eva reflects

Ever since Eva won a trophy for her Reflections art contest entry when she was in kindergarten, the pressure has been on each year.  Okay, maybe she feels no pressure.  It is just me.  

This year, Eva wanted to do a sculpture again.  The theme was, "Together we can..." and Eva made a sculpture titled, "Together we can help each other."

I know it's a mom's job to be impressed by her kid's skills, but Eva's 3-D skills blow me away every time...

and while we are on the subject of art...

Tonight Eva and her cousin were crafting.  They were getting ideas from a craft book that Eva got from the library or something.  The book showed Eva how to make a sorter out of empty tissue boxes.   Well, crafty, creative, Eva went one step further and made empty tissue boxes out of perfectly full tissue boxes (and as I typed the first line of this paragraph, my nose felt a little drippy, reached over for a tissue on my night stand and...ugh!).  

sentimental samuel cheers up

Remember how sad Samuel was about his preschool year ending?  Here are are few things that helped him cheer up...

We made a special book for each of his teachers.  

I thought this would be simple.  Chip board, mod podge, paper, pictures... easy right?  Three hours later I was so mad I started the messy project.   Oh well.  They got done, he was happy, the teachers were happy.

The idea of having a party for his class got Samuel really excited. Every day he would ask how many days until his party.  (Thanks for the pizza picnic idea, Lindsay!).

I will admit that I had a lot of fun making the invitations and decorations.  I seriously love this kind of stuff.  I do it realizing that the kids don't really care.  And still I love it.  Eva loves it, too.  She wanted to help make the invitations so bad.  She fell asleep on my craft room floor waiting for me to finish those (dang) books so she could help me with them.  Karl ended up carrying her to her bed.  She woke up hours later all excited to help only to find that I finished them.  It was the middle of the night by the time I got to them and I just couldn't get myself to wake her.  I felt so bad.  Tears.  She was so so sad.  

Pizza, popcorn, tiny cupcakes, fruits, veggies, citric punch, water... if you know me, you know I was holding back.  I have a hard time keeping things simple.  

Eva did get to help this time.  She helped with the cupcakes and made this sign that I love.  

There were bubbles (google taught me that empty can make cool bubbles) and fishing.

And sand.  I forgot why I didn't fill the sandbox last year.  When I was finding sand tracked through the house and in pockets in the laundry room, I remembered why.  Oh well, I just have to keep telling myself it is worth it because they love it so much.

This made me wish that we had some summer birthdays.  All of ours are in the cold, dreary months.   If we want a party outside, it has to be just because.  

He loved it.  Want to know a sad secret?  None of his friends from preschool could come.  And apparently none of their phones work to let me know that.  But I was prepared for this, since I knew this might happen because I didn't have any of their contact info and many of the moms work (so they can afford a phone that works).  I just called a few of my friends (because I'm lucky that my phone works) and in no time we had a yard and house full of kids eating popcorn and pizza.  Want to know a happy secret?  Samuel had a blast anyway.   So did Eva, and so did I.  There was enough pizza left that my family stopped by that evening and had dinner.  It was a party day.  Love party days.  Need to have more of them.

art festival and easter dress

Eva's school has an annual art festival.  This year they had a ton of crafts set up that the kids could make.  The art program also had an art project that each student made that parents could "buy" to contribute to the program.  It has been kind of a pain to drive Eva all the way to a charter school but it has been worth it to see her benefit from the programs that can only exist with the freedom and ideas of a charter school.

Samuel working with fabric dye and fabric.

Eva building something out of wood blocks and glue.

Karl and Samuel working on an "Inuit Mask."  

Some U of U students had a booth set up where they got permission to do a survey with the students about race and ethnicity.  I was curious to see what my kids had to say.  Today Eva asked why Japanese people have black hair when most people have blond or brown.  I tried to explain that most people don't have blond or brown, but it seemed kind of a lost cause here in UT.  It will be interesting to see what their experience will be compared to mine.  

The guy asks Eva, "Do your parents every talk about race and ethnicity?"  She shrugs and answers, "no."  Survey over.

The guy asks Samuel, "Do your parents ever talk about race or ethnicity?"  Samuel answers, "Yeah."  

The guys says, "What do they say?"

Samuel answers, "Like, race cars and race tracks."  Survey over.

Samuel will be starting kindergarten in the same school next year.  And if there is any wonder if he ready for such a big school, the answer comes as another question... 

Is the school ready for him?

The kids loved the art festival. They made so many neat and beautiful projects.  I would scan some but, once again, the scanner is oh so far away.

Easter was a while ago, right?  In keeping with tradition, I got the kids outfits but since we didn't have church on Easter Sunday the kids never wore them.  I wanted to get the annual Easter photo, even though it is almost June. 

And though Eva's hair is mostly gone and though she prefers to wear it down with just a little curl under, she will still let me do it.  Just to be nice.  What a sweet girl.

eva's leprechaun trap

"Karl, will you help Eva with her project?  She needs to make a leprechaun trap."

"Okay."

Empty bottles, boxes, papers and candies that Eva had saved up?

Nope.  

After he (uh, I mean they) were done Eva said, "It looks like a temple!"

Karl says I better not say it is his trap.  So I won't.  One day when Eva is older and she is having a day where she isn't feeling so special (because everyone has one of those days) I will remind her of the night her daddy built her the fanciest all wood, hand painted, good enough to be a temple,  leprechaun trap.  With a pitched roof.  And a sliding trap door.  And we will laugh (because that is SO Karl) and, hopefully, she will remember how special she is.   

Eva made a TV and a bed for the leprechaun and used some little gold colored candies to lure the little guy in.  I didn't get  picture but she also made a teeny tiny remote.  

Any leprechaun would be a fool to pass this high quality furnished suite up.

eva, the ancient egyptian princess

Eva had been studying Ancient Egypt in school.  It was fun to hear the different facts that she remembered.  Each student was to do a project of their choice and present it.  Eva told me, "Oh, Mom, I can't make a pyramid because 20 kids are making pyramids."  We brainstormed a few different things and when I asked her if she wanted to dress up like an Egyptian princess, of course, she jumped at the idea.  

I got a bed skirt from thrift store (chose one that I liked the fabric of the skirty part) and just ripped out the white part.  I serged the edges and pinned and tied it onto Eva.

She made the collar and head band by glueing felt.

My friend had the gold trim to look like jewelry and it was perfect.  And perfectly Eva.

traded in my spot as mom of the year for the best nap ever

Just finished making a bunch of onesies and am sending them off tomorrow. So grateful to those that are donating to Lulu. It was fun for me to make them. Yep, fun. If you want to get in on the fun, I will still make one for you whenever.

Last week, there was a day that Samuel had school and Eva didn't. Feel free to get me wrong, but I love those times when I get to be with Eva alone.

Took her to get her hair trimmed at Cookie Cutters. She was so enthralled in the movie that she didn't even hear us talking to her. At one point, a tiny bit of drool dripped out of her mouth and went all the down to the cape and she didn't even flinch. Of course, I was cracking up.

We got home and I thought it might be fun to do a craft. I pulled out a box of pre-made craft kids and she didn't want any of them. She had something in mind.

By this time I was getting sleepy (night people need afternoon naps sometimes), and visions of bonding with my daughter while crafting were slowing changing to me laying on the couch while she crafted.

She said she needed some material to make a cat puppet for Samuel. In the car, earlier that day, Eva was telling Samuel that there is no such thing as red cats. He insisted there is just because it is his favorite color.

So I gave her red. Partly because I have a ton of red felt because I was going to make her Wendy outfit but ended up finding the biggest part of it at the thrift store for 99 cents. And I know I am probably repeating myself but it is because I am just that excited about my find.

She also needed scissors. I told her to think really hard and think of anything she might need because I didn't want to keep getting stuff (especially if I couldn't reach it from my soon to be nap spot). She got started, but then she needed a stapler. Good thing she knew where I keep my stapler because my head was stuck to the pillow by then.

I woke up occasionally (I'm a really light sleeper) to see some measuring, cutting and stapling.

I finally woke up to this:

Later on, she made it into a reversible puppet. The other side is a sock monkey.

Ingredients for the best nap ever:

1 couch

1 pillow

1 window letting sunlight in (I love napping in the sunlight)

felt

1 pair scissors

1 stapler

1 6 year that has some serious vision and skills

Oh, and when Samuel got home, he saw Eva's balloon from Cookie Cutters and asked, "Did Eva go to Cookie Cutters?" I thought he would be mad that he didn't get to go but instead he was worried, "Is her hair short?" He has hair opinions and for some reason I find it so funny.

i love the library

Every once in a while, when I go into the library to pay my late fees and check out a few new books and DVD's, I notice cute activities posted for the kids.

This one was an "Iron Chef" with play dough.

Couldn't pass it up.

The kids got to hear a story, eat a treat, decorate an apron and make food out of play dough. All of this was (if you don't count all the money I pay in late fees) totally free. So much fun.

I should have snuck in a bunch of the kids' friends and called it a birthday party.

Samuel was hesitant at first but finally went in when his friend, Sara, showed up.

He really got into it, you can tell because his lips stick out like that when he is focusing.

He finished up pretty quickly and went and played.

Like the way his pants are held up? I had to roll them. These must have been made pre-adjustable waist time. He thinks it is funny to say, "My pants is too big!" and then jump up and down and his pants fall down.

Eva is very focused on her creating. Notice who is in the room with her. Oh, wait, nobody is. It is always like this.

I got a kick out of her apron. She chose some leaves, and a bird iron on and then sweet little Eva drew a skull and crossbones and a broken heart. Very Ed Hardy.

Eva's carrot blew me away. They reminded me of these little Japanese erasers that are in the shapes of food.

Samuel cracked me up with his. Pickles. Two different kinds, in fact.

Germaphobes beware. This is where the kids seem to end up while I am checking books out. Laying on the floor by the magazine. Usually they are looking at a book, this time they were checking out their "food." I have to admit, Samuel's bare stomach touching the floor kind of grosses me out. A small price to pay to be able to check out my books in peace.

so glad i am a camera freak

Sometimes I think that I should put down the camera and just try and live in the moment. But, well, me being me, after I live in the moment I forget the moment.

Today I was wishing that I was even more of a camera freak when the kids were tiny. Was working on a project (like always) and started looking through old photos. Found these and smiled.

I am so glad that I picked up (or didn't put down, whichever) the camera.

This was up at Bear Lake. He wasn't even a year old. He was loving the water but from the looks of things, he was loving the soggy sand even more. He kept sticking his face in it.

From the beginning, my kids have loved to bath. When Samuel was tiny, if he heard the water running, he used to strip down on the spot and just take off for the tub. To this day, if Karl or I tries to take a bath and Samuel is awake, chances are high that Samuel will just invite himself in. If this is a hereditary trait, they get it from their dad. Not that I don't bath. I just wouldn't consider myself a recreational bather like these three. They used to be so little that they could bath in the sink. Eva in the big part, Samuel in the little part. It was perfect and I didn't have to bend down to wash them.

We went to a corn maze long ago. Don't remember much about it. Good thing I have the pictures. Good thing I can look back and remember how much fun it was to dress her when she was so tiny.

And sleeping. Seeing my kids sleep never gets old. I love the way that Eva looks so tiny on her big bed. I love the way that Samuel's legs are curled under.

So, if you see me with my camera plastered to my face. It is not because I am a stereotypical Japanese tourist. It is because I so do not want to forget these moments. These pictures make me happy.

I was looking through old pictures because I was trying to finish this project. Seeing that some years I didn't have much to choose from just makes me resolve to take more pictures:

I was inspired by my friend who was inspired by a Pottery Barn catalog or something like that. Here is how I did it:

I spray painted a branch and some can lids (I have a can opener that leaves not sharp edges. The pack rat in me started saving them a few weeks ago. The pack rat in me didn't have a plan but wouldn't let Karl put them in the recycling because the pack rat in me knew that I was going to make something out of them and it was going to be awesome and free. The pack rat in me was so so right).

I stuck the branch in the black planter and anchored it with rocks, green floral foamy block things, and covered the top with moss. Pack rats just happen to have that kind of stuff in their stash.

I printed pictures from each Halloween since Eva was born and cut them in circles and stuck them in the can lids.

I punched a hole in each one, tied a ribbon, and hung them up. The kids got a kick out of seeing themselves. I got a kick out of seeing Samuel as Nacho Libre when he was 2.

Note: Eva's arm is extra long because she is wearing my robe.

Another note: I have those tools because pack rats have tools to cut circles and punch holes in metal. They make the project so easy and you never have to pay full price with all the coupons craft stores put out.

Besides the Halloween tree and a couple other decorations, our house is not very Halloweeny. My kids let me know that. Eva is working on the decorations to change that. Here is her skeleton that she made. It is in our front window now. I love the one purple foot. She ran out of black paint.

Eva... Wow, kind of

Eva made a horse and entered it in the 3-D art division in the Reflections contest. The theme was wow and I asked her why a horse is wow (really, I said it like that) and she said, "Because they are different colors and they wear neat shoes." She used Crayola Model Magic (was introduced to the stuff at the Childrens Museum and we love it... You can color the stuff with markers so you only have to buy white and it doesn't get all crumbly like Play Doh), markers and toothpicks (she did it herself!).

Okay, see how happy she is at the beginning of the assembly. Look at her when she gets her trophy. Yes, I said trophy, not a gift certificate for a root canal or something. Still, so serious.

"One of these kids is not like the other..." Like most people holding trophies, the others kids seem pretty excited. Here, Karl is explaining how great this is. Finally, we convince her to smile.