Well, summer is certainly lasting forever. For those parents who are fortunate to have school stop in May and start again in August, I envy you. Our school year will not begin until September 6th. Even Thing 2 is hopeful that the time between then and now will fly by (Thing 1 not so much, but he has more homework experience under his belt.)
Because I have drug the kinder off to the computer lab for several days now, I was feeling like they were starting to turn into stunted computer game playing praying mantis heads. After piano and violin lessons today, I took them to our local nexus of culture, Huntington Garden. For the first time, I did not direct them to the Children's Garden, wonderful though it may be. Its hot outside, mommy is tired of being hot. We availed ourselves of the art galleries, and I marched them through the European collection, past Blue Boy and Pinkie. After a short tour, I informed them that their mission was to draw and color a couple of the paintings in their own style, with paper and crayons I provided. It was marvelous. Heavily air conditioned, interactive, with lots of colors. Heaven.
Thing 1 immediately marched off with the intent of duplicating a Fragonard portrait of a boy. I was so pleased— that's my boy!! About 3 minutes later, after a conversation about airplanes (I was informed by the docent who participated), Thing 1 sauntered back announcing, "this, is not as easy as it looks". Prouder still.
So we all sat companionably on the first gallery bench, reimagining a painting of a volcano by someone I did not study in art school (who knew there were any left). I had no idea anything so appropriate would be on the premesis, but it was the perfect inspiration. Well, until Thing 2 started with the graveyards and aliens, but that's to be expected. Did I say it was air conditioned?
We proceeded to the conservatory, so the bloodthirsty Things could briefly ogle the carnivorous plants before the place closed. (I couldn't seem to talk them out of going into the all glass building on a hot day.) Afterwards, I was the mommy STAR by treating actual ice cream cones at an actual ice cream shop, where you choooooooose a flavor. As opposed to Drumsticks from the drive-through dairy.
Clearly, that can't stand, so when we got home, Thing 1 was was busied stocking the toilet paper pantries (costco run yesterday), Thing 2 got to clean out the Beluga, which was getting too crammed with stuff to walk through. Oh! The moaning! I love making them do work sooooo much more after I've been nice and interactive with them. There's no guilt, just sheer pleasure.
Ahhhhh.
Because I have drug the kinder off to the computer lab for several days now, I was feeling like they were starting to turn into stunted computer game playing praying mantis heads. After piano and violin lessons today, I took them to our local nexus of culture, Huntington Garden. For the first time, I did not direct them to the Children's Garden, wonderful though it may be. Its hot outside, mommy is tired of being hot. We availed ourselves of the art galleries, and I marched them through the European collection, past Blue Boy and Pinkie. After a short tour, I informed them that their mission was to draw and color a couple of the paintings in their own style, with paper and crayons I provided. It was marvelous. Heavily air conditioned, interactive, with lots of colors. Heaven.
Thing 1 immediately marched off with the intent of duplicating a Fragonard portrait of a boy. I was so pleased— that's my boy!! About 3 minutes later, after a conversation about airplanes (I was informed by the docent who participated), Thing 1 sauntered back announcing, "this, is not as easy as it looks". Prouder still.
So we all sat companionably on the first gallery bench, reimagining a painting of a volcano by someone I did not study in art school (who knew there were any left). I had no idea anything so appropriate would be on the premesis, but it was the perfect inspiration. Well, until Thing 2 started with the graveyards and aliens, but that's to be expected. Did I say it was air conditioned?
We proceeded to the conservatory, so the bloodthirsty Things could briefly ogle the carnivorous plants before the place closed. (I couldn't seem to talk them out of going into the all glass building on a hot day.) Afterwards, I was the mommy STAR by treating actual ice cream cones at an actual ice cream shop, where you choooooooose a flavor. As opposed to Drumsticks from the drive-through dairy.
Clearly, that can't stand, so when we got home, Thing 1 was was busied stocking the toilet paper pantries (costco run yesterday), Thing 2 got to clean out the Beluga, which was getting too crammed with stuff to walk through. Oh! The moaning! I love making them do work sooooo much more after I've been nice and interactive with them. There's no guilt, just sheer pleasure.
Ahhhhh.
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