This week we worked on creating a Joseph Cornell box with the all of the found objects G has collected over the past year and a half. He studied this artist in preschool and we took him to the exhibit at MOMA in San Francisco last year. He really loves collecting random things (what kid doesn't?) and this is a great way to utilize the "stuff" collecting in his room and honor his vision of their beauty. He remembers where every little item came from and had a lot to say regarding its placement.
We went to the Valley Ford Hotel a few times last week to see Mr. December and, separately, Arann Harris perform. Two of our favorite performers. Grady has been on a music kick this week and sang for over two minutes "I had a bad day!" at the top of his lungs on our back porch, while standing on a table. The video was too big to add to the blog, but it was so stinking funny and cute. He would just keep repeating the same line for two minutes, with toe-tapping, country accent and all. Great blackmail material for his wedding day.
Another beautiful Monday at the beach. We saw harbor seals, birds, collected golf balls (we always find at least one), sticks, beach glass and smooth river rocks. The above photo is from a series of photos of G jumping off of that log. This one seemed like the happiest.
We went to the Valley Ford Hotel a few times last week to see Mr. December and, separately, Arann Harris perform. Two of our favorite performers. Grady has been on a music kick this week and sang for over two minutes "I had a bad day!" at the top of his lungs on our back porch, while standing on a table. The video was too big to add to the blog, but it was so stinking funny and cute. He would just keep repeating the same line for two minutes, with toe-tapping, country accent and all. Great blackmail material for his wedding day.
I worked at Pastures Preschool on Friday and it is always like walking into another world. The children are so unique and expressive. Stacy (the director) has been studying the poet Langston Hughes with the children and they wrote a collaborative poem (ages 2 - 5 years old). Here it is:
After Langston
I had a dream of dinosaurs made out of buckets
A dream that lasts all day long... underground
One night to start, one night to finish
We dream about eating TOO many marshmallows, twirling costumes, pretty pierced ears, miner's lettuce, chocolate, all kinds of candy and bones all night long
One night to start, one night to finish
It's nice to know that if you expose your children to art, music, writers, animals, nature - you will get so much back from them. It's nice to see the path that Stacy takes the children on at the preschool. What an amazing foundation to build upon. The school has really helped me with becoming a better parent to my little guy. We stopped letting him watch t.v. on school days and let him watch a movie or two on the weekend. It has changed our lives for the better. I feel like I know my kid so much better and he doesn't hound me for anything that would be in a commercial (McDonald's, toys, etc.). We feel free of the media onslaught that is directed at children and he is really using his imagination to create his own world and not what someone is trying to sell us. Okay, I'm off my soapbox now. It was just a huge shift in our household for the better and I highly recommend it.
Here's a poem Grady and I worked on after getting the inspiration from the little ones at Pastures:
I love January mornings
Crunchy, sparkling grass underneath my boots spread like glitter
Distant sounds of owls calling (whooooo, whoooo, whoooo)
Seeing my breath as we laugh and run
Frozen disc of water in the bird bath and I want to make it melt
Warm, toasty, yummy waffles
I love January mornings
Steve and Grady installed a clothesline for me on the front deck. We had a lot of debate over where to place it and optimal sun times, etc. When I got home Sunday and saw them working on the project, Grady said "Dad is trying to make you happy". I am happy.
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