It’s a Attitude

Posted on 2016/04/20 by circuskitchen

Wednesday,  April 20th 2016

On the road to Maine for a quick little family getaway -or “Vacay!” as ClaraJane calls it- she announces the imperative proclamation of any child in her predicament;  “I’m BORED.”

“OK darling,” I say, being one who does not believe in boredom in any way whatsoever, “Congratulations.”

“WHY DID YOU SAY THAT?!” she demands.

“Well because it’s a privilege,” I explain.  “It means you’re having s pretty good life, without any problems.  Everyone is safe, no one is sick or getting hurt,  there’s no bombs dropping on our house or school, or anything. And you’ve got TIME, which is the greatest gift. It’s like an empty cup,  FULL of possibility!”

“It’s NOT a privilege!” she says,  and then shouts, “It’s A… ATTITUDE!!”

So now being that we are in complete agreement at this point, the dispute is basically over.  One is placated by the mere acknowledgement, and then also figures out what to do with said “Attitude.”

Aka; get in the last word.

Aka; Lo, what have we here?

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Image: Girl sleeping on box of bunnies with personalized “Activity Kit” on lap.

Problem solved. ♡

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Going Mad

Posted on 2016/04/20 by circuskitchen

Wednesday, April 20th 2016

battle of NY

 

So disappointed at the New York primary elections this morning, where Hillary Clinton *SUPPOSEDLY*  “won” New York by a lot, defying predicted indices and reeking of corruption and typical Clinton manipulation.  Explaining the state of things to my son, I concluded by saying, “Anyway, I’m MAD.  I want you to have a fair and healthy country to grow up in.”

Lovingly he looks at me and says, “You mean, you’re UPSET.  The COUNTRY is going mad.”

And so.  Maybe there is hope for the future after all.

We’ll see…

down with oligarchs

 

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Writer’s Block by Marie-Emanuelle Hartness

Posted on 2016/04/16 by circuskitchen

Saturday, April 16th 2016

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Writer’s Block – scene in silhouette

 

Marie Emanuelle-Hartness is a talented film maker and I was honored to perform in her latest film, Writer’s Block, and then to finally screen it at the 2016 Boston International Film Festival.

 

Here is the trailer:

 

 

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Scene of children from the screening

 

After the screening, Marie fields questions during Q&A, then celebrates with husband and co-conspirator, Andrew:

 

Then we tear it up on the red carpet:

Cast:

 

And Crew:

 

A day to remember!

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Writer’s Block Crew & Co – A Maiema Production

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Cambridge Science Festival 2016

Posted on 2016/04/16 by circuskitchen

Saturday, April 16th 2016

For the second year in a row we were lucky enough to buzz through the AMAZING annual Cambridge Science Festival.

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Inventor Mentor puffing the sky with clouds of bubbles

 

First up, some engineers demonstrate the integrity of the composition of our own Zakim Bridge using a replica made of bungee cords and FedEx boxes:

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(The diagonal pull of the cables pushes the segments together, giving it far greater strength than a more traditional (vertically oriented) suspension bridge, such as the Golden Gate.)

 

 

Next up, and overview of just the indoor exhibits; far too many to visit in the time we had!

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Upstairs;

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Enter a captionClaraJane tests the aerodynamics of a cupcake paper in a vertical wind tunnel.   

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The Science Club for Girls display features flowers in their beakers.  And for candy?  Smarties and Nerds.  (o: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Here is a famous experiment testing children’s sense of equity by giving them the power to decide whether they and another subject receive the candy or not by pulling the yes or no lever.  (ClaraJane pulled “yes” every time.)  (o:

 

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Gavin is trying out a cardboard device that turns your iPhone into a virtual reality theatre.  (I tried it and it was crazy amazing.) 

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CJ & I try out a little 3-D action of our own.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Here CJ is so engrossed in building that she hears no questions or comments from the scientists watching her. 

 

 

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“What do you want to make today?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Likewise Gavin is so engrossed in this console that he hears no comments from his mother telling him it’s almost time to go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ClaraJane constructs a representation of life-cycle of a butterfly:

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Egg -> caterpillar -> chrysalis -> butterfly = charming and wonderful activity.

 

Before we can make our way out, first we encounter this adorable collection of scientists, one of whom performs a magic trick with a disappearing knot.  He explains that it’s just like our DNA, which is knotted together, except when these enzymes untie it in order to allow it to do things like replicate.  So first it’s a KNOT, then it’s NOT A KNOT.  You know?

Who knew scientists were so punny?

 

Breaking out into the sunshine, Gavin hesitates not at the chance to seize control of the BUBBLE GUN.

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Well maybe it’s not a gun, but in the hands of a 7 Year-Old Boy’s Boy, it is.

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From here photos can’t really capture what it’s like to have soda bottles exploding into the sky, hurling stuffed animals and raining down marshmallows thudding on the ground to the delight of scrambling children.  Or to the dismay of those like ClaraJane who can’t quite capture one on her own.

Enter Daddy into the scene, to navigate them to the potty, to food, and to the birthday party that awaits at the public pool literally NEXT DOOR to where all this is happening.  Mom is off to her movie premiere and we’ll see ya next year Science Festival, with bells on!  Or perhaps some solar-powered led lights.   And hopefully more TIME.

 

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(o:

 

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Spring Tea with ClaraJane 2016

Posted on 2016/04/15 by circuskitchen

Friday, April 15th 2016

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ClaraJane Sipping Tea

No matter the weather, you know it’s Spring at Tobin Montessori when Children’s House students are hosting SPRING TEA.

For the second year in a row, *I* am ClaraJane’s chosen “guest.”

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MENU:  Iced Tea, Fruit Kebabs, Spring Coockies.  ClaraJane.  Mom.

 

The tables are set, cookies are baked, fruit kabobs prepared, china tea cups readied and “formal attire” requested.   ClaraJane gravely greets me at the door, “Welcome to our Spring Tea,” escorting me to our table by the hand, pulls out my chair and takes my “order” from Le Menu.

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Serving Tea is a Serious Affair

 

Watching my daughter practice her Grace and Courtesy, I swoon.

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Here Mommy

 

Now for the business of elegant dining with your four year old.

Honestly
It’s wonderful.

 

Serious business.  Until she bops over to my side of the table for photos!

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Mommy & Me

I’d thought for us to have matching braids, but in the end matching pigtails seemed the order of the day.

 

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Ms. Pat, Ms. KariAnne & Ms. Mayya stand ready by Le Buffet.

 

Students all around the classroom enjoy their parent or “Special Guest,” including dear friend Victor and his Daddy, Lou.

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Victor & Lou

 

In the classroom I love this poster, with each of their names on a paper hand corresponding to the rainbow of colors that make up the class:

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Respect yourself.  Respect your friends.  Respect your classroom.

 

And this:

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And to ClaraJane, the most prolific story teller of all;  THANK YOU for Spring Tea!

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Curriculum Morning

Posted on 2016/04/12 by circuskitchen

Tuesday,  April 12th 2016

Today parents were invited into the classrooms of our students at Tobin Montessori.

In Room 283 ClaraJane and her fellow pre-K friend Afomia revisit their favorite Math work,  “The Snake Game.”

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Meanwhile in room 290 Gavin is parsing out suffixes from root words:

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We teased out the meaning of some of the less obvious ones like “prehistory,” “subsoil” and “bilateral” with him before he had Ms. Caren check his work.

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She is proud of him and says she sees him as a writer.

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Soon he’ll be working with Parts of Speech, which of course in Montessori starts out with actual three-dimensional symbolic objects representing each of the parts. For example, a VERB -being so dynamic and full of action- is a big bright red ball:

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Students diagram sentences using these differently shaped blocks.  For real.  Here is the two-dimensional chart showing what each block represents:

Parts of Speech

 

Note:  I don’t think I charted the parts of a sentence until 8th grade.
Also:  Mad Libs are also great for learning the parts of speech.

Aunt Amanda made it to Gavin’s classroom just in time for a quick recap:

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ClaraJane was with me too and regrettably we didn’t make it to Miles’ class.

Before I go, ClaraJane begins her weekly session with a complimentary reading tutor from Harvard.   (Not so much an intervention I’m told but an extra enrichment because it’s available.  For this embarrassment of riches I am humbled by our bounty here in The People’s Republic of Cambridge,  MA. I’m also eager and grateful for anything to help the girl get dialed into reading.)

She starts today’s session by sharing with Mr. Davey mommy’s necklace she is borrowing that says, “♡ NOT FOR SALE ♡ FEEL THE BERN ♡.”

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I leave her there for a spot of coffee with parents in the lobby, a quick stop by the kitchen to see if I can Kiss the Chef, a thanks to Mary the Amazing Family Liaison and there you have it; Spring Curriculum Morning at Tobin Montessori.

(○:

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Monday Retrospective

Posted on 2016/04/11 by circuskitchen

Monday, April 11th 2016

Alive and awake and blessed at Bom Café today, in the face of death and taxes, sickness and divorce, here is a random sampling of our recent life.

 

Friday Morning (April 8th) we awake to take five animals to the vet.

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Including this One

ClaraJane went with me as a helper, though it seems I overestimated her interest in veterinary medicine as she ended up in the waiting area watching *cartoons* about animals instead.  #ohwell

 

That afternoon I take this one to the dentist.

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Practicing for Retirement

 

In fact we both went, and while he was waiting for me, Gavin explored new (to me) dimensions of my phone, among other things playing checkers against the most fierce opponent; himself.

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Iwillkillyou  vs. Fartbucket

 

That evening finds us at Niece Olivia’s City Step Dance performance at the High School:

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Including Nephew Zachary in the Big Finale

 

Saturday morning finds ClaraJane ready for a friend’s Birthday Party in mermaid dress, comfy pants, Elsa sweater cape, polka dot heels, leather jacket and homemade gift:

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She makes it look so effortless. 

#shessofashion

Later I return from my gig to find the type of calm bliss that happens mostly -for better or worse- in my absence:

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He is my Anchor too; that’s why I married him!

 

A Sunday afternoon Laundry Mat & Playground Combo was a hit.  Here on the playground ClaraJane poses with her possy of imaginary friends, including Shark Boy, Lava Girl, Elsa and I don’t remember who else:

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Cheese

 

Hopefully the rest of us were helpful enough with the laundry to make it worth Daddy losing some of the “personal time” he usually enjoys otherwise.   I for one feel great about including the kids (ahem, and Mommy) in participating in upkeep of our own clothes, generous as daddy is to do it the rest of the time.  In any case we’re starting the week with clean clothes.  And here’s coffee.  Also all our tax materials submitted to the accountant.  And no one dying or even in the hospital.

Not bad!

 

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Dinner with Pops

Posted on 2016/04/02 by circuskitchen

Saturday, April 2nd 2016

What a treat it is when Pops comes to town.   This time we tried Frank’s Steakhouse and it was fantastic.   For starters, Pops checks the menu while Zachary challenges Uncle Paul to a  Thumb War.

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1, 2, 3, 4…

 

Gavin and Olivia follow suit:

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Olivia’s friend Leah makes a serious referee

 

ClaraJane challenges Liz:

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I declare a Thumb War!

 

Needless to say Zachary is outmatched against his Uncle… for now.

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Similarly, Gavin takes on Olivia in a Staring Contest:

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Needless to say she annihilates him.

 

This is me pathetically trying to *not* take photos, BTW.

#epicfailure

Finally we collectively devolve into a Mad Lib:

[Note: the lone “h” is really a “4,”  and “alicorn” is My Little Pony language for a Unicorn AND a Pegasus mixed together.]

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So now you know.

In any case, THANKS for always coming to town Pops, no matter the circumstances.  And THANK YOU for taking us to dinner.  It was and is always wonderful and these are the days we will always remember.  Love you Pops!

 

 

 

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GLO Taekwondo – Belt Ceremony

Posted on 2016/04/02 by circuskitchen

Saturday, April 2nd 2016

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Easter 2016

Posted on 2016/03/27 by circuskitchen

Sunday, March 27th 2016

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Upon realizing we were NOT going to make it to (Unitarian) Church with ANY trace of grace, dignity or punctuality, we switched gears and asked Grandma if she was available for a spontaneous Easter feast (advance planning having eluded us this year).  She was!  (And she even has “Hot Cross Buns.”)

First a quick thank you note to Grandma Z for the adorable chocolate lady bugs she sent:

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“DEAR GRAMA Z HAPPY eASTER √ CJ”

(Instead of exclamation point for punctuation she chose a check mark, thus the “√.”)

Then it’s off to Bubble Wow’s:

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Chess by croissants

 

Mom and I try to act cas(ual) as Gavin cinches in his belt a few (dozen) holes:

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The  Waistline of Perpetual Disappearance

 

Daddy may have a different waistline but the Boys still have certain commonalities:

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Boys on Stilts  #illusion

 

Gavin then generously offered to help hide eggs and let ClaraJane find them all (given that there was a later hunt on the horizon):

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He was genuinely kind and supportive, even carrying her full basket and letting her use his.  ♥

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}o:3   (bunny emoticon)

 

After an overcast morning, it was especially glorious of the sun to come out and play for us:

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Daddy basks in some rays -ahh

 

Then as fast as we came, we’re off to our dear friends’ – Oxy & Lou’s- where I get to Set The Stage:

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Because it’s a Religious Holiday

 

The Big Kids are not thrilled about giving the Little Kids a head start:

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The yard transforms from Winter, boinging to life with children.

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The Hunt, once complete, transforms into a hard-core, high-stakes bartering situation:

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Hard Core, High Stakes (Candy) Bartering Situation

 

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Isaac and Zaida negotiate a side deal

 

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Rusty supervises (#shadowselfie)

 

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Lou & I score a selfie with the World’s Coolest Cat

 

And lo!

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The Easter Bunny has finished grilling the lamb

 

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Some final preparations

 

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Roast Beast Feast

 

The kids had a fantastic time right next to yet independent from the adults and at times were probably more congenial than us too; considering the -er- passion with which some of our debate raged.  (And it wasn’t even politics!  Not national anyway.  Just school policies.  Detractors vs. Proponents.  Guess which side I’m on?  Grr.  #sorrynotsorry)

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At least these guys were Little Gents.

 

 

And this is all me trying *not* to take photos!  Maybe not trying very hard, but still.

Oh well it is an important celebration of… wait:

Ishtar

 

Really?  Or is it:

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If nothing else, a wonderful excuse to celebrate blessings with loved ones in Spring.

To each their own, as in Ukraine for example:

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Happy Easter!

 

Posted in animals, childhood, domestic life, faith, family, food, grandparenthood, love, mental health, nature, patience, spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments