There was so much that I didn't mention last week.
- Like all the cupcakes made and ate last week (muffins really since they weren't iced - as Ryan pointed out to me) in celebration of National Cupcake Week.
- I finally decided on which easel to get (this tabletop easel) and ordered some more stuff to paint on and some additional water soluable oil colors
- I started a new class that I'm taking while Jessi is in Hebrew School where I'm learning more about Judiasm and I'm also learning the Hebrew alphabet (Jessi promised to helped me study my letters since the version I'm taking is fast-paced and I'm much more comfortable with French than I am with Hebrew - although that's not saying much. That, and she happens to already know all of her letters. Smarty pants.). Because even after 5 years of French ( in high school and college) I can't do much more than order french fries in Paris at this point (although what else would you really need? I mean, really?!).
- We went to a the fall bingo night fundraiser at Jessica's school and we all had fun with those bingo markers and next year I won't mess up the order of the bingo packets (newbie mistake)
- We are now listening to the High School Musical 3 soundtrack (Jessi saw the movie this weekend with our Cousin Paula and LOVED it. I'm planning to take her again this coming weekend because *I* want to see it and Ryan has a very packed social calendar this weekend with birthday parties galore)
- We caught up with Paula and Bill after not seeing them in what felt like forvever but was probably only a month and a half or so
- We went to a nearby farm this weekend and got to feed the animals, bounce around, take a cow train ride (the little train cars were painted like cows and given names - I even sat in one named Ryan. Ryan, however sat in front of me, and I have no idea what his was named). While we were there we saw a few pig races too which were so cute and funny at the same time. The kids LOVED it.
- We found out our favorite Thai place, the one we go to once a week, the one where we are regulars at, the one where they know our orders when we walk in. Yeah, that one. IS. CLOSING! WHAT?! Say it isn't so. I was extremely bummed about this. Today is the day they are closing too. I will miss them. And I am so grateful for the yummy food they provided for the community and our family and I will miss visiting that wonderful place. A. LOT.
- Because of the new class that I'm taking, grocery shopping has now moved to Saturdays which takes a bit of a shift in planning my time but it went well this week and I discovered that Saturdays are REALLY rocking at Wegmans. They had a whole bunch of samples and I pretty much ate my way through the place. And it was PACKED. I could have done without half the people. Not that I'd want to knock them off or anything. I just wish they were home instead of in the aisles.
- finding out that I'm going to need to have a talk with one of Jessica's teachers at school (that could be a whole post unto itself - and who knows... maybe it will be this week). But suffice it to say that the new art teacher told everyone that they are not allowed to draw lollipop trees after looking at Jessi's paper and she also told her that she shouldn't draw butterflies the way she's doing them that they look like kindergarten stuff. I almost thought my head would explode when I found this out on Sunday. And Jessi started crying and thought I'd be mad at her???!!! At HER? NO, SWEETIE, I'M NOT MAD AT YOU, I AM ANGRY WITH YOUR NO-GOOD, VERY BAD TEACHER. When will some teachers realize that their job is to inspire their students to love to learn and to be creative in their thinking (and in the case of art class - to express themselves)?? I don't mind teachers showing techniques, giving them some history of art and artists, and expanding their horizons as to showing them possibilities... but to tell them they must draw a tree a certain way? Well this is where my tolerance is stretched a bit THIN (and this is putting it nicely)! The teacher actually got up and told the whole class that this is what their trees should look like and proceeded to draw a tree for them. IF EVERYONE'S TREE/PERSON/HOUSE/MOUNTAIN/{INSERT YOUR FAVORITE WHATEVER HERE} THEN WHAT WOULD BE THE POINT OF ART? EVERYTHING WOULD LOOK THE SAME!!!!!??????? ....... I'll keep you posted on the situation.
Today involves scheduling the carpets to be cleaned (they are awfully dirty and they smell like dog, dog, dog, and dog)... working out (after getting the carpool dropped off) and maybe something creative - who knows what at this point what it will be (digital scrapbooking? painting?). But one little man is being very patient and is waiting for me for a game of Uno before school! Gotta run!
