The Circus Does Chalk Art

We didn't have a whole lot planned for our 4th of July (Independence Day).  Normally we would have invited a bunch of neighbors and friends over for a BBQ and fireworks but our yard is kind of a mess as we're revamping our front garden after pulling the bushes out.

We're hoping we can still do our neighborhood BBQ on the 24th (Pioneer Day) but even if that doesn't happen I suppose we'll just have to have a BBQ on a regular day before fall hits.

The garden is coming along though, we're happy about it and I'll post some before and after pics when it's finished.

So back to the 4th.   We didn't really have any specific plans except I had my heart set on doing chalk art with the kids after going to the chalk art festival (here) and we got invited to a friend's house for a BBQ and fireworks so we were off the hook with The Circus on that one.

Jayme, Tayler, and I helped The Man gather rock in the hot morning for the walls we're building in the front garden.

As payment for that The Man helped us with the math of drawing out the grids for our pictures.

And with that we were content to draw and color on the cement for a good couple of hours before we needed to get ready to go to the BBQ.

Sean did a Zombietown sign:

Casidee did an exploding tardis (if you're wondering what a tardis is then you must not watch Dr. Who):

 Brynn did a minion:

Cali and her Power Puff Girl:

Jayme's Monster's Inc crew:

Tayler's alien sweeping leaves under the sidewalk:

And my minions.  I was going to to more of them in the background, but I ran out of yellow chalk.

 It was a lot of fun and The Circus was pretty proud of the outcome.

I think this is an activity that we're going to revisit.

I would highly recommend it.

My Other Girls.

It may just be me, but when I drive by wrought iron fenced property while driving to and from youth conference, and notice there are giant walrus and rhinos....

it becomes a necessity to stop and see what it's all about, and what kind of mischief I can create with them and my camera.

It's something you never grow out of I guess... I'm seriously wishing I had the picture of my high school friends when we wore pioneer bonnets to play pinball at the local movie theater... I'm going to have to dig that out now and add it.

This is also what happens when you have a few kindred spirit young women in you car when you decide that stop is necessary.

We pulled in and discovered it was an art museum, and we took a minute to appreciate the art, without setting a single foot inside the building.

 

As Mik would say, it just isn't youth conference until you get kicked in the butt by a rhino.

As I would say, "tough love, Mik."

You know when you're in a church meeting and a leader gets up and says something to the affect that they love everyone.  And you think, um hum, with a roll of your eyes.

Well I'm not going to say I love everyone.

But I am going to say that I love these girls.  The time spent with them has been a blast.  I've loved watching them figure out what to do with their lives, and listening to their high school stories.

I love that I got to hang out with Ballison, who's name is not Ballison, just one more time before she jets off to be a missionary in Texas.

And to listen to Gail's enthusiasm of life before she heads off to dance at college.

And to grow a little bit closer to Mik who is going to rock her senior year of high school.  I still get one more year with her and I'm thankful for that.

I wish I could have had them all there with me on those statues, laughing our heads off. Sariah, Whitney, Malone, Cassie, Toree, Mia, and Izzy who isn't mine yet, but will be soon.  And Bryanna who already grew up on me.

They make me feel shiny and happy.

I wish I could tell them how much they better my life, but I don't think I'll ever be able to express it well enough.  So for now I'll just continue to listen to their stories about school, and watch them in their talents and as they make grown up choices with their lives as they graduate.

I'll keep learning the gospel with them and cheering them on in life.

Always I'll be cheering them on in life.

And yes, I love each one of them.

the beauty of a second

The beauty of a second.  There's a lot of these that have been made and I think they really are beautiful.


I don't have video, but I thought I would post some beautiful seconds that I have in my life that haven't yet made it into a blog post.

It's all these beautiful seconds that float past us that make up our lives.  Some moments are grand, some are quiet, some are once in a life time, some are every day.

All together they create the patchwork that is my life, my experience, my growth, my depth... me.

Now tell me... did anyone notice the grass coming out of Cali's arm pit? :)

Cali's drawings

Cali, first grade.

A picture she drew of herself with our two dogs, Milo and Strider.

 And her self portrait.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Cali style

Cali's Halloween art

Well, since I don't really scrapbook anymore I need to stick memories of this stuff somewhere...

Cali's interpretation...

of herself on her first day of kindergarten:

The circus goes to a Jazz game

On Monday I was sitting at my desk working, and generally just minding my own business (ha ha). It was a little after five, and I work until six. Wendel, one of the owners of the company I work for (Burt Brothers Tires) came up and asked in general (there were three of us still at work) "who wants tickets for tonight's Jazz game?" Usually when this is asked it's for the company seats, of which there are four, and we're usually given only two, so as an excuse to NOT take them, I replied with "I have my girls tonight." "How many of you are there?" "Five." He begins counting tickets onto my desk, "one, two three, four, five. It's starts at seven, you better get going." Needless to say, the circus was ecstatic. I called and told them to make sure they had clean clothes on and I hung up the phone while they screamed in excitement on the other end.

We found parking on the street and made our way in to the Energy Solutions Arena where we bought a couple of plates of loaded nachos to share and wound our way to the door we needed. I pointed out the huge Burt Brothers advertisement on the wall and by the time we found our seats the girls were singing the Burt Bros jingle full blast. The circus got to experience their first Jazz game from the 18th row, just two sections over from the regular Burt Bro seats. I'm assuming it was some sort of promotion tickets given to Wendel, as he gets all sorts of cool stuff like that. I think I created fans for life last night as I taught them about the game and they screamed and cheered and ate too much ice cream. The Buzz bee mascot was there and at one point tormented Cali, who turned around and almost tripped the poor guy by hugging him unexpectedly. Of course, the Jazz won, and confetti fell from the ceiling and according to the girls, it was the best night ever.
After the game, we walked up to the corner to wait for the light to cross to walk to our car, and a panhandler was standing there with his hand written, cardboard sign which simply read "Please help". Unfortunately for me, the group of people was positioned in such a way around this pan handler, that it left my circus and me standing right in front of this man, as he was standing in a little off the street corner, facing all the people, and we were facing him... as he was in our way of the street as we waited. These situations for me are awkward enough on their own. Cali, in all her rambunctious curiosity says loudly enough for me (and everyone else around us, including this man) to hear, "Mom what does that say?", as she points right at the cardboard sign in his hands. I try barely shaking my head to sway her. "What does it say Mom?" Brynn chimes in, "it says 'please help'". Cali continues, standing right in front of him, "it says please help? Why would it say please help Mom?" I can't even bring myself to look at the man. "I don't know, please don't worry about it." A second or two of tangible awkwardness passes when FINALLY the light changes and we move past him to cross. (The morning show I listen to in the mornings had actually been doing some stuff about "kids say the darndest things", so I emailed this experience to them. One of the morning DJs emailed me back saying he wanted to share it on the air. To hear it go here and listen to the podcast for 12-2, part 2. It starts at the timing 30:24).

Meet the author... Brynn

Brynn's first grade class had a "Meet the author" night. Each child in the class wrote, edited, and illustrated their own stories, and then each took turns reading them to us (the families who were invited). A display was set up for each child with the years reports that they've done so far in the year. Brynn did an animal report on penguins (what in the world inspired her to do that?...for those of you who don't know, I've love penguins and have for about fifteen years now). To go with her animal report, she sculpted this penguin:Brynn took her turn and read her story to the group "In the jungle the monkey is dreaming about a banana in a tree."
"On her bed the kitten is dreaming about a dog. It is a very scary dream."
"The little mouse in his hole is dreaming about a piece of cheese. That must be a good dream!"
"The puppy is dreaming about a cat. He is wagging his tail because he wants to chase her.""I am dreaming about ice-cream because I like it."
"The End"