The Finger Painting Olympics

OH.M.GEEEE!  I think today (and yesterday) might go down in history as 

one of my top 5 favorite days so far.  

So you've already read the post about gymnastics.  Which was a perfect morning.  

Topped off by Chick-Fil-A.  Topped off again by an amazing "quiet time" for Ada 

(where she played her heart out in and out of the house for hours, 

stopping periodically to tell me she loved me or 

make some kind of adorable comment or observation.  Heart melting!)

- and a 3 hour nap for Dax.  Heaven!!!

So Dax woke up and, following our agenda board (see this post!), 

embarked on our Arts & Crafts block of the afternoon.

It began innocently enough.  With Ada at her new $10 easel (see this post!), painting her heart out.  

(She is painting a pond.  After I snapped these pictures, she then continued painting her pond 

by covering her entire paper with a layer of black.  

It did actually look like a murky pond, 

with a secret world of brightly colored plants and fish beneath- 

but I'm probably looking too deep into it all.)

I adore this ponytail.

Dax painting his own masterpiece on a piece of butcher paper spread out on the grass, 

with some finger paints.

Big sister Ada "helping" Dax.

I had intended to only give a few small drops of the finger paint spread out onto the paper for Dax to crawl around and paint with.  We can all see how well that plan worked out...

Enjoying this new sensation and color explosion...

Ohhh My!

He's on a mission after wading through chest-deep paint!

And, below is one of my favorite pictures of all time.  

This whole thing had me hee-hawing with laughter in the front yard.  

And the neighbors driving by were slowing down to see our spectacle.  

Some laughing.  Some staring. Some shocked.  

All the while, I'm hee-hawing.  Literally.  I sounded like a donkey.

I. Cannot. Get. Enough. Of. This. Picture!!!!  He did this ALL himself.
I didn't even turn the paint streaks up at the corner of his mouth to make him look like the Joker from Batman.  

 And then OF COURSE we had to turn on the hose to wash ourselves off!!!

Best day in a long time.  I almost hope that our days aren't this perfect for the entire summer, 

or I'll be DREADING returning to work and leaving this behind in August!