put on them. They are only 4" x 10" so I'd like to keep them simple. You can see in the photo that I've got some sketches for them on my "safety paper." (My tablecloth is underneath the 3-4 layers of engineering plans. My DH brings the paper home from work for Rexy and I to sketch on and use as dropcloths. They're always printing sets of drawings that end up being useless because they change so much.) Anyway, I always get stuck on the third painting. I suppose I should just start and hope the muse catches up. (There's my life philosophy in a nutshell - "...just go, we'll figure it out as we go along!" It gives my planaholic husband heart failure - frequently!)

More pics and stories about my girl to follow; A warning for those who are tired of hearing about the Wonder Child.

Yesterday I chaperoned Rexy's class trip to the Seattle Center to see the giant toy train setup and ride the holiday merry-go-round. It was Rexy's first trip on a school bus. She didn't love it. Too loud and too many people (3 other classes went, too.), she was hiding her face and clinging to me most of the way there. The trip back, she was fine and had fun looking out the window. When we looked at the pictures she pointed at one I had taken of a classmate in the bus and said, "The school bus!" very excitedly. I guess she likes them now.

The train and the merry-go-round were big hits. Especially the merry-go-round. It was her first ride (Too many crowds at the fair, we never take her because it would just be cruel. She'd be in agony. It's getting better though!) on one and she loved it. We got there before it opened and her class was first in line. She knew all the kids around her to some degree. Before it started she was a little aprehensive because she was up so high and the pole was icy cold. When it started up though, she got this beautific smile on her face, looked at me and exclaimed, "It's a merry-go-round!" She was absolutely thrilled. When it stopped she asked if it could "go more."

Unfortunately I couldn't get a picture of her while it was going because I had to hold on to her, she kept listing to the side! Didn't they used to have some sort of seat belt when we were kids? I swear I remember objecting to having to wear it.

Anyway, I did get pictures of Rexy and all her boyfriends. There's a little love quadrangle going on there. She loves Imad, who won't give her the time of day most of the time. Jacob and Beau love her and she pays no attention to them at all.

This is a picture of she and Imad holding hands. I made them hold hands while we were walking around, but then they didn't let go. How cute is that? (If it looks like she's cold it's because the wind was freezing! She has 3 layers on under her coat but refused to wear her scarf or button her coat up all the way. Sigh.)

This picture illustrates the love situation as it more typically is. Rexy is fascinated with Imad (look at that body language!), who is looking somewhere else, and Jacob is gazing at Rexy hoping for some attention. Beau, the boy on the far right, is usually grinning at Rexy for all he's worth with no hope of a response.

We're getting our tree tomorrow!!! Yay! I'm hoping we can get it decorated before next weekend. My DH hasn't unearthed the ornaments yet. We'll see...

Oh, and I entered a "Deck the Blogs" contest. I thought it was a fun way to be in the spirit. Now I just have to add visiting all the decked out blogs to my list of things to do...