My example portrait

I decided to make a grid style portrait along with my students, even though I don't use grids in my personal art. They are fascinated and excited to see my image form on the canvas right before their eyes. I used a photo of Helena looking cross-eyed. Some of the grids on the canvas look darker than others because I am playing around with ideas on how to paint it.

My students will be using oil pastels on theirs because oil paint is just not practical in an elementary classroom. Mine, however, will be in oil paint. The grid will remain an integral part of the composition. Hopefully, it will look a little modern and 'hip' when I am done with it.

Klondike derby!

My son, Will, and my husband are heading out this afternoon with the scout troop to participate in a Klondike Derby. From my limited understanding, a Klondike is a troop sled race. Each troop builds their own sled, loads it with their winter camping gear, and pulls it as a team in a race with other troops. So they pack as light as the conditions will allow. They then camp overnight. All of this is done up in the mountains in deep snow and absolutely freezing weather! More power to them. I think I'll curl up on the couch with a blanket and watch a movie tonight!

Chess Club and more?

Will has decided to join the Chess Club at the Junior High. I have spent years signing him up for various activities because he never seemed to show an interest in anything without that initial push. I am very excited he has found something he likes enough to be motivated on his own!

You should have heard Helena's reaction when I told her. She called me on her cell phone to see if I had arrived at the school to pick them up yet, and to express concern that Will wasn't at their standard meeting place (don't be fooled! She was worried he'd make her late to ballet). When I told her that he had already called me and gotten permission to stay after for Chess Club, her response was, "...........(dramatic pause).........Chess Club?!?" (you will only be able to hear the tone of her voice if you have ever had a 15 year old social butterfly daughter or been one yourself). When she and I got home I cautioned her that I never wanted to hear the terms "geek" and/or "nerd" escape her lips. She has a rather limited and egocentric view about what is considered "cool" and "acceptable". She was very gracious, however, and promised to be fully supportive of her brother's new interest.

Hope she will be as supportive with the next club he is planning to join next week...... The Axis and Allies Club. :)

Sixth grade artists

My Sixth grade classes are working on self portraits that will eventually turn out something like this one that was done by one of my students last year. We are currently in the drawing phase.

It is interesting to watch their struggles and triumphs with this assignment. It is the most intense drawing lesson they have ever, and will ever, receive from me. I am relentless with this one.

We start with a photo shoot. Each student poses for a head shot. They get to choose whether to do a serious or silly face. That night I print each student's photo 9 cm. X 12 cm. in black and white on plain paper.

The students draw a centimeter grid on the photo, then draw a 9"X12" grid on white drawing paper. You would be surprised at how difficult this is for many student to do!

Turning the photo upside down, the student then renders the image one grid square at a time. The goal is to focus on shapes and lines in each box rather than focusing on drawing eyes, nose, mouth. The students who 'get it' become extremely excited with their first truly successful self portrait. The students who don't 'get it' spend their time telling me they are having trouble with the teeth or some other body part; or simply give up completely and end up with a squashed head! The point I tell them is that if they focus on shapes and lines instead of thinking about teeth, the image will resolve itself and will look better! The struggling students don't seem to get it.

I hope to post some pictures of this year's batch of successful portraits.

Dressing up for Physical Education

This morning Helena got all dressed up for school. She was in a dress!

Apparently, they are having a ballroom dance unit in Physical Education class. Last time it was Latin ballroom, today it is waltz and quickstep.

It just seems so funny and backward to dress up for the PE class! :)

OH!!! Her PE class gets to do the most AMAZING field trip! They are going to go cross country skiing at Soldier Hollow! I signed up to be a chaperon, of course. What an awesome experience!

Sometimes they call me Mom...

I wonder if it is a good sign when the most unruly 6th grade boy in the class slips up and calls you 'Mom' on accident? I have been called Mom, Grandma, and even Dad from time to time over the course of my career, so this is certainly not a first.

He could have called me something much worse, so I guess it is a good thing. Besides, I like this kid.

How to fake a fever...or not!

Will has caught Bill's cold. He did not want to get up this morning or go to school. I told him what I tell them every time they pull the 'I'm too sick' card ... if you have a fever or are throwing up, you can stay home. If not ... toughen up and get dressed!

So... he pulled out the thermometer. When he brought it to me it read 100.9. I calmly told him to run a second reading in my presence. Shockingly enough, the second reading was completely normal! A miraculous recovery? No. He confessed that the first reading was actually the dog's temperature! LOL! Good thing the thermometer is an external reader (meaning it did not go into the dog's or my son's mouth)!

You know, this mom has been around the block a time or two; but the kids still think they can pull a fast one from time to time.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

I know that my Mom reads this blog, I hope Dad gets a chance to see it from time to time, too! I just wanted to say...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!!

Online journals!

I discovered a great website today! It is http://www.ldsjournal.com/. It is a FREE online journal! Yes, I said FREE!

Don't get me wrong, I love blogging and will continue to post all the fun, uplifting, quirky Watson clan info and pictures that I can on this site. But there are many more things I need to get off my chest, as it were, that I cannot post publicly. I simply cannot break faith with my kids or husband on those things of a sensitive nature that I am dying to record.

I used to keep handwritten journals. I find I don't write anymore. Maybe it is because I am too busy (blogging, for instance ;) ). Maybe it is because I am leery of someone in the house picking it up and reading something I didn't intend for them to see. At any rate, I am already on the computer blogging and checking e-mails every day. It only takes a few minutes more to enter a journal entry, too!

So...HURRAY for LDSJOURNAL.COM!

A ballet update

Here is a photo of Helena in the Chinese costume for Utah Regional Ballet's Nutcracker. She says she doesn't like this picture and names reasons why. She is like the rest of us and sees microscopic faults that no one else sees. I think she looks fantastic! She had so much fun dancing that part. I hope she gets to dance it again next year!

The next thing for the ballet company is the Choreography Design Project. The concept; aspiring choreographers submit a plan and are awarded a group of URB dancers to 'set' their choreography on. Each choreographer is given 3 weeks with the dancers to fine tune before the performances.

I have been to this for several years and it is always fun. You never know what is going to come out of it. Some of it is classical, some of it is modern. Sometimes it tells a story, sometimes it is just plain weird!

I don't know if Helena will be performing in it this year. I don't think Helena knows either! She has never performed in it before, so it'll be a first for us if she does.

For those of you living close enough, the Choreography Design Project is being held at the Ragan Theatre at UVU on February 12th and 13th at 7:30 pm each night. Admission is $10 student, $12 general admission. Proceeds support Utah Regional Ballet!

My Marine is a Lance Corporal!

Yes, I know. You are all dying of envy because I have my own personal Marine! Nothing like having someone on hand who knows 101 ways to kill a man...especially with a teenage daughter at home!

Seriously, though, Matt gave us an update. He has been promoted (ranked up?) to Lance Corporal. He is stationed at Miramar. That is in San Diego and is where the 'Top Gun' school is located. Poor boy! Has to live in San Diego. ;)

He works from 6:30 am to 4:30 pm as an airplane mechanic. He keeps very busy so that he doesn't look like 'that new guy, the slacker'. Apparently an issue with some new to the job.

Those of you who want to write to him... here is his address!

LCPL Matthew Partridge
P.O. Box 454591
San Diego, CA 92145

Stupid dogs eating stupid cat poo!

Yes, it is true. Dogs like to eat cat poop. If you don't like your neighbor's cat pooping in your yard, get a dog. Now you just have dog poop, instead! Okay, so it's not such a hot idea.

So, this morning I was hurrying to get ready for work when I suddenly realized that the bathroom smelled like cat crap. I looked down to see that one of our dogs...Demi to be precise...had rummaged in the cat litter box and had brought a 'treat' to munch on while keeping me company during my morning rituals. AURRRGH!!!!

It is Will's week to be in charge of the cat litter, so he got the dubious privilege of cleaning it up.

He is a teenager!!! Heavy sigh...

So, Will has had a bad track record with cell phones. A very bad record. His first phone lasted 8 days before he dropped it into a sink full of water and fried the speakers beyond repair. What a shame! That was a NICE phone! The second one wouldn't hold a charge (it was a hand-me-down). The third, also a hand-me-down, went through the washing machine! Shockingly enough, after a month of air drying, it still worked! After time, though, it would only hold a charge for 1 hour.

So...after wheeling and dealing with the Verizon people, I managed to get him a brand new replacement for practically nothing.

This brings me to the topic of this post's title. I noticed that my bill this month was $33.00 higher than usual. After some research, I discovered that Will had been texting... a lot. I don't pay for unlimited texting because I don't do much texting and don't mind paying per use. I also don't believe my kids need to kill their time and conversation abilities on texting.

When we were all home that day, I pulled Will aside and grilled him about the texting fiasco. I took his phone intending to find out who he had been texting. He protested strongly until I reminded him that I have the right to read all texts and e-mails.

I can't say who the texts were to and from, because I don't want to break trust with my son. Let's just say that I was reminded forcibly that time is moving fast and he isn't my little boy anymore. He has become a young man and I am left wondering how to slow down the rest of the time I have with my kids before it is too late and they are grown up!

The afternoon drain

Why, oh why can't I force myself to the gym?! I am not enough of a morning person to get up any earlier than I already do. I planned to go in the afternoon when Helena is at ballet and Will is doing homework, but I am so drained by then that I just want to sit on the couch and relax.
I need a motivator. I need someone to drag me to the gym! What I need is a full sized mirror in my bedroom to remind me of why I need to go to the gym.

The first day of the term

Today was the first day of the third term of school. We are officially half way done with the school year!
Each term I get a new group of 9 classes to teach. This term is 6th grade and 4th grade. I am looking forward to the older grades because the projects are much more complex and way more fun. Last term I had 1st and 2nd grade. The little kids are so cute and loving, but the projects are simple. Older kids are a mixture of fun and frustrating. It all depends on the mix of kids in the class.
Most of the classes look to be a good mix. There is one 4th grade that is worrisome and a couple of boys in the 6th that will be a challenge. Even on the first day I had to pull them aside and caution them about behaviors! Usually there is a honeymoon phase before the bad behaviors surface.

You never see her smile...

She obviously enjoys taking her own picture. You will rarely see her smile, however, because she doesn't like to show her braces. If she would only wear the elastics like the orthodontist tells her, she would have had the braces off long ago!

Reconsiderning Jane Eyre as a heroine

I had better warn you, friend, that I am a passionate reader. Reading is my number one choice of leisure time activity. Give me a book and a comfy seat, and I am content for the afternoon. Give me a good book and the afore mentioned seat, and I am gone for the day. Give me an EXCELLENT book? I will purposefully stay up all night in order to finish it to prevent my family from suffering too much neglect!

Having said that, if you've no patience with books, I will forgive you for skipping the rest of this blog entry.

I always detested Jane Eyre. I had no patience with her. I thought her totally blind to the obvious red flags waving in her face. I was frustrated at her for failing to allow her curiosity to drive her to find the truth hidden in plain sight!
After reading it yet again, I have more empathy with her. You cannot judge Jane from a modern point of view. Any 18 year old today would have more street savvy and chutzpah to know that something was way off base. Modern girls have second-hand experience of life's hard knocks paraded before their view in mass media to educate them before their time. Jane was not a modern girl, however. She was young in more ways than one. She was innocence personified. Which, of course, is the point. She had no life experiences from which to draw in order to recognize the red flags. She had not lost innocent trust. She had nothing to draw from to prepare her for the vastness of dark and sinister fate.
I think many young people fall into Jane's trap. So blind in love that they don't see the red flags waving before them. It is truly amazing that so many stumble through the blindness of youth and still manage to make successful marriages! And yet, the divorce rate seems to attest to the many who remained blind.
But, back to Jane. I am reconsidering her as a heroine because of her poise and presence throughout adversity. She is ever kind, despite the way the world has treated her. A worthy role model, in my opinion. So, because of her gentle and loving perserverance, she has redeemed herself in my eyes and is now listed amongst literature's great heroines, at long last.

Little kids are so funny and cute!

After spending two weeks at home surrounded by teenagers and adults, it was refreshing to go back to being surrounded by 6 and 7 year old children. I gave my first grades classes the assignment of drawing a picture of their favorite memory from vacation, then let them wander the room with it, sharing and telling vacation stories to each other. One little girl came up to me with a sad look on her face saying that she couldn't find anyone to share with. I asked her to share her picture with me. She sighed and said, "It's just a picture of the beach."
I said, "Just the BEACH?! What did you do for vacation?"
"We went to Hawaii." was her reply!
Apparently, she was feeling down because everyone else was telling fun stories of sledding and snowball fights and she was feeling left out!
Little kids are so funny!

Personal Time?

I managed to find 30 minutes to myself today!!! I did some yoga and pilates in the spare room. The fact that I found any time at all is amazing since the weather was so bad that my chauffeuring time was doubled by the snow and ice.

Just a few minutes more...

before I head to bed for the last night of vacation. Tomorrow the kids return to school and I return to work. I teach visual arts to elementary school children, so I am not sure if that truly qualifies as 'work'. However, since I still have what I will term as walking pneumonia, I am dreading a return to schedules. I have really enjoyed this vacation. Not because we did anything extraordinary; we didn't. But I got to stay up and sleep in. I got to play games with my family and watch movies. I got to disregard the clock and the calendar! That last one was most significant for me. That completely disconnected feeling from time constraints is what I will miss the most tomorrow morning as I return to marking time.

Finally! I have a dining room again!

Today we moved my bedroom ensemble out of the dining room! For 9+ months, Bill and I have been making do with a temporary 'bedroom' while the basement was finished. Previous to the remodel, the 'master bedroom' was the only finished room in the basement while the kids enjoyed the main floor rooms. Now that the kids are moved into their new rooms, and their old rooms have been cleared out, we are able to move into the larger of the two main floor rooms to serve as a long-term temporary master bedroom. I hope some day to finish my remodelling plans and convert the two rooms and bathroom there into a master bedroom suite.

Speaking of cleaning out the rooms on the main floor; you never realize how much junk your kids have squirreled away until you start shovelling it out yourself!!! Helena gave 3 garbage sacks full of clothes to her cousin! All of it too small, but beautiful and in wonderful condition. Many toys were also discovered and given away. We filled the back of the Expedition and hauled what didn't go to family to Deseret Industries.

When I moved Helena's bed frame (which she no longer wants), I found a patch of mold growing on the floor! MOLD!?! I should state now that the kids are not allowed food or drinks in their rooms... which roughly translates to kids sneaking food and drink into their room, and mom and dad screaming about it when discovered.

Of course, she was shocked about the mold patch and couldn't imagine how in the world it could have come to exist. I made sure that she got the privilege of cleaning it up, though!

Okay! So it is a new year.

Yes, most people make outrageous New Year's resolutions, and I am no different. Some years I do amazing things and accomplish much. Other years I make them and promptly break or forget them.
This year my only goal is to force myself to get to the gym! I actually like going, I just struggle with allowing myself the personal time to do it! I sacrifice personal time for the good of my family. I need to stop doing that!!!

So I guess my true resolution is to value personal time more highly and not sacrifice it to my family! Maybe then I will also be able to finish the artwork that has been sitting idle on my easel for a year and a half!

I also have to give a shout out to my friend, Becky!!! Thanks so much for the visit on New Year's day! It was wonderful catching up. We shouldn't wait so long between visits next time. Oh, and I can't believe we both forgot to take pictures!

Doctor visits

Our son, Will, was born with a heart murmur that the doctors assured us he would grow out of. When he was 5 and still had it, they sent us for an EKG that designated it as an 'innocent' murmur. When Will went back for his 12 year check up, the murmur was still there; so the doc sent us to a pediatric cardiologist. This photo is of the EKG done by Dr. Mart from Primary Children's Hospital. Dr. Mart was certain it was a 'normal' murmur, but sent us to have an echo cardiogram to be sure. We did that this morning.
They found that he has a small hole in his heart between the two upper chambers. This apparently is a hole that exists purposefully in-utero, but that closes soon after birth in most people. Will's did not fully close. Dr. Mart says this can be found in about 25% of adults! He is not concerned. He said it is not something that is operable and should not interfere with a normal life. The only worry is that people with this condition (he told me what it was called, but darn if I could remember or pronounce it!) have a higher risk of stroke.
I am glad to finally have a definitive and positive answer that can now close the book on this! So glad he is all right!

More fun Helena images!

Well, it seems that I was wrong! Although she has her own camera, she still downloads her photos to my computer and tweaks them with my software. So, I still get to discover photographic gems like this! This is a photo of Helena's own eye edited with Picasa.