Spring Happenings

...and by Spring, I mean February and March.  We didn't have winter this year so we basically went from Fall to Spring.  The weather has been great and we have been able to spend more time than usual outside during what is supposed to be the winter months.

I realize I have neglected my blog entries for quite a while so I am going to cover a lot of ground with pictures in this post. 

We haven't been that active...just normal, everyday life happenings!  Luci is very into all things princess so dress up and princess outfits/movies have taken center stage in her (our) life.  As you can see from the picture below she even goes to the chicken coop to collect eggs in her princess dress.  I am not sure where this came from...is it engrained in little girls?  We are so NOT princess people and I don't remember ever going through a princess phase (Mom, you can correct me if I am wrong!).

Luci also LOVES to help us cook.  Sometimes she cooks as a princess, sometimes in an apron ("I a sef."), and sometimes, as you can see below, we are in a "big shirt with just panties".

We visited the zoo in Tulsa over Spring Break.  It was a beautiful 80 degree day and we had a wonderful time!  When we asked Luci what her favorite animal was she replied the elephants because "they were splashing in mud".  She was also THRILLED to snag the only elephant on the carousel. 

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

We finally visited Crystal Bridges Museum this afternoon.  It has been open for more than 2 months and I am ashamed to admit that it took us until now to visit this incredible place.  If you live in NorthWest Arkansas you have to see it!  If you don't live in NWA, this is a great excuse to visit (and a great excuse to visit us)!  Check it out by clicking on the link here.

One half of Crystal Bridges from the overlook off the Compton Garden's trail.

I am including some highlights (in pictures, of course) below.  Enjoy the show.

Entrance to Crystal Bridges with Roxy Paine's Yield sculpture

Beard's It Is Very Queer, Isn't It?

Luci made the docents in the museum very nervous here...she was so good though, resisted temptation, and just looked!!!

Gilbert Stuart's George Washington

Curtis's Geronimo photograph

VERY UNIQUE!  Sperber's After the Last Supper created inversely using spools of thread.  I was amazed!

Sound Suit; Luci was mesmerized!

Norman Rockwell's Rosie the Riveter

A much needed break outside...freedom...

...and a little bit of room to run equals...

PURE JOY!!!!

Hide and Seek...Dombek's Tour de Tree; it isn't real but this sculpture sure blends in nicely with the surroundings!

Finally headed back to the car with a major case of the sillies!  Snoopy on a stick!

 However, when you visit know ahead of time that you will not be able to get away with ANYTHING!!!  Luci couldn't ride on Jason's shoulders (insurance reasons), we had to stay further than 18 inches away from the painting (I think some docents may have had a ruler stashed on their body), and we got caught chewing gum (my mistake...I should have thought of that!).  Still a great trip and we had lots to laugh about later!

First Trip to the Theater

We went to the theater yesterday afternoon to experience some of Eric Carle's classic stories live on stage!  Mermaid Theater of Nova Scotia brought blacklight puppet versions of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear Brown Bear, and Papa Please Get the Moon For Me to the Walton Arts Center.  The first two stories are some of Luci's favorite books...we read them ALL THE TIME!  In fact Luci was narrating the show to me before the puppets would act it out.  She had a blast.

I apologize for the quality of the pictures ahead of time.  We were in a dark theater balcony and all I had was my phone but I couldn't not document Luci's first live show!!!  So bear with me and here we go...!

Before the show...she was so excited!

Puppeteers showing the audience how the caterpillar eats the fruit.

Luci is transfixed!

The Brown Bear puppet

Luci at home after the show...she passed out on the way home!  Too much fun!!!

Harvest Time

Today was Luci's Harvest Feast at school!  This is always such a fun time!

This year her class was responsible for making the pumpkin pie.  They made several at school Monday but didn't quite get enough made for every class in the school so Luci and I made one at home Monday evening for her to take to school this morning.

She was very excited that I would be joining her for lunch.  When I arrived each child was dressed as either a pilgrim or a Native American...Luci, appropriately, was dressed as a (WILD) Native American!

So excited to have Momma join her at school!

Everything tasted so good!

Happy Harvest Time to one and all!

My wild child appropriately dressed!

Showing her serious side...kind-of...if she can keep from laughing!  

Happy Halloween!

"I be a bullafly!"  Luci has been talking about dressing up as a butterfly for weeks and the night finally arrived!  She was so excited and couldn't wait to visit everyone in her costume!

We only visited family to trick or treat this year, but she didn't know the difference and she truly enjoyed being the center of attention...as always!

Enjoy the pictures!

Thinking since she has wings, she can fly...

I landed it!

"Trick or Treat...Smell my feet...Give me something good to eat!"

Trick or Treat, Pops!

Pretty proud of her loot!

 

 

 

 

Taking a break to swing.

Trick or Treat, Grandpa and Grandma!

Notice her mad sorting skills!!! (And yes, she has developed an aversion to pants.)

Pumpkin Patch Outing

This past weekend we visited a Corn Maze/Pumpkin Patch/Petting Zoo Extravaganza!  The weather was beautiful...blue sky, sunshine, gentle breeze, etc...

We started out at the petting zoo.  Luci got braver as the time went on but at first she would take my hand and make me pet the goats and sheep or make me take her hand to feed the goats hay.  She eventually got to where she would do it herself as long as I was right there with her.  Where did this timid girl come from???

Momma, you do it!

Now I'll do it, but you hold my hand!

Then we went to the corn maze.  Luci had fun telling us which path to take.  We completely disregarded the map, but who needs a map anyway?  She lost interest pretty quick since a field of corn is just that...a field of corn.

Then we headed for the "cow train".  Cow train translates to "torture ride for adults".  The train was made up of several plastic drums with people size holes cut in them; wooden cow heads and wheels attached; hooked together and pulled by a small tractor.  Luci liked it and I was happy when the bumpy ride was over!

 

Waving to no one in particular...watching the tractor that is pulling us!

We ended the outing with a visit to the pumpkin patch where Luci picked out a Luci-sized pumpkin.  It's not really fall until you head to the pumpkin patch!  Check...done!

Got my pumpkin!