May the 4th Be With You

May the 4th Be With You Day is a pretty big day around here.

But this year, instead of the usual Star Wars festivities, 

we did other things.

We started the day at Barnes and Noble bookstore 

so that the boys could spend their book allowances.  

And since it was Thursday, 

we enjoyed our Poetry Tea Time in the cafe.

We did include some Star Wars in our readings.

We killed three birds with one stone...

(Bird #1) we read poetry,

(Bird #2) we gave a nod to Shakespeare,

and

(Bird #3) we celebrated Star Wars Day.

And we decided that, by using personal experiences,
we could become the next Shel Silverstein.
Big dream, I know.

This original poem is entitled "Hot Tea."

That evening, we continued our cultural experiences for the day by taking advantage of the Indianapolis Museum of Art's
free first Thursday!

This was our first trip to the Art Museum.

As we were checking in, Josh realized that he forgot his glasses which help out with his far away sight.  He thought about his forgotten glasses again when he thought that the "coat check" sign said "goat check."  That brought on the giggles. 

And memories of another sign from our past...

Sorry, William.

And wherefore art our group that attendeth the museumeth?

Here they art...

Sorry.  

Still stuck in Shakespeare.

"I do love nothing in the world so well as you..."

--William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing

  Yes.  Still stuck.

And who can go to an art museum
and not think of Ferris Bueller?

Learning about Pointillism...

Observing art according to Ferris...

 And now, our favorites of the evening...

John Constable!

We just finished an art study on this very talented artist.  

We not only loved looking at his beautiful paintings, 

but we also loved reading about his life. 

He was someone we would like to have met.

We were pretty excited to find
an original Constable at our museum!

A piece of art that the boys really enjoyed...a skeleton balancing two yogurt cups between his head and the wall.

Or her head and the wall.

They loved this angle.

Can you see him...her...down there?

King George!

I've seen this painting in the history books that we have read.

And in the lower left is the fountain that 

just would not take Josh's money.

Brothers

Brothers

James Whitcomb Riley

Downtown from the canal.

William narrated...
"The State Capitol Building,
the Soldiers and Sailors Monument...

and Lucas Oil Stadium."

William had a vision through a paining from the past...
one day, Lucas Oil Stadium would be there.

He's like a prophet.

Or a joker.

One of my favorite paintings in the museum...

"Dorothy."

The artist loved painting portraits of his family.

Dorothy was his 11-year old daughter.

Matthew really wanted me to take a picture of this one.

He calls it

"Mr. Bean as a Boy"

We got to see a van Gogh!

Simple...and pretty.

An exhibit on how colors are made from nature.

Matthew really wanted to know more about these bugs 

used to make different shades of red.

A short rest break...

And then the Audubon exhibit!

I didn't know that this would be here.

It was wonderful!

The famous flamingo painting that Grandma gave Matthew.

Except Matthew's was much smaller 

and fits in his special drawer.

Awwwww!

My favorite...the Tufted Titmouse!

They are like little teddy bear birds.

Posing for Grandma.

They just knew she would love this painting.

When we got home, 

Matthew told Paul about all the naked statues. 

Josh said, "Statues weren't the only things that were naked."

I thought I had done a pretty good job 

of fast-walking and diverting attention.

Guess not.

This Boy

This boy was 2 years old when he broke 

his right arm for the very first time.

Riding toy.

This boy was 7 years old when he broke

 his left arm for the very first time.

Bicycle.

This boy was 8 years old when he broke

his left arm for the second time.

Scooter.

This boy was 11 years old when he broke 

his right arm for the second time.

Mom's trellis.

Poor guy.  

You know it hurt.

Every time.

And you know it was a nuisance.

Every time.

But that smile on this boy.

Every time.

Everyone Loves a Story

Everyone loves a story.

I believe this to be true, because I know that 

all of my everyones love a story.

I love a story!

When I say "story," I don't mean only stories in book form; 

although, that is one of my favorite ways to enjoy a story.

Stories can be read. 

They can be listened to on the radio.

They can be watched on television.

Sitcom...drama...current event...

and even Super Bowl Commercials!

And yes...in the movie theater!

(insert Star Wars: The Main Theme Song)

Stories can be passed from generation to generation. 

They can be created over a period of time.

🔽

They can be made up "on the spot."

This is another one of my favorite ways to hear a story.

There is nothing like overhearing two boys creating stories while laughing until they get a case of the hiccups.

Give your boys a couple of action figures and see what happens.

Stories are important. 

Last week, when we celebrated Carrie's 21st birthday, 

I pulled her Birthday Book off the shelf.

Carrie and William both have a Birthday Book.  It's a photo album filled with their baby pictures and memories, along with the next 5 years or so of birthdays.

In my defense, I created these books, filled with mini stories, when I had two children.

In the days before I began homeschooling.

This information will be important for you to know in just a bit.

While we were sitting at the table, looking at all the pictures and reading all the captions that tell stories about Carrie, 

Matthew asked if he has his own "dictionary" like Carrie has.

Dictionary.  

😂

(This emoji is called "face with tears of joy."  

That's how I feel when Matthew talks.)

Welllll...

(This is where you remember what I said earlier about having two children and being in the days before I began homeschooling.  Thank you. Very much.)

I told him that he has something better!  

He has 2 blog books that I printed out 

during the first two years of his life.  

Stories!

Lots and lots of stories about him and Josh!

I even pulled one off the shelf and read to him 

a story from a 2008 blog post that I wrote.

He felt much better.

But I didn't.  Not quite.

I sat and realized how many stories I have missed telling.  

How many stories I haven't put into a book 

for them to just sit and read.

Their stories.

So I'm trying to do better.

I'm trying to get back into the habit of taking pictures 

so that I can tell stories.

My favorites stories.

The stories I love most.

Stories that I will share here 

so that my favorite people can read their stories.