pgh center for the arts.

Teddy and I are taking an art class together at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.  It has been so much fun to have some one-on-one time with the youngest boy while George is in school.  I'll admit that it is a bit challenging too because I want to take over each project and do them all myself.  While other moms in the class are busy positively peppering their children with supportive but unintrusive help, I once whispered quietly into my baby's ear, "Honey, if you put one more speck of glitter on that I will go completely blind."  Hopefully Teddy has already forgotten about that.  Here a few of my his creations out of the 402 things we have made.  Each and every one is brilliant. 

tissue paper lantern ~ Admit it; you want one.

pencil box decorated with pasta noodles ~ Oddly satisfying to paint.

paper mache snake ~ No, you cannot have it - Ssssssss!

bird ~ This one to sit on top of the television and thwart evil advertising demons

ca-razy mask ~ I couldn't decide which photo to post, mean Teddy or happy Teddy.  Both are totally authentic and taken within 15 seconds.  Future method actor.

blot art ~ "Cat" is going to be our ticket to the good life.  Inspired by Andy Warhol's love for the beasts.  This one we will sell to the highest bidder.

modge podge flower pot ~ You are now wanting to modge podge something.  Admit it.

garden 2010.

I started our seedlings for this year's garden the other day.  Tomatoes, basil, and snapdragons.  I have heard that snapdragons are delicious in salads.  No, I'm lying.  Teddy saw them in the store and thought they were pretty.  He told me that since I like pretty things I should buy them.  Done.  Such a sweet boy I have.  I planted the seeds using egg cartons and paper towel rolls cut into small sections.  I've become so resourceful in my old age.

devoured in 30 seconds flat.

Happy Spring!

speedy delivery.

Kevin and the boys with Mr. Rogers' loyal friend Mr. McFeely

at the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

how to (in an extreme nutshell) make brownies.

Step 1.  Wrangle children (if necessary, and if not, you're amazing) and confine them in a so-called Learning Tower, or "The Tower of Learning" as I like to call the contraption (only to be said in a low, slightly evilish tone . . . think He-Man - "By the power of Greyskull!  I have the power Tower!").  Okay, I'm getting distracted.  The brownies.

Step 2.  Mix together ingredients.  Butter, Eggs, Hershey's cocoa, yadda, yadda, yadda.  If you're a good mother you will toss in some ground flaxseed.  If you don't, you're a failure.  Well, not really . . . well, maybe sort of.

Step 3.  Take time out to fulfill your child's request to write on a piece of paper "$1,000" and take a mugshot-like picture of him.  I have no idea what this means.  Maybe he's trying to sell himself on Ebay.  Back to the brownies.

 

Step 4.  Allow children to mix ingredients and then lick beaters.  If you're mean you'll obsess over the uncooked eggs that could potentially do something totally terrible to them.  And then you'll rob them of sweet childhood memories.  Your choice.  I don't judge.  Well, actually I do but we'll go over that later.

Step 5.  Place batter into individual IKEA ceramic bowls.  Nothing else will do.  Bake at 350 degrees for some amount of time.

Step 6.  Eat, and in horror watch your spouse scoop up all remaining traces of your mother-child afternoon activity with his bare hands.  Sorry no photos of this.  We have an image or something to uphold.

our boys love Lent.

(Taken with Kevin's Blackberry.)

And the tools they get to play with while eating meat alternatives.

a first and a last - all in one day.

Teddy's first visit to the dentist.

He was such a big boy.

And speaking of big, this is probably the last time I'll be able to push these two around in a grocery cart.  (Yes, I was the crazy lady in the Giant Eagle parking lot enthusiastically taking pictures of my kids.  We don't get out much.  What can I say.)

may I recommend for your weekend.

In the Mood for Love (2000)

Directed by Wong Kar-wai, starring Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung

I read about this movie this week in a design blog (of all things) that I like to follow (designspongeonline.com).  I watched.  I loved.  I must share.  (And I try not to share my movie tastes too often because they are usually very poor.  In my world, Jennifer Aniston deserved an Oscar for her role in Office Space.  An Oscar, people.)  Okay, the movie.  It is 1964, Hong Kong, and a deep, yet platonic relationship develops between two neighbors who realize their spouses are going about something in a non-platonic kind of way.  What happens is just so unexpected.  And I know nothing about filmography, but there are so many unique shots in slow-motion with just the perfect music and it all just makes you say - wow.  You have to see this movie.  And you'll love the retro-inspired shots like this:

That's Chow.  He smokes alot.  He works hard.  He keeps his friends in line.  He also has an absent, cheating wife and you'll just love him.

That's So.  She is beautiful.  She also works hard.  Her landlady says she's too kind.  She's also devasted and lonely and abandoned.  You'll love her too. 

If you don't understand Cantonese but you can read English, you're in luck with the subtitles.  Although (now that I think about it) if you can't read English, what are you doing on my blog?  This is not a vintage asian design fan page.  But I suppose it could be?  I do like vintage asian design.  But back to the subtitles.  I'm not usually a fan of them.  I get a headache and I also feel like I'm missing half of the acting because I'm too busy reading.  And Kevin will tell you I'm a notoriously slow reader.  God help me when we are reading something together online.  I have to flick his finger off the down arrow, and then he says over and over, "Are you done?  Are you done?  Are you done?"  Anyway, I'm digressing again.  I didn't have my usual bad experience with the subtitles in this film.  In fact, I barely remember reading at all.

 

A unique, edgy, fashionable, beautiful film.  Check it out, rent it, or watch it on Netflix and let me know what you think.  Enjoy!