Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Art Prize

While "kicking and screaming" might be a bit harsh, I will say I wasn't extremely excited about moving here. I was going to be leaving great friends, amazing weather and a pretty great city to move to Michigan, where thankfully I already had some great friends, but the weather and the city weren't really beckoning. Since living here, though, I've found that Grand Rapids is actually a really great place to be. There's virtually no traffic and there are some amazing places and events that Charlotte does not have. Art Prize is one of these great events. I remember walking around Grand Rapids last year, pushing a double stroller loaded with tons of treats and feeling completely awestruck at the amazing art all around. This year was no different--except the kids were a little more aware and interactive with the art. We went twice. I was hoping to squeeze in one more visit, but I can't complain. These pictures are some of the art--not my favorite pieces--but with the the sheer quantity of great art, I only took a few pictures. I just couldn't get it all. We loved it and will love it every year.




School!


Really? It's mid-October and I haven't even written a single post about school? Well, let's be honest here, I haven't really been writing many posts at all lately. For no reason other than sheer laziness.

Well, even though I was worried for a good portion of the summer that maybe I should have put Rowan in afternoon preschool or wondering if she would feel lonely without her best friend from last year (who is in a different class), school could not be going any better for Rowan. She is loving it. Loving her friends, loving the Spanish, loving her teachers.

One friend in particular, Tatum, is talked about quite constantly here at home. We'll be scheduling a playdate soon.

And with this amazingly gorgeous, wish-I-could-just-bottle-it-up weather, we've been staying after school every day to play on the playground. Sometimes kids from her class stay and play. Sometimes kids from the other classes stay. We're loving being out in the sun, spending time with friends.

For the Birds

Birds aren't really my thing. That might be putting it a bit lightly. There was once a bird in our house in Charlotte and I called Lance at work. The incident ended with me donning a hat, sunglasses and heavy coat and using an umbrella as a shield. Even then I couldn't handle entering the room with the bird. I got it out, somehow, and it made for a funny story to tell at dinner parties.

The fear has gotten somewhat better, but as you can see in the picture of Rowan with a bird on her head, I stayed in the budgee cage long enough to take a few pictures, but exited to a much safer place to take the picture of Rowan. Thankfully Lance doesn't share this fear (though I have killed a spider or two for him) and he and the kids had a marvolous time with the budgee sticks at the zoo.