Catch up and some local art

I have been a bad blogger lately.  And a bad friend, and perhaps a bad wife.   It is so easy to get sucked into the "homeschool vortex" and forget about the rest of the world.  Or, not quite forget, but put off.  I keep thinking "Oh, I should call so-and-so, I'll do it after we get through this math lesson…" And then one distraction comes after another, and I get behind.

On top of the homeschooling, we just threw a bridal shower for my sister-in-law.  I love Nickie and it has been such a joy to be a part of her wedding preparation (only as an eager observer, but still…)  Nickie is such a special auntie, or theia (in Greek), to my kids.  Oh, how they love her.

Here, we put a mock veil on Nickie at the shower before opening gifts.

We've been getting a little restless and, dare I say, bored, lately doing our usual school routine.  So, yesterday, I just spontaneously decided we were going on a Chinese New Year field trip.  No, not out to a Chinese restaurant (although that crossed my mind !) One of my favorite contemporary artists, Ai Wei Wei, has an exhibit set up outside of one of the University's buildings.  It just happens to be of the Chinese zodiac sign.  I really wanted to take the kids to see it before the exhibit is returned, so what better time than now, during Spring Festival (the two weeks of New Year celebration)?

We all posed with our zodiac signs:  my monkey, rooster, pig and ox.

And I am a tiger (but not a Tiger Mom!):

Then we took pictures of the Rabbit for Daddy, and the Dog for Elijah:

Here they all are.  Magnificent.  I wonder what Ai Wei Wei was saying through these heads?  A lot of his artwork uses traditional Chinese artwork to criticize or call question to his government.  

Happy New Year!  The Year of the Snake!