Friday, October 26, 2012

Insta-Friday, family focus edition


Happy Friday! It's time to share cell phone photos once again.

Today, I am organizing my photos in terms of what each of my family members has been focusing on this week. Well, except my husband, because he has basically been working and coaching basketball. I don't have pictures of either of those things!

I spend a lot of time in this room, on this computer, typing and reading. So, I have been thinking about doing some more work on this room. Thinking about it, mind you, not doing it.


I have also been preparing for the Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting show at the Art Gallery of Ontario. My husband and I watched this documentary about Frida Kahlo the other night. What a tortuous life she led, and what an amazing artist (maybe as a result of all the pain). I saw lots of art pieces that I had never seen before on this PBS movie. They are truly breathtaking paintings, shocking and beautiful at the same time.

I am also reading The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. I picked it up in a sale bin at a store one day and found that the book jacket mentioned Diego Rivera. Here's a little description from Kingsolver's website: In her most accomplished novel, Barbara Kingsolver takes us on an epic journey from the Mexico City of artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo to the America of Pearl Harbor, FDR, and J. Edgar Hoover.


My little one got lots of fun, creative gifts at her birthday party last weekend. But, that has seemingly inspired her to look for more stuff. Here she is perusing the doll catalogue for clothes to go with her Canadian Girl dolls. I won't be buying too many $39 outfits for those dolls, honey. Ask Santa!



She has also been doing a lot of artwork, as usual. She loves to write and colour. Some friends showed her how to make these paper lanterns, and she went crazy making them in all different colours.


Now, this guy. Once he focuses on something, look out! He will come off the school bus talking about the same thing for a whole week. This week, it's Minecraft. He played it obsessively on my computer for a few nights, until I put an end to that for a couple of days. Without the game to play, he got more creative about it. Here he is making his own Minecraft pickaxe yesterday.



He has asked me to guard it (so the dog won't chew it) while he is at school.


I gave some thought to Halloween decorations, but, so far, this is all I have managed...a few ghosts hanging in the trees.



And some pumpkins ready for carving.

Getting the dog out for some exercise is always a focus around here. Occasionally, the whole family heads out with her.


We saw this fuzzy caterpillar one day. They remind me of being a child. I used to love to pick these guys up.



For the most part, I walk the dog by myself, since I work from home. On our travels, I have been admiring the Halloween decorations set out by other (more industrious) people in the neighbourhood.




I also like to look at the furniture people set out at the curb. Sometimes I drag it home. Not in this case though.

My husband and I took an antique settee and chair out of a neighbour's garbage once, years ago, but we have yet to do anything with it. Furniture refinishing can be so expensive!

How was your week?

 life rearranged

20 comments:

  1. Looks like a fun week. I keep hearing about this Minecraft- every little boy I talked to this week was going to be some guy from that and I just nod because I have no idea what they are talking about!

    I also didn't realize that they even had Canadian Girls. Is that an American Girl's spin off or is that just me being an obnoxious American to assume that? ;)I had Molly and was really obsessed.

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    1. I just started hearing about Minecraft too. I still don't totally understand. The dolls are actually called Maplelea Girls, but people call them Canadian Girls. I don't know if they are a spin-off. Probably, because they say they "celebrate our country's spirit and identity."

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  2. Hi Jo :) interesting photos. I too am looking forward to seeing the Frida and Diego art show at the gallery. I have seen it once before in NYC, where it blew my mind. I wasn't familiar with either of their work at the time and I just fell in love with it. Frida certainly had a hard life though and it's quite amazing that she did what she did.

    Wishing you a great weekend, my friend.

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    1. Hey, that's exciting. Maybe we'll see you there! We have a membership, so we'll go a few times. I am so looking forward to it. Have a wonderful weekend! :)

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  3. Can I just take a minute to let you know that I utterly covet the clock in the first pic? How gorgeous!! We've had our share of "wooly worms" lately-- there is actually a Wooly Worm Festival not too far from here, on the North Carolina side of our mountains. And I am soooooo glad we are past the American Girl doll stage in our house-- no more breaking the bank to clothe a doll!

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    1. I love the clock too. That's why it's in "mama's room." ;) A Wooly Worm Festival sounds so cool! What kind of activities do they do there?

      Yes, the clothes for those dolls are ridiculous. Almost makes me want to learn to sew. Almost.

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  4. Piggybacking on Tabetha's comment - LOVE the clock!

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  5. I was thinking the same thing about the Canadian Girl dolls! This is the first I've heard that. Both of my girls each have one AG doll and I let family buy them clothing and accessories for Christmas and birthdays! Yikes! And the Minecraft crafting is amazing! What a great idea :)

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    1. That's a good idea having others buy the doll clothes. Often people ask what to buy the kids anyway.

      He's still working on the Minecraft thing. I didn't realize he was going to paint it. I'm not going to tell him I put a picture of it on the blog, unfinished. ;)

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  6. You did better with me in the Halloween decorating department! Not I. I know there's still time, but it's not happening!

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    1. You can only do so much. And, how much work do you want to do for a one-day event? That's my excuse, anyway. :)

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  7. i love that pic of your family walking the dog :) so beautiful scenery! love that sunburst clock btw ;) happy halloween!

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    1. Ah, thanks. All I see is rain here today. Not fun for walking. :( Happy Halloween to you too!

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  8. I LOVE THAT CLOCK!!!!!!!!!

    Great decorations!!!

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    1. Thanks! I should probably think about actually setting the correct time on it, but I use it for decoration really. ;)

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  9. Canadian Girl Dolls? I love that! I will have to tell my American Girl-obsessed daughter about them!

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    1. Maybe you shouldn't tell her. She might want a Canadian friend. ;)

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  10. My Halloween decorations consist of three carved pumpkins...and that's it.

    That. Clock. is. AWESOME.

    I picked a chair off the curb near my daughter's daycare. It's an antique with a crazy amount of cream paint all over it. Free! But let's see how long it sits in my garage before I get to it, lol.

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    1. So glad I'm not the only Halloween slacker. ;) I'm happy you like the clock.

      My mom wants to give me more antique chairs that need fixin'. I wish I could just pay someone to do them all!

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