Here it is! Our art show. I hope you enjoy it if you weren't able to actually be here. It's not as long as other art shows I've taped in the past, but in order to put it on the blog it needs to be a small file and less than 5 minutes and guests were arriving so I needed to hurry it up. Usually I tape everything after the show, but I wanted to let everyone take their things home after the show this time. The Chinese New Year theme was a lot of fun. There were so many easy ideas to go with it that I didn't get to do everything I wanted, but I like to keep the sessions down to 5 lessons. This time I had four seperate classes: one preschool class, two 5 and up classes, and one acrylic painting class. For the preschool class we would read a story and then do a project. We painted fish windsocks and learned about monochromatic color schemes, painted Chinese calligraphy, learned about mixing colors while fingerpainting on birds, painted an animal from the Chinese Zodiac by starting with lines and shapes, and we made invitations to the art show. For the two five and up classes we looked at art from Japan and China and discussed it, painted fish windsocks and talked about monochromatic color schemes and painted a color wheel, Chinese calligraphy, painted animals from the Zodiac or a favorite animal using lines and shapes, and made paper mache lion or dragon masks. For the acrylic painting class we learned about warming up, thumbnail sketches, starting with lines and shapes, the color wheel, and painted. For that class I had something special in mind so we discussed the influence of art from China and Japan on European and American artists during the late 1800's early 1900's since what I wanted them to paint was inspired by "Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose" by John Singer Sargent. Last summer I had my neighbor take a whole bunch of pictures of the girls in the neighborhood with lanterns so I could do a painting of my own. I decided it would be fun for each girl to paint her own self portrait. The girls are ages 9-11. Everyone did such an amazing job with their art, I am so impressed! I hope you enjoy the video.

Okay, I don't really feed my son puppy chow as my latest addition to my list of things I never expected to say might lead you to believe. For about three months Henry pretended to be a puppy so inorder to convince him to eat his chilli his siblings called it puppy chow and the name has stuck. The kids now call chilli puppy chow, but I usually don't. We had our art show and it went really well. I'm hoping to find time to get some pics and video on the blog so you can check it out.

Here's a picture of the ice on my car window taken the last time I wrote. I know I said I'd get a picture of my kids all bundled up, but the camera battery died and now it's warming up. For the record, we used to listen to a radio station called Drive 105, but it got bought out and became Love 105 that plays slow love songs from the seventies and maybe eighties, I don't know I couldn't take it. Now we listen to the Current which you can check out via the link to Minnesota public radio unless it's a child's birthday then they are allowed to listen to radio Disney. Maybe they are allowed more than that, but not usually. I see listening to the radio as my way to relax so I don't lose it and hurt any of them while they are whining about someone touching them in the car. And yes, somehow punk and alternative music relaxes me. My kids like most of what they hear on the Current I think, but they keep asking me if they can request Hannah Montana.
Today I remembered something to add to my list of things I never thought I'd say. There's some background to it so I'm going to explain it here. One day my best first son (because he said I'm the best mom) asked me, "Mom, if you had to choose, had to choose, between Randy Moss, Tom Brady, or Adrian Peterson who would you be? This season." "I don't know who those people are. Football players?" "Yes" "I don't know, I don't know anything about those people. This is more of a question for your dad." "Okay mom, but if you had to choose, had to choose who would you be this season?" "I wouldn't be Randy Moss, doesn't he play for the Vikings and isn't he always getting in trouble with the law?" "No, he's on the Patriots, but he used to play for the Vikings. Tom Brady injured his leg, and Adrian Peterson is an awesome running back for the Vikings" "Okay, I guess I don't want an injured leg so I'll pick Adrian Peterson." "Ya, that's who I'd pick too, but if it was last season I would definately be Tom Brady." I never imagined I would have that conversation seeing how non athletic I am, but I never imagined I would say, "I think I would choose to be Adrian Peterson" or any football player. I don't even know if I'm spelling the name right. Also add to that, I will be gathering with my family in a few hours to watch the Superbowl. Aah, the things I do for my kids.
We have been busy with art lessons in January and now we will be getting ready all week for our art show this Saturday. We did Chinese New Year inspired art and our home is looking very festive. I think it will be a fun art show.
Wednesday was my best second son's birthday and he is now 5. Time flies. He might tell you he is 4 because now he is counting backwards and next year he will be 3. To celebrate we had a rice krispies treat Kung Fu panda, opened presents, and ate orange chicken from LeAnn Chin's, and watched Kung Fu Panda.

Hello again,
people online I am the son of the best mom in the world (and dad of course). I liked Drive 105,
but now they changed it to Love 105. I still like it though my mom doesn't. My moms the best but not perfect. I don't love Love 105. I like adding stuff to my mom's blog. Now she gave me her password so I can sneak in and write stuff. Waa Haa Haa Haa Haa!!!!!!!!

BYE PEOPLES