Tie-dye Day

Every May our 100 sixth graders and 40 adults (35 parents, 4 teachers, & 1 instructional aide/former hippie) spend a morning tie-dying T-shirts.  It's a hassle getting ready (getting to the art supply store across town to buy soda ash, and soaking all the shirts in it, and finding volunteer parent helpers), expensive (buying the shirts and about 10 bottles of powdered dye at $25-$35 a piece, plus gloves and zip-lock bags), and a ton of work (mixing dye, getting the area prepped, folding and rubber-banding shirts, and a lot of clean-up), but it is so worth it.  Everyone gets to be creative, but you don't have to be.  You can just go for it - free style - and that works too. There are no mistakes in tie-dye.  It's always an exciting surprise when you unwrap the creation, something like fireworks.  When we all show up in tie-day for our first day of EFT, everything is so bright and happy, you just have to laugh!

6th graders dying dyeing

My creation and a matching student

   

This is Art

Nobody can do carnivals or art nights like Trail Wind.  We have art parents that come in and teach lessons two or three times a month.  They teach about different artists and come up with amazing projects for the kids.  Then they spend a week lining the halls with black butcher paper.  This year the PTO spent $450 in duct tape to keep everything on the wall. 

I might be biased, but I thought the art from my class was the most impressive.  We had four mobiles of origami cranes hanging from the ceiling and a table full of ceramic food that looked good enough to eat.  Everyone raved about the yarn wrapped animal sculptures (from Central America), and paper collage self portraits.  We also had paintings of the Boise foothills, collages of aspen trees, and a Grandma Moses scene.  I took pictures, so I'll post those later.

Besides the explosion of art everywhere, there are musicians in every hallway, and hors d'oeuvres being served on trays carried by students in their Sunday best.  I had a student playing the harp, another playing the cello, and one in a little band playing trombone.  It was a spectacular!

Yipee!

Finally!  Ty came home for a visit.  He spent 3 days in Boise before he went with Frisbee friends to a tournament in Missoula, then a couple more days in Boise.  It was soooo good to see him.  I think he had a great time.  Mostly he just caught up with friends, but the wall bed worked.  He spent nights here.  I'm not sure what his hi-lights were, but here's my list:

• picking up bagels at Blue Sky (Terry doesn't like bagels, so Ty's my bagel buddy.)
• an afternoon off work and Moonrise Kingdom matinee
• lunch at Mickey Rays
• dinner at Westside with Ty and Dylan (I miss Ty's friends.  It was great seeing them.)
• doing his wash for him

I just miss him being around.  A week is a good visit.  I wouldn't want it to last much longer, but I hate sharing him while he's here.  It just makes me happy.

Females at the Flicks

Family females, Mom, Nan, Kim, Andrea, Kierra, Santanna, and me, met at the Flicks to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.  (Synopsis: British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than its advertisements, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless slowly begins to charm in unexpected ways.)

The Flicks is always my favorite, and apparently it's a lot of other people's favorite too, because I was 20 minutes early and the last one in our party to arrive.  We almost didn't get seats together.  We were three rows from the front.

Missing from the pictures are 3 actors from Downton Abbey.

We all loved the movie and all the actors, but none of us want to live in India.  Most of us don't even want to visit.  I do think I could get into the light flowing tunics.  Add a head scarf and you'd never have to do your hair.  I might take up tunics and scarves upon retirement.

Looking good, Judi Dench.

After the movie we all went to Chicago Connection for a quiet, less crowded, bite to eat.  There wasn't a lot of news - just a lot of good conversation and female bonding.  

Impromptu Get-together

Nan and Andrea were stopping by at Mom and Dad's, so I dropped in too for a visit.  Tess also dropped in.  She was golfing with her mom, but gave out after 9 holes.  Before long Dad was taking all of us to lunch at the Green Chile.  Andrea stayed until her kids were getting home from school.  Nan and I kept visiting and laughing until about 6:30.  I have the best family!  Only Millie the cat was inhospitable.  I love her too though. 

First Relaxing Lunch of Summer

Today I met friends at 36th Street Bistro for lunch.  I want to buy everything in the little nursery at the front.  I want to eat everything on the menu.  We caught up on all our news, summer plans, and reality TV during a long and relaxing lunch.  Afterwards, a couple of us wandered through Edwards Nursery, down the road.  I found about $25 worth of perennials and a lot of garden ideas.  We were talking about what a great place that would be to work at, part-time, after retirement, and when we were paying, the two women helping us were retired Boise school teachers.  It could happen!

Best Start to Summer

Yesterday was the last day of school and instead of ending with a celebration, or even a quiet dinner with Terry, I ended with a headache.  I went to bed with 3 Advil and a cool washcloth over my eyes.  But today...is the first day of summer and everything is great.  We were up early for the yard sales in Harris Ranch, Surprise Valley, and East Meadow Park.  I love garage/yard sales!  What a great way to start the summer.  We found a bike for Brent, a crib for Isaac, and I got a belt, a new little fry pan, and two sweaters that I'm going to make into hats.  (It's a Pinterest project.)

In the afternoon I went to Ava's baptism where she wore a beautiful white dress.  ( I need to get back in the habit of taking my camera with me.)  We went to a barbecue after, and I got to visit momentarily with Fredee, Phil, Barb, Marisa, Sean, Carolyn and Ashley.  The Adams family arrives in town 30 minutes before the baptism, and they all left right after dessert - except Ashley who had a flight out the next day.  Maybe we'll get in more talk time this summer.  It did make for a great start to summer - yard sales, family, and good food.
   

A Silent Movie

I met my friend Lydia to see The Artist this afternoon.  I predict that it will win the Academy Award for best picture.  I don't know what will be nominated.  I've only seen one other movie this year, but I think this one should win.  I do not love this movie, and I was not emotionally pulled into the story, but you can't help but be enthralled with this movie.  You watch every second to see how they're going to do the next part, and they do everything in a beautiful, clever way.  This is a black and white, silent movie.  Three words are spoken.  It pays homage to old Hollywood.  How can the academy members not vote for it?  Besides, the dog in it is adorable, and I did fall in love with the leading lady, whose name I don't know, but I think she's French.  Her name in the movie was Peppy, and it fit.  Besides being more beautiful and more talented than a young Natalie Wood, she was adorable, charming, vivacious, and peppy.  I can't wait to see her in something else and hear her talk.

Peppy Miller - AKABerenice Bejo

Big Announcement

I finished grading the 85 research reports last night!  What an ordeal!  The kids handed them in before Christmas but I ignored my bulging backpack and just enjoyed vacation.  Since being back in school, I've thought of every reason to procrastinate.  I just couldn't make myself plow through them.  But, the deed is done.  I read every word.  Marked on every page.  Filled-out a rubric for each, and gave thoughtful comments.  It took over 20 hours.  If I didn't have report cards to do, I'd feel free!

Happy Anniversary

Terry and I have been married 14 years.  We're still in love and very happy, but the celebration has to wait.  Terry has visits that he had to do tonight, and I wanted to go to book club, so we celebrated separately.  Maybe this weekend we'll go out to eat.  Maybe it will be two weeks, but we will celebrate, and we are happy.

Birds on a Wire

On the way home from school today I saw hundreds of birds fluttering around in a crowd.  They came to rest on the power lines overhead.  When they did, I saw that there were already hundreds of birds lining the wires - thousands!  It was a crazy site. 

Since I watched the Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds, I've never really liked birds up close.  I'd never have one for a pet, but I love watching them.  I love birds from a distance.  Someday, when I have more time, I'm going to be an official bird watcher.

A Quick Drop By

My sister Fredee dropped by this evening.  She had her cute, cute, grandkids with her and she didn't stay long.  She's a lot like my dad; a little hyper.  They never stay long when they come to visit.  Fredee didn't even sit down, but she did visit a bit.  She's in town to take care of her grandkids and Andrea.  She was delivering apples from the fruit stands down in Perry.  Good things can come from emergency surgeries.  She'll be here for about a week and we'll have more chances to talk.  When she leaves, I think Marice will be up to play nurse for a while.  I'm hoping Andrea has a full, but not real speedy recovery.  

The Visitors

Most of one of my favorite little families came to visit today.  Hudson chose to run errands with his other grandma, but Hadley came and let me read books to her.  Pretty little Maycee came and didn't make a peep.  We got to hold her though.  It was good to visit with Mike and Stace.  They came to pick up their mail and stayed an hour.  It was probably good for them to get out and about.  I also have to mention that Hads was wearing the hand knit sweater we gave her.  Even if we hadn't given it to her, I'd say it was mighty cute.

RS is always fun.

It was Fun Friday at Relief Society last night.  Each year they plan an evening of crafts, projects, classes, quilting, dinner, and a cookie exchange.  I didn't sign up for any of the crafts.  I didn't make cookies or eat dinner.  I didn't listen to the "how to make a pie crust" mini-lesson.  I helped tie the humanitarian quilt for a while, and sewed a couple hooded towels for someone who was sewing machine challenged, but mostly I just chatted with the sisters, and laughed, and got filled in on a little scoop.  I stayed til the bitter end and helped clean up.  I got home after 10:00, with nothing to show for it, but it was fun.

Happily Ever After

She's a beautiful bride who use to be one of "my Laurels".  He's a tall and handsome groom that returned from his mission in July.  They're both solid, talented, hardworking, strong, positive, kind people.  I went to their wedding reception last weekend and could stop smiling.  I love their love story.  They are my favorite happily-ever-after couple.