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.

samuel writes

There is a reason why we haven't put Samuel in anything like, say, boxing or drum lessons.

It is another way that this kid that would express himself.  

And he is already really really good at expressing himself.  
And that kid has a lot of punk inside to be expressed.  

We haven't pushed writing on him.  Not for the same reasons that we haven't pushed boxing or drums, but just because we figured he would catch on and, well, he happens to be the second child (be honest, you parents know what I am talking about).

Today he shows up with his very first sentence.  

No joke.  Other than his name this is the first thing he has written on his own.  

He folded it up and put it in a cute little pink candy box for his sister.  He was so proud he showed his dad first.

Here it is: 

Yep.

"Eva is stupid"  

Good thing they weren't fighting.  Lucky for him she thought it was hilarious.  Hopefully that is because she knows very well that she is, in fact, NOT stupid at all.

Samuel, really?  You finally learn how to write and this is what you want to express?

Good thing this isn't my fault.  As it would have been if I had been the one that taught him how to write.  I am such an awesome mom.

p.s.

Sweet sister in law just reminded me of something that cracked us up last week.  
We were at the candy store (the Chocolate Covered Wagon has the best caramel apples in case you need to know).  Samuel got two chocolate coins.  One for him and one for his (not stupid at all) sister.  (And the fact that we were double fisting our gelato and handmade caramels was not the point but still funny).  So in the car on the way home Samuel is saying, "Ffffaaaarrrrtttt, fffaaarrrtt, kannnnnoooo, ffffaaarrrttt."  I finally said, "What is he saying?"  Though we don't claim to be the classiest of people, "Toot" is still Samuel's word of choice when it comes to that.   So, we asked, "What are you saying?"  He handed us the foil that held the chocolate coin.  It had "Fort Knox" stamped on it.   

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.