Cow tipping - I call shenanigans...

Just had another person claim to be part of cow-tipping. I'm not a believer. I find it ridiculous actually. So many people have crazy stories of late night cow-tipping, usually sneaking up on an unsuspecting sleeping cow and seemingly effortlessly tip the cow over. Sometimes it involves alcohol (the humans, not the cows).
You must think me extremely gullible to believe that a 1000 pound animal, that generally sleeps laying down, allowed you to put your hands on it long enough to knock it over. And that a 170-200 pound person with little muscle is capable of doing that. Not to mention, usually where there is one there is a herd. I call shenanigans and resent you for thinking I'd believe it.
I suppose it's plausible that you can knock a cow over, under the right circumstances. Perhaps you have several beefy, athletic-types helping, but late-night and drunk? Or maybe you just had the damn thing tied up. Plus, did you consider that 1000 pounds falling on it's side wouldn't cause some kind of injury? You're a jerk to boot.
So many times I've heard this stupid story and actually got into a bit of an argument with a cocky guy about how ridiculous it was. Since it takes so much effort for me to NOT roll my eyes when someone is making up their story, I generally lose the energy it takes to argue about it further - because that's how they choose to remember it. I walk away with a little less respect for the storyteller.

I'm Teaching??

What was I thinking?  As a person who does not go out of the way to meet/talk/interact with people...this prospect of teaching a bunch of kids art projects is quite daunting. I'll admit, I may be intimidated by 7 to 12 year olds. What if they hate what we're doing? What if I am suddenly stricken with a case of amnesia overnight and completely forget what project we're doing? What if I become mute and am instantly transported to the front of a classroom clad in my pajamas and I haven't even brushed my teeth yet?  Ok, so I suppose those last two might be a stretch of the imagination...but not completely impossible!  Anyway, I know once I get through tomorrow everything will be fine and I won't even be able to imagine what I was worried about.
My thought is to start of with an easy-ish project. Pinterest has been my inspiration. :)  I'm having them create 2 pieces of art on paper, then weave them together. It's been a challenge to come up with 35 minute projects for 3 classes over a 6-10 week span. I believe it can be done even if we have to do it over multiple weeks. Greg and Addison have been my guinea pigs, so I'm getting a better idea of what will work for the masses and what won't.
Wish me luck!!

New inspiration

So, I went to a funeral last week and was mesmerized by the stained glass windows. Catholic churches always seem to have the most beautiful artwork. As a result, I was inspired to paint a couple small paintings:

Acrylic paint, 9X12 canvas

Acrylic and gouache paint, 5X7 canvas

 

I think I liked the first one much better. It seems brighter. With the second one I was experimenting with mixing the gouache and acrylics since I'm feeling a little limited with my fluid acrylic color options. I just have a small 10 or 12 color set. I liked the results of mixing them. I'm still not sure if I'm sold on the "fluid" kind of acrylic. I think I may prefer the thickness of the other kind. I may need to just use it to mix with. Either way, they both look quite striking hanging up. I think I'd like to experiment more with this method.

 

Drop-in Figure Drawing @ Rosewood Arts Center

Haven't done portraits in years, so I'm very out of practice, but I think I did okay with this one.

Addison's first "official" spring break and the Indy Children's Museum

This year marks Addison's first "official" school spring break. We decided to do something a little special with her in the few days we had off from work, so we took her to the Indianapolis Children's Museum. As a special treat, we stayed at a hotel with a pool - which she loves to do.

First, we trekked to Indianapolis to the Wingate by Wyndham hotel. Pretty nice. I think I like staying on the first floor - and we were close to the pool. Plus, it wasn't busy...so I'm sure that made a HUGE difference. We decided to grab a bite, then go see The Croods at a nearby movie theatre (which we had gift cards for, hint, hint). Greg and I hadn't been to Grindstone Charley's in a decade and remembered it being waaaay better than it actually was. No more GC. Me, being the unprepared mom that I am, didn't bring my poor child a sweatshirt, and it was chilly, had to buy a sweatshirt at Target while picking up our smuggled-in movie snacks...then headed to the movie. I totally recommend, by the way.  In the movie theatre, I'm reminded why I don't care for watching movies in the movie theatre. Especially kids movies. For a late Monday night, there were a shockingly high number of very small children at this movie. Then there was the multi-generational family who seemed to bring all of the children in their family and their friends. Did I miss the bus somewhere? If you have a small child who is very vocal, perhaps a movie theatre isn't the best place for you. Trust me, you find your child MUCH more charming than I do. I was nearly in complaint mode...and that's not pretty.

We made it through the movie and headed back to the hotel for some late night swimming.Being that it was late March in Ohio, it was moderately chilly those few days...and the pool was supposed to be heated. I'm pretty sure it wasn't. Brrr! Luckily, they had a hot tub. Unfortunately, I decided that I could definitely enjoy a hot tub. We flitted between the cold pool and the hot tub to warm back up. I know, I know...bad idea. Good way to have a heart attack, but we had the whole things to ourselves and it was fun. Of course Addison decides to change from her swimsuit - right where the monitoring cameras were. Whoops. Don't ask me why she couldn't use the bathroom which was less than 20 feet away.

We headed to our room for a much needed night of sleep. Addison decided she'd rather sleep in Greg's bed, so I had a queen sized bed ALL to myself. I slept in the middle all splayed out just because I could.

In the morning, we packed up our stuff, enjoyed a very nice complimentary continental breakfast (with eggs, waffles, sausage and the works - not just cold cereal and muffins like you get some other places). Afterward, we headed to the museum.

Let me just say, do NOT follow the directions from Siri, or Garmin or any other gps. Look at the map and find the way that you do not have to turn LEFT to get to the street by the museum. We waited in traffic nearly 45 minutes just to turn to get to the parking lot. Being there right at the beginning of the day, the parking garage was STILL completely full. We parked on the very top level. Every single parking space was taken.

Once we got into the museum, we waited probably another 45 minutes just to buy tickets! This place is insane! We almost bought season passes just so we wouldn't have to stay in the line any longer.

After that, we explored the museum. There is so much to see, it was overwhelming at first. I think Addison had a hard time with it being so crowded and visually stimulating that we had a difficult time getting her to interact with anything at first. It was a very nice museum though. Here's what I learned...buy your tickets in advance, see everything, then go back to your favorite displays, and if you stay the whole day - people give you their stuff when they are leaving. We got free tickets to the carousel and the little play they put on.

All in all it was a very fun trip. I'm glad we didn't get the season tickets though.

 

Tiny painting #6

1st Annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt 2013 @ Kettering Rec Center

BlogPress sucks...pass it on!!

It's not that I haven't had anything to say since August...(well, that was just pictures really), but a few times I have tried to painstakingly "thumb" out some blog posts from my phone. One of which I spent probably the good part of 30 minutes just typing some witty comments about Addison's birthday adventure at Chuck E. Cheese ~ only to hit the SAVE button on this stupid APP I was using and have the damn thing crash. Uh, yeah. NONE of my work had saved. This has happened on several occasions trying to post pictures and thoughts and whatnot. I nearly cried that time. It was a gold post too.

BLOGPRESS - YOU SUUUUUUUCCCKKKKKK!! 

I can't get on it to actually write a bad review because for whatever reason it says I don't have it. If it's on my phone - I had it. LOSERS.

I suppose I could sit down at an actual computer and save my thumbs for my 80's, but I can't seem to get there without homework staring at me or Facebook luring me away. So I will steal away a few minutes here and there to try to post from a more reliable source.

I realized after a workshop that I went to this past weekend that I didn't have a tab for my artwork...so that's a page in process that I'm adding. I will have to find another way to post my hilarity and wit since I am officially deleting that stupid app off my phone.

A day in the life...

This year's Father's Day tshirt

Addison's dance class picture

Dance picture

After Addison's dance recital

Naked evacuation

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has thought of this - at least women. You have that moment when you're all alone in a quiet doctor's office with muffled voices in the distance. You're sitting completely naked except for those paper gowns they give you. Looking around the room and reading all the posters in the office on cholesterol, the liver, or mapping out where you are on the dreaded BMI poster that every room seems to have. Then you spot the escape route map. If you're like me, you consider how awful it would be for the alarm to go off at this very moment and there be an evacuation - with you in just your paper gown. Surely you'll be the only one without any clothes on. Then I hear it. A sudden, blaring, unpleasant, concerning alarm. BRAAAP, BRAAAP, BRAAAP! I wonder if I'm supposed to evacuate or if I should wait for someone to come get me.  BRAAAP, BRAAAP, BRAAAP! Certainly someone remembers that I'm in here. BRAAAP, BRAAAP, BRAAAP! I can still hear voices outside the door - so I assume they've got it under control. I'll leave if I start to smell something funny or hear people yelling.  BRAAAP, BRAAAP, BRAAAP! Have I lost your mind? Is anyone evacuating? Am I the only one who hears it? Will the alarm get shut off? Should I leave your room? Naked? Finally after an eon the alarm goes off. WHEW! The doctor or nurse comes in. No explanation. Hmm. Now everytime I'm left alone in a doctor's office, I will think about this...and how close I was to having to expose myself to the world (or at least passers-by in Huber Heights). It could happen to you.

Wacky Wednesday @ school!!

We had picked this outfit the night before and just when I thought we were done, Addison wanted to throw the sweater into the mix. I think we accomplished most wacky outfit ever - and certainly for a Wednesday. It was Dr. Seuss week at school and sadly, many of the kids did not participate. I think parents forgot, but give me a themed school day and I will walk to the ends of the earth to find what we need.

Ice skating @ Riverscape

Despite the sour look on her face, she did have fun. We paid for an hour lesson, and waited on the sidelines not wanting to interfere, but the instructor was too busy to pick her up every time she fell. She was so desperate she'd reach up to anyone passing by to help her. Greg decided to help her and got on the ice. She did extremely well for first time lessons. I think next year she may get the knack. There were other kids older than her who were doing that cartoony legs up in the air falling hard on their butts...but she has a proper fall, so I'm certain she'll get it.

This, by the way, is the look of frustration we get when she can't do something the first time. We are working on patience and perserverance.

The elevator ride

Addison and I were in the elevator at her school when we had to wait for an entire PreK class to board. Like proper elevator passengers, we scoot to the back - which is also where all the 4 & 5 year olds want to be. I was literally swimming in children. So, there's a boy standing next to me looking at my sweater. He says, "what are those?" pointing to the beads on my sweater.  "Beads", I say. He says, "Seeds?".  "No, wooden beads." I correct.  "Oh." There is a lot of 4 & 5 year old chatter going on and I'm about 3 feet taller than him, so it's hard to have a conversation.  He continues. "What's your name?" he asks.  I struggle a little with this and little kids, because I'm not sure it's setting a proper tone with a strange child to call adults by their first names. You have to establish some authority or something, don't you?  Anyway, I cave and say, "Christie". He looks at me a little crooked. "Steve?" I try to hold back my eye rolling. He's just asking an innocent question, but I'm finding this whole conversation very unnecessary. "No, Christie" I say, hoping this is the end.  "Christeve?" he asks more confounded. Another boy, overhearing our discussion jumps in and says "Her name is Christeve".   "No, Chris-teeee".  "Oh" he says.  Then the elevator door opens on the second floor and the kids pour out. My daughter and I are left alone to float up to one more floor. I'm left confused and maybe a little dumber.

Happy Valentine's Day from me to you

Scratch art

I've probably been working on this for 10 years or so. :)  It started out as something and got forgotten or the inspiration fizzled. Greg found it not long ago and had it on display in our computer room. I kept looking at it thinking it wasn't finished...because it wasn't really, so I took it down and I think the results are a little more pleasing to me. I think I'll try another and maybe this time I can stick with the project to completion. It's really hard to go at something 10 years later.

Zentangle days Feb 4 to 6