BROADWAY PLAY

While in New York, we saw the Broadway play, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."

It starred Daniel Radcliffe...also known world-wide as Harry Potter. 

Ring any bells?

I thought it was kinda crazy that he was starring in a musical production. I mean, Harry Potter can sing and dance??
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But we learned that yes, actually, he can. His singing was...acceptable. And his acting was great! But his dancing? It was TRULY impressive. Like, I-was-completely-blown-away impressive. 
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Who knew Harry Potter had it in 'em?
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And it wasn't til the end that I realized he has a killer American accent. 

The theater was surprisingly small...fancy and beautifully decorated...but small. As a result, it was hard to believe how CLOSE we were to Daniel Radcliffe. He was right there on the stage in front of us. 

RIGHT. THERE!

I guess I'm not used to seeing a whole lot of  movie stars living here in Idaho, because it was very, very surreal.

I wasn't sure if musicals were Andrew's "thing."

But don't tell me he wasn't entertained! Not only was he and the audience laughing through the entire show, but every time I glanced over at him, he was leaning forward in his chair...eyes glued to the stage...mouth hanging open.

He even requested that we get tickets for another Broadway play while we were in New York. Unfortunately, we couldn't make it work with the short amount of time we had. 

After the show, a mob gathered around one of the exits hoping to catch a glimpse of the star. 
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What? You can't see him? 

Don't worry. We couldn't either.

The only way we could tell he was there was when the crowd started screaming. Body guards were yelling at everyone to back up, people were scrambling up poles and fences to see better, and I was taking pictures of a sea of cameras in the air. 

We gave up on the madness and left. But not before a young kid came up from the front of the crowd in a daze. I don't think he had recovered from being the sudden possessor of a Daniel Radcliffe signature, if you can call it that. Signature...mad scribbling...either one.

He was kind enough to let me take a picture. 

Anyway, like I mentioned in a previous post, this was the undisputed favorite part of everyone's NYC trip. 

WARNING: R-Rated Post

I was alone in my classroom reading this from one of my new third graders and dying to share it with someone. This little gal made three very funny mistakes right on top of each other...each a little more shocking than the last. 

I often have to translate students' experimental spellings in my mind as I read. My thought process as I read this went something like: 


You are a nice teacher.
You are smart. 
You are cool. 
You are fun.

Aww. What a sweetie. 

Do you like...touching kids? 

Um, that's awkward. Does she mean hugging them maybe?

Do you like...whores?! 

WHAT the...?

Do you like to...ride whores??!

OH. MY. GOSH!


It was at this point that I dropped the letter and laughed out loud for a minute straight. I mean, obviously, she wasn't meaning to say those things. In case you are wondering, I'm pretty sure the correct translation is something more like:

Do you like TEACHING kids?
Do you like HORSES?
Do you like to ride HORSES?

Nonetheless, this is one letter I will be keeping forever.

THE CURRENT BUZZ

I've been busy working on my bee-themed classroom for the first day of school (just a few days left!). As a result, my head is a whirl with cheesy bee puns. This "bee happy" banner I made is just a sneak peek of things to come.

So here's a story for ya:

I decided to be brave and enter some photography into our itty, bitty county fair. I printed three 8x10 photos, matted and framed them, and sheepishly handed then over at the fair grounds. I felt so foolish. It didn't help that I was completely surrounded by parents filling out entry forms for their children.

For several days after, I felt butterflies in my stomach every time I thought about going back. I had asked for my photography to be judged! How intimidating! What if I didn't get any prize at all?
But what if I did?
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My thoughts eventually snowballed into grand visions of ribbons and recognition. By the time I went to see the results, I was entertaining myself with memories of Wilbur from Charlotte's Web, being paraded around the fair with a full marching band. It could happen, right?

That's not exactly how it played out.

Not only were pink Participant ribbons hanging from each of my frames, but two photos were hung SIDEWAYS on the wall, as if the judges couldn't even tell what they were supposed to be!

I'm trying not to let this one experience squelch all my hopes and dreams.

I have given up on vegetable gardens for now. For 3 years, I provided tender, loving care through the summer until school hit in August. Then, it all died...just as everything was nearing its harvest time. I'd just be too busy!

I was tired of putting in so much work for nothing. So this year, I threw handfuls of wildflower seeds in our garden box and called it good. I was worried when for a few months it looked like a box of weeds. But recently...it paid off.

Oh, and this is what our house currently looks like. Dormers built, shingles laid, and most walls sheeted.

Several windows still need to be cut out on the front, and others need to be made bigger. But this gives the general idea.


Next up: house wrap and window installation!

HUMIDITY

I couldn't help but laugh at these pictures taken in progression on one of our days in New York. Pay special attention to my naturally curly hair...

Straightened. Sleek and smooth (though slightly windblown) as we wait for the Staten Island ferry.

Curling at the ends mid-afternoon on Wall Street. 

Orphan Annie. Crazy curls at the Tick-Tock Diner for midnight dessert. 

I don't know why I even tried. 

TOP TEN NYC SIGHTS TO SEE {according to us}

I feel overwhelmed by the task of blogging our New York City trip. This is probably due to how unbelievable it was. Or the fact that I took over 500 pictures (not even exaggerating). I mean, where do I begin?

I decided a nice, succinct top ten list would be the best way to start (and you all know how much I love lists). So, Andrew and I deliberated and debated. We saw SO MANY sights in three days that we couldn't include them all, and it was difficult to rank others with certainty.

But hopefully this will provide any future NYC travelers with some general guidance. Consider this the beginning of our Big Apple Series.

#10) Museum of Natural History

Free, with a suggested donation of $20.

Andrew says he's never been to a museum before this, and was excited to see the dinosaur bones. All I have to say is, there's no way this gigantic place has only one night guard.

(Any other Night at the Museum fans out there?)

#10) Museum of Modern Art

Free on Friday evenings.

Yes, this is also #10. We couldn't agree on which museum to put in this spot, so we cheated and put them both.

He thought the Museum of Natural History was awesome...I though it was just okay. I LOVED the Museum of Modern Art...and he wanted to jump under a bus by the time it was over.

It's all a matter of interest, I suppose.

There's just something about original work from Picasso, Monet, Cezanne, Chagall, Warhol, Gauguin, Pollock, Kandinsky, Seurat, and Van Gogh that floats. my. boat.

Can you guess which famous painting that is through the crowd?

#9) Washington Square Park

Free.

After wandering through trashy neighborhoods and crowded subways, this area was a breath of fresh air. Maybe it just reminded me of our college home-town, but I loved the clean, artsy, and youthful feel around the NYU campus here.

See the Empire State Building through the middle of the arch? We sat by a beautiful fountain for a long time surrounded by colorful gardens. This is also a favorite spot for musician street performers.

#8) Brooklyn Bridge

Free.

We walked halfway across and back again. You get a view of the city skyline, the Statue of Liberty, and ships floating by... not to mention the architecture of this beautiful bridge.

If you're lucky, it'll even start pouring just as you reach the middle.

#7) Ground Zero

Free.

The actual site is fenced up while the memorial and the new Freedom Tower are being built. Plaques, pictures, and memorials are plastered on sides of buildings and in shop windows.
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However, standing in the vicinity of where the towers fell and combining it with what I saw on TV all those years ago was more than enough. More to share on this special experience later.



#6) Central Park
Free.

You could spend an entire week exploring this park: lakes, playgrounds, forests, statues, memorials, fountains, bridges, etc. After the afternoon, we barely scratched the surface.

There was something enchanting about that forested oasis in the center of all the noise and bustle.



#5) Top of the Empire State Building
$20.

Not the romantic setting portrayed in Sleepless in Seattle. Long lines. Very crowded. Had to fight to get a good view on every side.
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Yet totally worth it.



#4) Time Square
Free.

Worth seeing in the day and again at night. No one follows traffic laws. Don't try to, or you'll get trampled. Great for people watching, but look out for that naked cowgirl though.

She's...naked, and the cops don't seem to care.



#3) Wall Street
Free.

This was unexpectedly magical. The architecture and cobblestone streets made it feel like we walked into a different time. Make sure to see the nearby Trinity Church as well.
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Where's Waldo Mom and Becca? Can you find 'em in the picture?



#2) Staten Island Ferry
Free.

White sailboats, ocean spray, and views of the city's skyline. One delightful hour.

Not to mention the ferry floats right past this lovely lady.

It would have taken money and time we didn't have to actually land on the island and go up inside the statue. And I think you have to get tickets far in advance.

#1) Broadway Play

Between $50 and $400 a ticket.

This was the unanimous, undisputed highlight of the trip for everyone involved. Wow.


This should be at the top of every one's list who comes to NYC. And I can't wait to tell you more about the show we attended.


Wow. But I already said that didn't I?

CRAFTY GRADUATION GIFT {tutorial diy}

My sister recently graduated from BYU-I with her B.A. in English. The timing of her internship and the start of her master's program are such that she won't have an opportunity to walk across the stage when her name is called. No graduation cap, no hand shaking with university dignitaries, and no smiling photographs with family members. Poor Becca, right?

But graduating is kind of a big deal. Something to celebrate--something to be really proud of!
Being the wonderful sister that I am, I couldn't stand for this important event to slip by unrecognized.
So I made her a present--a special, personalized gift to commemorate all that she has accomplished, and all that she has yet to accomplish in that bright future of hers.

I bought the fattest letters I could find (greater surface area for maps) and painted just along the edges. The rest I would be covering up, anyway.

Then I pulled out my scissors and thrift store atlas and went to town! Our spare bedroom was--and still is--a wreck.
The hardest part of this project was cutting and piecing it all to fit properly on the wood letters.

I originally got my idea from HERE, but I wanted to make this more personalized.
So I included bits and pieces of everywhere she's lived or vacationed to that might mean something to her: Gilbert, Mesa, Flagstaff, Provo, Orem, California, Nauvoo,Washington D.C., Mt. Rushmore, Rocky Point in Mexico...

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...and many, many more. This girl has been busy!
I visually separated each destination with super thin, white strips of paper, and cut the Eiffel tower image from a vintage map of Europe I bought for $1.00.

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Then I decoupaged over everything several times, and it was ready to hang on a wall or display on a book shelf.

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Then, almost by accident, I came across THIS free printable that was a perfect fit in every way: Becca loves to read, the "knowing" and "learning" matched the occasion of graduation, the colors matched, and it even used the word "GO" in capital letters.

Divine intervention, I'm tellin' ya! I never could have come up with anything better myself.

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I printed it out on photo paper, mounted it on scrapbook paper, hole punched the corner, and tied everything together with raffia.

A picture perfect graduation gift that I even got to hand deliver when we visited her in New York last week!

And she loved it.

CAN YOU GUESS WHERE WE'RE AT?

Maybe this'll give you a clue.

PAPER MACHE {crafty tutorials}

I've been working on projects in preparation for the new school year. I thought they might serve as inspiration for you elementary teachin', art-lovin', kid parentin', and birthday party plannin' kinda people out there.

But mostly, I'm showing off these creations to satisfy my excessive need to be admired by others.

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Just kidding. I think.

Both projects began the same way.

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{I was so caught up in the joy of creation that I forgot to take pictures of the process. These 2 pictures come from THIS website where detailed paper mache instructions are also given.}

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It's really very simple:

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1. strips of newspaper

2. flour and water mixture

3. inflated balloons {I used much bigger ones}

Dip the strips of paper into the liquid and strip away any excess goo with fingers. Then, lay them every which way across the entire surface of both balloons.

Allow them to dry overnight before using a pin to pop the balloons inside. The now dry, paper mache shells should remain in the shape of the balloons.


Now, we're ready to talk about each, individual project.

The first project was inspired by the pinata seen HERE. I decided that hanging by the classroom door, it would complement my sunflower/bee-beginning-of-the school-year theme nicely.

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I took one of the paper mache orbs and painted it yellow. Then, I wrapped thick, yellow yarn around the hive in no particular pattern. Every few times around, I would add a dot of hot glue to ensure it all held together.

Bees were made from large, yellow poofballs...that's the technical term...wrapped with black pipe cleaner. After tearing tissue paper into the shape I wanted for wings, they were glued on top. Then, the completed bees were arranged and hot-glued to the hive. That's it!

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I think it turned out sooo cute. If I do say so myself.

The second project was even easier to make. I just used the second paper mache orb...and paint.

It was inspired by a story my 3rd graders spend a week on as part of their reading curriculum.

I wanted a way to really bring it to life for the kids. It could even be used to introduce and celebrate the entire unit on Incredible Stories.

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I can only imagine the kids' reactions to finding this mysterious object on the table. Just think of the discussions, debates, and assigned journal entries to result!

I didn't think regular paint would create the magical effect I was shooting for, so I spent a few dollars on metallic purple, blue, and gold. This made all the difference.

Then it was just a matter of painting large, sparkly swirls. I'm thinking I'll add spray-on glitter later on.

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I also experimented with a nest of raffia. I'm not exactly sure what a dragon's nest is supposed to look like, but I hoped it would help further the whole giant egg image.

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I think it would look rather magical to an 8-year-old, don't you?

P.S. I originally found the beehive pinata inspiration on Pinterest. So I am entering it in the Bower Power Pinterest Challenge!