the numbers of art

Today J and I joined our friend, Kara, at the St. Louis Art Museum (creative name, huh?). This was their first free day of the new exhibit, "Court Arts of China's Ming Dynasty."

Before entering the museum, Jimmy was very impressed with a sculpture, "Oh, it muss be a sculture...statue!" I thought perhaps he may be showing signs of interest in art.

Once we were in the exhibit (which was full of not only art, but serious adults appreciating the art) Jimmy discovered Numbers. Some displays were numbered (and for some reason some were not), he could not get over the numbers. "Oh Mama, it muss be numbers. What number is it?" Some of my answers he accepted, "Oh, right. Muss be six." And sometimes he didn't. "Oh iss eeleaben and two I's!! Mama, iss two I's!!!" The more thrilled he was with his discovery the louder he became.

So perhaps he'll lean more towards math than art? Time will tell. Also I should mention he refused to wear his shoes. Was he thinking of the Chinese custom of removing one's shoes before entering someone's home? Or was he just being stubborn?

I am not a poet

Jimmy has a racing car bed.
You'd think this is where he'd like to lay down his head.
He'd rather, I gather, sleep on the floor,
Or with his keester up against the door.

Today he chose not to nap
This did not make me want to clap.
On route home from school, he seemed to change his mind
This makes me think bedtime may not be too far behind.

So until I can convince him to wake
Slumber and sleep is what he'll make.
I wish he would choose to lay down his head
During nap time on his racing car bed.

some people

Some people can sit straight up from laying flat on their back without any assistance from their other appendages or their mothers before they are six months old (like Jimmy).

Some people can study while listening to old AC/DC and actually retain all the information and grow up and be a surgeon (like Nate).

Some people wake up one day when they are three years old and stun their mother because she realizes they can actually read and have some how acquired this terrific skill on their own (like Grace).

Some people can get on skates and are just natural skaters (perhaps these people are usually Canadian?).
We've discovered Gracie is not Canadian.

fact finding mission

Nate and I recently returned from San Diego. This was seen as a fact finding mission. Yes we found facts, lots of them. However, we're still making sense of it all. So no details as of yet. The beach was cool (a little too cool - not quite making it out of the 50s while we were there) and the area as a whole was quite beautiful. Watch out SD, we'll be back and next time we're brining the kids!

fwee

Jimmy turns 3 tomorrow! Happy Birthday, Buv!

sweet

The Cake:

Requirements: purple outside, strawberry/pink inside

With the outside-of-school portion of Gracie's life being consumed by Rainbow Magic Fairies, we only thought it appropriate to have a Fairy Party. I will admit Grace threw me for a loop at the last minute when she insisted the actual cake be strawberry pink and not chocolate. Oh well, at least I wasn't tempted to eat the cake. Don't get me wrong, strawberry cake done well is very good, but strawberry cake that a newly 7-year old is dreaming of is not good - its just pink.

My friend Kara has had a long streak of cake decorating at our house. She and I debated throughout the month of January different styles, elaborate frills, various picks, etc. until we finally came up with The Plan. As Kara pointed out, we were seeking to please the 4-7 year old set and not the Mature Taste Bud set (ahem, me).

The cake was made in one 9-inch round and 6 cupcakes. Kara had the terrific idea to meet the purple requirement by doing the top, sides and back of the cake in the said color. Let me point out that making real buttercream purple (click here for amazing deliciousness) was a real trick! The front of the cake was piped on in a rainbow. Yes we realize the colors are not in the correct order. We also can't believe Grace didn't realize this herself, perhaps there was too much fairy excitement in the air. The cake was devoured and all the fairies left full and happy (and slightly sugar-buzzed, but not too bad).

Conclusion:

Pink insides + Purple outsides = Very Happy Fairies

side note: if you really want to excite the fairies in your life, sprinkle a little bit of Pop Rocks into their very pink punch. Trust me, they will LOVE it!

7

January 30, 2002 - Grace Elisabeth entered the world (pretty much in the normal manner).


Those 7 years have sure flown by!


We celebrated big-time this weekend: a family party on Friday night, complete with colorful cupcakes, presents, and the birthday girl's requested dinner: spaghetti and meatballs. Salsie and Pops joined in the fun too.





Saturday was our Very Fairy Birthday Party. Imagine 7 little girls running around in the Fairy Best. Well here's a picture if you aren't into imagining so much today.



Its amazing how quickly this:













Can turn into this:













Because I'm a sentimental mother, here's a look at Grace throughout the years.

2002


2003


2004


2005


2006


2007


2008


2009


More party details to follow this week, so stay tuned (the cake was pretty darn amazing).