don't let the parade pass you by!

{note: above title is a line/song from one of my all-time favorite musicals 'Hello, Dolly!' Click HERE to watch the part of the movie where I got this line from - if you want to skip the talking and just hit the music and the parade of ALL parades forward to 3:35 on the time bar. Ahhhh...I love this show! When will this come to Broadway?!}

The art teacher at the kids school was excessed last year due to budget cuts. At first, this was devastating news & we sat in PTA meetings trying to figure out a way to raise money that we could grant to the school to cover the cost of retaining him. The problem with that thought, is that the Dept. of Education mandates certain areas that PTA's can give money to the school - and paying for a teacher's salary is a big NO!

The administration told us about a program called Studio in the School, which other schools have used and that the Admin. had heard good things about. The program came into the school and worked closely with the curriculum taught in the classroom, creating projects based on what the students were learning. That was something that hadn't been done with the previous art teacher, and although we were so sad to think of this teacher leaving - there was hope that the new program we would pay for would work. The program would also be about 1/2 the cost of a full-time art teacher...and so with apprehension we signed up.

I have to say --- my words have been completely eaten this year with that I could not imagine a program that could do as well as the art teacher we had. How wrong I was.

The Studio in the School program blew myself and many parents away! The quality of work is amazing, and that they do study along with the class on their subjects has been a perfect connection. It's also nice to see that every grade level does a different art project and with a different medium!

Madeleine's class did a lot of printing - creating pictures of the different bridges around NYC and also created a banner of different buildings around the city - a printed skyline. All of them were beautiful pieces of art work!

Bryson's class (all 1st grade classes) studied about animals to go along with their non-fiction research they did in class about a variety of animals. They learned how to sketch a picture and did so in pencil. Then they learned how to paint the picture, working in stages on background, foreground and putting in the key elements of animals and landscape. Yesterday, the 1st grade showed us their latest creations in the world of their animal art work by having a parade.....an Animal Mask Parade!

Meet Bryson the DUCK!

{the masks were made by paper mache and then objects on the outside of the mask are all recyclable materials that the students brought from home - sans the cotton balls used as eye balls!}

Bryson and classmates - Samantha {Horse?}, David {Rabbit}, Bryson {of course!} and Renee {Rabbit}

Marching around the auditorium after we had a little talk by the Art Teacher who told us the process the children used to make the masks and then let us enjoy another photo opportunity as they wound their way around the auditorium again! Well done Bryson - we are so proud of your art work and creativity!

he must be from Florida...

Our child that was born in the sunny state of FL, must have something a little extra that came into his blood. This boy LOVES orange juice! This past week, he asked for an orange and a straw and was convinced by putting them together - he'd get a delicious drink of juice...

Look no further Tropicana...

this is your new model!

madeleine

Bryson had been out of town since Thursday to Guatemala for work.  Which he loved & had such a great experience being in the culture that he enjoyes - laid back, genuine & absolutely just what he wanted and needed (work in the office hasn't been treating him very well - too long of hours, too intense of projects & emotions...it was time for something different!).

Friday night the boys and I accompanied Madeleine to her Activity Days which was a combined activity with all the girls in our stake (which means the entire Manhattan area from our ward which reaches down to Wall St./Financial District up to the Harlem Ward...which of course is in Harlem!)

The Stake Primary Presidency arranged to have the girls do flower arranging - each of them were able to make a little nosegay that they could give to their moms.  It was chaotic and fun & the gym smelled like a beautiful nursery.  Madeleine made one for herself :) {I don't think that she quite got that they were supposed to be for Mother's Day...oh well, girls love flowers too right?!} & she made one for our neighbor down the hall, which was such a sweet gesture.

The boys enjoyed pulling out legos and it was a natural magnet for every other boy in the gym...it's like the smell of legos was stronger than the scent of flowers...the boys just found each other!  Happily creating lego pieces while the girls were all working on their flowers.

It was a fun evening activity and everyone had something to do to use their creative side, and enjoy time together.

favorite memory

I was at the school a little early for pick-up ... where is my mind!  I was at the school all day - so when pick-up time came around I was already there and then started to chat with another mom about PTA things (common conversation I seem to have all the time!).  I looked at the time as we were chatting and realized I was a few minutes behind in getting Jacob, so she walked over with me to the classroom.

We were still talking, when Jacob came to the door and he stood there and then I realized he was singing.  

To me.
A darling little Mother's Day song his teacher taught him. 

I love Mommy, yes I DO!  

I love Mommy, yes I DO! 

I love Mommy, yes I DO! 

She's so special let me tell you! 

It took me by such surprise that it took me a second to understand that he really was singing to me!  I watched him, with his big smile and his hand clutching the flower and the little picture he had made for me.  And I couldn't help it - I started to cry.  

What an amazing moment & what a great boy he is.  It is needed to have our moments such as this - because last night was intense, tonight another moment where I wondered what I was doing wrong!  

Then I remembered looking down at him, and hearing his little voice sing the song to me.  

And I love Jacob too, oh yes I DO!  :)

BLOOM where you're planted

Last weekend we had an amazing weekend outside enjoying the beauty of the weather and our area!  On Saturday, our community here on Roosevelt Island had its' first annual Cherry Blossom Festival, with all proceeds going towards the relief efforts for Japan.  It was the most beautiful day & I love our dear friends from this country so much....they really are some of the most gracious and kind people I know!  

Booths were set up around a promenade area that we have on the island, and the children and I were able to sign names and messages to the people of Japan, learn how to fold paper cranes - folding 1,000 is a sign of good luck in the Japanese culture and all of the cranes that were folded by the community will be on display in our school.  Does anyone know how to make a mobile?!  I want to figure out how to have the cranes arranged in a floating/flying arrangement and hang down in our entry that is 2 stories high.  It would look amazing - I'm just not sure how to do it...one of those moments where you know what you want, just not how to get it exactly.  :) 

Madeleine's friend Aoi showing a group of the girls how to fold cranes...

Aoi's mom Junko has a special certificate from her country for her work in calligraphy.  She spent a lot of time making these cards that they were giving to people - asking for some donation to the Japanese Relief Fund in exchange.  Her work is beautiful!

This is Junko (left)....and I also met another Junko who is on the right :)  This is now my 4th Junko that I know from Japan - they said it's a common name, like Heather - Jennifer - etc. would be in our country!

Thankfully the Cherry Blossoms were bursting right on schedule from their predicted date through the NYC Botanical Garden.  It smelled amazing and looked gorgeous!

Bryson was working (no surprise!) and so we went from baseball back home and scooped up our friends that lived down the hall - this is Lillian....who has become like a sister/cousin/best friend to the kiddos this year.

I let the kiddos ride their scooters around for the event & Lillian was excited to try one out - by the end she was begging her parents for her own...although, why bother?  Look at this great set-up that she and Jacob figured out where they can share! :)

The following day - Sunday - we took a little adventure after church up to a spot I've wanted to visit basically since we have moved here.   Welcome to the Central Park Conservatory.  Or....NYC's Garden of Eden.  Not only was it absolutely gorgeous - it is free!!!

Bryson had been at work since Saturday at 10am - and I kept thinking that he would be able to come home during church and start to sleep.  As we were leaving for church, I had the thought that if he were to come home, we would need to be quiet...and as much as Sunday is a day of rest, we haven't really figured out how to have it be a day of quiet.  Working on that - just not there.  

I packed a snack bag and told the children that we would probably be going to a park after church.  Jacob was rather excited - and I found out he thought we were going to a park to play...and then when Madeleine and I clarified that it was a park to walk around, he was not happy at all...until we got there.  The children thought it was as beautiful as I did - we were just blown away by all the colors, flowers and overall exquisiteness of the garden.  

{the kids loved finding these baby tulips in the flower beds & were so persistent that I take a picture!}

Thankfully I was not completely on my own with the children.  We have a darling couple that lives on the island - she is my visiting teacher, and the husband home teaches with Bryson.  They don't have any children & were actually the very nice couple that watched our kids overnight in March so that Bryson & I could get away for an Anniversary celebration.  Her husband had gone into his work after church and I told her to come with us - we usually drive them to and from church...and when I told her where I wanted to go, she agreed to come along.

So, not only did I get to have an adult with me - but she took our picture AND I found out she was a film major in college and she gave me some pointers with my camera.  Double bonus - yeah!   I told her we would need to pack a lunch each Sunday, because there are a lot of gardens to see in the city and she is going to need to come with me all the time....it was so nice to have the company (and photo tips as well!)

The gardens are up at the top of Central Park - around 105th Street....to give an idea of how big the park is, they bottom of the park is at 59th....we don't usually go that far up, as our activities center around mid-town where Bryson's work and church is....so it was fun to be in a completely new part of the city.  I loved this view of the one big green space they had in the garden with the building behind - I have no idea what is in the building, but if it's apartments they look onto one beautiful scene!  

 The boys decided to stand on the edge of a fountain and get a little wet from the spray.  No biggie I thought at first...it was warm and it was only a few drops....

Then the wind picked up & I heard Bryson's laugh....

and that is when I realized he was soaking wet!...and as it was too late to do anything about how wet he was - I decided to take pictures :)

I love that boy!

...and that was our amazing weekend of blooms here in our gorgeous city that has finally found spring!!

p.s. Bryson (Sr.) did not get home until around 2am Monday morning.   He had been at work well over 36 hours & although we missed him terribly on this little trip, I told him we are definitely taking him back!  I can't wait to see what flowers they have in for the summer months! 

wordless wednesday: our island

{our apartment building is on the left - the tall/red one.  All the buildings right of that are across the river on the Upper East Side.  This is a new soccer field that took a year to do & was finished last fall.  We went out and played before leaving for FL.  It is probably the first time I haven't seen it in use on a beautiful day...which finally gave us the time to try it out.  And it really is an incredible field!}