Learn to draw.

Learn to draw.

My kids' favorite new thing is to ask me to draw pictures and for them to color them.

I am not an artist.

But I used to think I was. One of my older brothers used to challenge me to drawing competitions. I must have only been 7 or 8 years old when I distinctly remember a competition with him to see who could draw the best banana. I lost but only because he was the judge. Mine was much better. His banana was hairy, as I've discovered most boy/man drawings seem to be.

My drawings turn out best when they're more cartoon-y. (Although I did draw an awesome lifelike bird in fourth grade that my family insisted I had traced. I didn't.)

I have gotten pretty good at barn and zoo animals but my kids have started demanding more. Lately it's been princesses or even something more specific like Scooby Doo.

I have discovered an invaluable tool in this new stage of motherhood. They are called "How to Draw" books. They have them for about everything out there and I checked out about 10 from the library. The one pictured here is called "How to draw princesses and ballerinas" and it is my favorite one so far. I can draw a pretty cute princess these days. Watch out, before long I'll be able to illustrate some of those children's books I've written and then I'll really be in the big time.