a weekend of art

this past weekend the kids attended a stage production of Aladdin with their dad. I didn't go, staying back with the little ones, but it is still the main topic of conversation in our house 4 days later. It was a children's cast and we knew 8 children (all home schooled)in the play. The kids have been singing the songs and recounting the evening over and over.
what a thrill!

Our little red head said that it was "the best play I have ever seen, 'cause it's the only play I have ever seen", quite impressing himself with his own wit(speaking of wit, don't ever ask your children to "clear the table into the dishwasher" lest you be challenged by your 9 year old- "wow, that's going to be hard...how do you think we can fit the table in there mom?")

back to the art-filled weekend...

we were also entertained by a steam punk art exhibit put on by a 15 year old home schooler. We didn't know this boy at all. His mother advertised on a homeschooling forum i am on that all were welcome to come and it seemed like a neat idea. We were expecting some paintings hung in a garage or some such thing - well, let me tell you...this talented young man had transformed his family's garage into a world! a hallway led us past a full wall mural of a Victorian street scene and we came around the corner into a laboratory full of candles illuminating sketches, bones, bugs, birds and beakers (that alliteration was unintended). nothing was grotesque or creepy, this wasn't a halloween haunted house, but rather a chance to go back in time, and to imagine. As we left the lab we found ourselves back out side where the artist had posted photos of the process and was waiting, leaning on a picnic table, to say hello and answer our questions. He explained that most of the wood was salvaged from skids and the walls built with old election signs. He was approachable and pleasant. Not at all a horribly awkward "home schooler". oh, and a red head to boot! we thanked him for sharing his talent with us and after a quick photo by the exit got our kids out of the cold. It was a great night. I loved that he had worked so hard, had such a creative vision, and had been given the time and support to pull it all off!
Yay for homeschooling/unschooling families.
and yay for the performing and visual arts! how they enrich our world!!

outside

today was one of those days...
the weather has been amazing (for November) and I knew I should be outside.
the kids spent a lot of time outside soaking up the incredible fall day, the gorgeous sun...
but I kept making excuses for not heading out.
even when they had lunch outside, I didn't join them. I felt I had too much to do.

finally, once my love was home from work, I knew it was my last chance, the sun was going down - fast!
so I slipped on my shoes and headed out.
my sweet girl joined me, and I am so glad she did.

we walked to the end of the street, not far, but just far enough to breath in the fresh air and get the restlessness out of my legs.

then, what a gift! at the end of the street where it becomes forrest was a gang of turkeys.
16 wild turkeys.
it was gorgeous!
This wasn't the first time we have seen them, they have wandered on to our property before, but it was the first time we got so close.
of course they didn't like us there nearly as much as we liked them, so it wasn't long before they gobbled off into the woods in a big long row.

the sun was warm on my face. We walked back holding hands, she and I.
I am so glad I forced my self outside today.