N interprets Edelweiss

N does his own take on Edelweiss.  

Sewing

Ms L informed me that she was going to make some clothing for her dolls, Barbie (c) and baby.   "I need some material."  Now, as a stage manager, I may have a basic sewing kit on hand, but material, not so much.  So, Ms. L called my sister Robbin and asked if she had any material.  I expected that Robbin would have some material and would offer to share it.  Low and behold not only did she have material but she came over and helped Ms L make a skirt/dress for her Barbies (c) Pinky-Purple Pie and Rapunzel.

Ms L did most of her own sewing, I was so impressed and in awe.  I am not a seamstress and certainly don't remember having the patience at 5 to sit quietly stitching.  I remember at the age of 10 or 12 fancying myself to be Laura Ingalls Wilder and I dressed in a long skirt and a bonnet and sat on a small stool doing cross stitch.  But,  that was a short lived phase and I enjoyed the dressing up and imaging Pa Ingalls was my father more then I ever enjoyed the sewing.  (And then there was that disastrous wrap skirt I made to earn my sewing badge in Girl Scouts).  I am so grateful to have sisters who are skilled in this department and willing to share their passion with Ms. L.

There were a few tangles, or "Spaghetti messes" as Ms L called them.  Robbin patiently helped her untangle them and Ms. kept on working.  I think that Ms. L expected to be able to make several outfits in one day.  She spent several minutes trying to figure out how to make a shirt for Rapunzel to wear with her skirt. "Should I make a t-shirt big enough to fit me or what?"   Luckily, she was distracted enough by life that she wandered away and Robbin was able to escape without having to freehand a shirt pattern, too!

Version one, it's a skirt!

Version two, it's a dress!

Ready for fun. (I made the purse)

Poor baby was distraught at not getting a new dress and well...

Do Re Mi

Think I can get her to do some Rolling Stones next?

The Desert and the Sand Tornado

 Ms L was in her first play last night.  It was called "The Desert and the Sand Tornado"  it was a collaborative effort by all the students in her class. 

The Plot was simple and yet the characters were rich with life.  It revolved around  a train full of animals traveling to Montana (!?!).  In the middle of the trip l, who was a kitty, was sucked out of the train by a terrible sand tornado!  She was trapped for awhile in the sand.  The other animals were scared but the baby wolf and the princess went out of the train to save her.  Soon all the other animals came out too, and Marian the fairy used her magic to stop the tornado.  They all got back on the train and made it safely to Montana where they lived happily ever after.







L had the first line of the play and the last line of the play, "I was tired of spinning in that tornado" (She delivered it as if out of breath and very tired...Oscar worthy!) 

The teacher told Patrick that they had no idea what L had in mind when she came up with the sand tornado.  But they day she pitched it, not only did she describe it but she spun all over the room to demonstrate what she meant.  Wizard of Oz inspired?  Maybe, but I'm betting it's more likely it was inspired by, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"

It was a great evening.  The kids clearly had a blast doing the show.  L had a smile on her face most of the time. At the end they sang 6 songs.  Sallie, the teacher, said that they wanted to sing several more. Apparently this is a very "sing-y" class.   

It was wonderful to see how proud L was of the experience.  And N, who didn't even want to go see the play "I'm used to seeing plays in a real theater", was so proud of her that he gave her an impromptu hug even before mom or dad could get to her.  That was pretty terrific too!

















The set:.

 Sometimes our walk in the mornings is full of whining or nagging (depending upon the party speaking)  And then some times magic like this happens.  I present to you a song written by  on this morning's walk:

To the tune of “There was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Spider”

by N

There was an old woman who swallowed a spy
I don’t know why she swallowed a spy
She wouldn’t say why.

There was an old woman who swallowed a gator
I’m surprised it didn’t jump up and ate her

She swallowed the gator to swallow the spy
I don’t know why she swallowed the spy
She wouldn’t say way.

There was an old woman who swallowed a t-rex
he wouldn’t pee like all the rest

She swallowed the t-rex to swallow the gator
She swallowed the gator to swallow the spy
I don’t know why she swallowed the spy
She wouldn’t say why

There was an old woman who swallowed a giganotosaurus
And now in his tummy there is a singing chorus

She swallowed the giganotosaurus to swallow the t-rex
She swallowed the t-rex to swallow the gator
She swallowed the gator to swallow the spy
I don’t know why she swallowed the spy
She wouldn’t say why

There was an old lady who began to burp
And then out came a dinosaur shirt.

Little Red

It was a glorious weekend here in Portland.  And in between spring cleaning inside and out, we found time for some play.

Ms L came to me and told me, it was time to for the play, "Little Red Riding Hood."  Well, naturally I assumed I would get to sit back and watch as my delightful and creative children put the play on for me.  I plopped down a little patch of grass and waited.  Ms L looked at me, with that look that says, "what are you doing, Mother?"  SIGH.... I knew that sitting on my butt, soaking up sunshine and culture was not quite how she envisioned my role.

"Now, first we need a forest." Ms L directed.
"Can't we just imagine it?"
"No, you need to get the sidewalk chalk out and draw 500 trees."
"500?! How about 2?" I ask attempting to keep the (oh, lord why does this always happen when Patrick isn't home tone out of my voice.)
"100." Herr director says.
"Three," I say.  (I'm not very fair in the art of negotiations.)
"Fifteen, sounds like a good compromise" N, who up to this point wanted nothing to do with any of it, suddenly interjects into the conversation.
"Okaaaayy....fifteen, but they have to look like maple trees."

Trust me, I drew 15.  Although I confess, some of them might 

have looked more like saplings then full grown trees.

Next came the directions to make houses for Little Red, the Woodcutter and Grandmother.  I decided to become the production manager on this ever growing production and roped N into taking over scenic design and execution.  Below is Grandmothers house.  Apparently, according to N, she lives in an apartment building: 

 

 

 

 

Grandmother's apartment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the Woodcutter's home, complete with place to hang his ax:

Woodcutter's home

I was pressed into making the home for Little Red.  Ms. L added a vase and real flowers:

There was never any doubt who would be Little Red:

We didn't have a hooded cape.  So, Ms L decided that the Wolf, on Little Red's last trip through the forest, ate the hood off of this cape.

N, didn't want to be the Woodcutter.  So, after much deliberation it was decided that he could be the Woodcutter's assistant who was also a Ninja-Karate master.  (although at some point in the rehearsal process, he ditched that role to become a roommate of Grandmother's.  Thus allowing him to not have to do anything but sit and read books)

Fierce Woodcutter's assistant

And now the story:

Once upon a time Little Red went walking through the forest.  Because we had no one to be the wolf, N drew a "Bongo" tiger.  (apparently they are not fierce, and literally play the bongos.)  It was my job to make the sound effects:

Bongo tiger - see bongo under front paws?

Little Red was too fast for the Bongo Tiger. His fierce drumming would not get the best of her! She ran to Grandmother's home.  Where Grandmother (that would be me) and her roommate were waiting. 

"Knock, Knock.  May I come in?"
 "Sure, C'mon in!"
"No, you're supposed to ask if I'm the wolf or not"
"Sigh... Who is it?  Are you the scary wolf?"
"No, it's me Little Red"
"C'mon in"
"Look I brought you chicken, goodies to eat.  There's even maple syrup, from my maple trees in the forest."   

    We then proceeded to "eat" all the goodies she brought us.  Little Red then bid us adieu and went back to her house, on the other side of the forest.   We did this play, and several variations of it, 6 times.  Each time the scenes would get more elaborate.  At one point the Invisible wolf (Ms. L got tired of waiting for Daddy to come home from work, and N refused to be anything but a baby Bongo tiger by version 4) trapped Ms L in a drying rack:

blurry, because she was in a hurry to be free of the wolf!

 Ms L could have done this production all night long.  But, eventually her co-stars grew weary (and hungry) and began to improvise more then she would have liked.  Luckily, she was handed a perfect excuse to end the shenanigans, 
"the sun is starting to set.  It's time to go inside.  End of Play."

The sun, with an Orange.  By Ms. L

 

Thor, Darth Vader and vivid imaginations

Just a slice of life in the Wohlmut household.




Yesterday on the way to school N had a conversation with Thor.  Yes, Thor - God of Thunder.  N wanted to make sure that Thor would wait until everyone was asleep before he started to cry (thus making it rain).  Apparently, N talks to the gods all the time.

Later in the day I asked why Thor was crying.   Once he started talking I knew I'd want to remember his response so I scribbled down his response as fast as I could.  And I share it here with you.


Wait Mom, I can read the god's minds you know.  (He closes his eyes and begins to concentrate).  
Oh, dear! This is Terrible! Zeus was attacked by a Cyclops and the Cyclops swallowed Thor's hammer.  Thor had to go and buy a new hammer, but don't worry he has lots and lots of riches.
Before he smashed the Cyclops to death the cyclops sank his teeth into Thor's arm and now it's bleeding.  I think that's why he's crying (it was pouring outside at this time).


Did you know I'm also a fortune teller to the gods?  Yeah, they call me Mr. Fortune Teller.  I think fortune telling is my mutant power.  Otherwise I'm just an ordinary kid.


Oh, my darling boy... there is nothing ordinary about you.  We are delighted in your imagination and story telling abilities.  We cannot wait to see where it takes you.


And then there's Ms L.  I'm sure some of you have seen this meme .  Well, Ms. L LOVES it.  And she wrote a little song about it and sang it...a lot.  I may try and get it one video for you, but for now you'll have to settle for the lyrics.

My name is Darth Vader and I wanted to do something silly.  So I rode my unicycle in a SKIRT! down Hawthorne.  And I played the bag pipes. Oh oh oh Darth Vader is such a silly man.  


Yeah, it loses a bit without the tune, but again we are so delighted to have another child with a wonderful imagination and joie de vive.