Saturday, February 20, 2010

What to give up for Lent

During Ash Wednesday mass, the priest asked who was giving up what for Lent. It was the Children's mass. Little K proudly waved her hand in hopes of being called on. Luckily, the priest did not call on her.

Instead, I asked Little K what she was going to give up for Lent.

"Wine," Little K said.

Super, I thought, super.

Until the next nap time...

Pulling together as a Family

My blog posts have been few & far between of late due to our heavy & busy schedules. My knee surgery was completed in late January but I'm still on two crutches for another 2 weeks. That's a total of 6 weeks after which I graduate to 1 crutch for who knows how long.

My poor father-in-law continues his protest & strong fight against cancer. It's interesting although somewhat painful to talk through all this with a young child. The other night at bed time, Little K & I were praying.

I said: "we should ask God to miraculously heal Popi or ... "

Silence. What should I say?

Little K replied: "or he could go to Heaven & not hurt any more."

"Yes, you're right, baby," I said.

"But I'll miss Popi when he goes to Heaven," Little K said.

"Yes, baby, I will, too. We all will."

So we continue as a family, the way it should be. Keep the prayers coming.

Until the next nap time...

Friday, February 05, 2010

Hats Off to Catholic Schools Week



This is Catholic Schools Week and it's really been fun to watch Little K preparing for school this week. All the activities have been wonderful for increasing the already-high school spirit. Maybe other schools can use some of these ideas.

Monday: Hats off to Catholic Schools aka Favorite Hat Day. Little K wore her favorite white bonnet despite the fact that you're not supposed to wear white before Easter. Oh well.
Tuesday: Dress Crazy Day (Little K wore her chitah-print robe and orange star sun glasses.

Wednesday: Wear your Steps for Students 5K t-shirt to school.

Thursday: Add your favorite tie to your uniform

Friday: Pajama Day. Too bad Little K's slippers got soaked in the rain water on the driveway. This was the day she was most excited about. Funny, huh?
Throughout the week, classes have competed with pig races. No worries about a mess though. The school used battery-operated pigs. The finals are this morning.

While the conclusion of Catholic Schools Week is today, we continue on our fundraising campaign through February 20, when our school mates will run/walk a 5k. All the funds that the Salch family raises will go directly to St. Rose School. Won't you help us? Details & our progress are online at http://www.firstgiving.com/salch.

Until the next nap time...


Until the next nap time...

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Doctor Update

More good news. We just got back from the doctor's appointment and all 9 staples were removed. Phew! I actually start physical therapy (PT) on Wednesday so hopefully that won't be too painful. I'll need to go to 1-hour PT twice a week for 3-6 months and then I can maybe start doing PT closer to home. That would make it easier.

Until the next nap time...

Monday, February 01, 2010

Course Work for the Artist in Training

Students find inspiration from MFAH works and learn from time-honored tradition

For centuries, art academies required students to copy the work of the Old Masters. From drawings and prints, students learned to create lines, master shading and contour figures. From paintings they learned composition and how to develop visual narrative.

Kingwood Park High School Art Teacher Kara Czepiel has revived this time-honored tradition with her Advanced Placement (AP) art students to introduce them to the many approaches to the creative process and to spur them to ponder the source of their ideas. As part of their program, students have the freedom to work within a concentration of their choice with most choosing to draw, paint, collage and photograph with the use of Photoshop for their concentration.

The rigorous curriculum requires a piece of quality artwork due every week to the College Board for their AP credit.

Their work is on view now through Sunday, June 27, 2010 as a Kinder Foundation Education Center exhibition New Masters on Old Masters through the MFAH Education Center.

The 16 pieces in this exhibition reflect both Czepiel’s students’ command of the technical skills of art-making and their discovery of the infinitely nuanced process of conceptual thinking: the invisible choices artists make before pronouncing their work “finished.”

“Teachers focus on skill-building, but the thought process about why a student is inspired to make a work of art often becomes lost,” said Czepiel. “So, I decided to make my students into visual interpreters, by instructing them to find a work from the museum’s collection, then to create their own version of the work. As the students became intellectually curious about the pieces and dug deeper into the artists’ lives, the concepts of interpretation and creativity began to take root.”

Until the next nap time...

Valentine's Day with Kids at Home

This year, Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday, which means that parents need to prepare themselves for holiday activities. What ideas do you have for spending February 14 with the kids at home? Please post your ideas using the Comments feature. Everyone who adds a comment to this blog post will be entered into a drawing for a Barnes & Noble gift card. Let's generate some fun ideas for kids and parents alike.

Until the next nap time...