Wednesday, April 20, 2011

To Diderot, With Love

I'm not usually one to complain, but this damp chilly weather is a little...disappointing.  Yet today, it feels warm & hey, we may even get some sunlight.  It was fitting that Oscar brought out some of his shells this morning from one of the many collections throughout the household.  Collecting sea shells is a serious past time here - we do not regard these treasures lightly - and today marks the last day of school before Easter break. However, Oscar would like his summer vacation stamp on the snack bag today.  Basically, this kid is trying to will it to be June, and I totally respect that.  If I had my druthers, I'd skip to beach-y frolicking good times too.  Happy Wednesday  xoxo

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Urban Cowboy

Feels like the kind of day to be in character, and hey, I can't remember the last time I felt all western-y.  In fact, that's never happened in real life.  Oscar was a cowboy a few Halloween's ago - he was an adorable Josh Brolin look alike - and I love to watch Sergio Leone films, but this is pretty much the extent of our cowpokeness.  So today Oscar brought his magnet out (pictured here) for breakfast & this inspired the request.  Of course, the attraction here is the skeleton...we are nothing if not consistent.  But cowboys are rugged and cool - they ride beautiful horses & wear rad clothes.  They saunter through wooden slatted double doors in saloons & play poker.  I continue to rattle off the many attributes of our booted friend while Oscar remains in his half-asleep dream state, so I say "Git along little doggie" and it actually makes him start moving.  Looks like this may work for some a.m. motivation...though I have to brush up on my wild west vernacular - I'm fairly limited.  Happy Tuesday!  xoxo

Monday, April 18, 2011

Snakehead!

Doesn't have the same impact as Piranha! but you get the idea.  We watched an episode of River Monsters last night & Oscar is riveted by these man-eating fish.  He asked me to draw one this morning, including blood and limbs, but I went for the PG version of homie out cruising for his next meal instead.  They're pretty ferocious - most of the species are 2-3 feet long and super aggressive.  "Mama, can we catch one?"  Yikes, no thank you.  I'm usually up for anything but even I was freaked out by the documentary.  "Why?  What will we do with it?"  "Don't you want to eat it?  You eat all kinds of sea creatures, even urchins."  Aw, he knows my appetite for seafood has no limits.  "Well, if I see it on a menu I'll order it, but I don't think I want it that fresh puppet.  I'll skip trying to catch one."  Happy Monday xoxo

Friday, April 15, 2011

Dinos & Winos

Don't worry, that is not the name of the event Oscar & I are attending this evening at the American Museum of Natural History.  However, both of those things will be there.  Tomorrow the World's Largest Dinosaur exhibit opens to the public; tonight we get a sneak peek and delicious grown up cocktails.  We are super excited for all of the obvious reasons.  We discuss our sauropod faves...Oscar is partial to Apatosaurus (formerly known as Brontosaurus if you want to throw it back to the Flintstones).  "Who do you like mama?"  "Guess it would be Argentinosaurus," I say. "Why do you like that one?"  "Well, I like Argentina."  Claro!  Happy Friday xoxo

Thursday, April 14, 2011

We'll Make Great Pets

Oscar asked this morning that we illustrate last night's reading homework assignment via snack bag...np.  The title of said masterpiece - Good Pets.  This launched an entire conversation about Oscar's first pet, ahem, I mean pets.  You see, Oscar remebers his fish Blue, but what he is really referring to is a series of fish that collectively represent Blue.  I know, it's sad, but what can I say?  Fish have short life spans, and he was a toddler when I first ventured into petland.  So, I would like to state here a memorial for all of those wonderful albeit brief family members:  Monty, Webster, Apollo, Mr. T & Blue, you were all beloved & cherished fish.  We miss you every day.  Oscar makes a sad face at the bag, then asks if he can have goat for his next pet.  Um..."How about we focus on Saturday, our fuzzy squeezebox for now before we look to add, ok?"  Sorry Saturday - know you were probably enjoying your breakfast before I scapegoated you (no pun intended, but ha!).  Happy Thursday xoxo

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

The Amazing Spiderman

Actually, Oscar has really been into the Spectacular Spiderman series as of late.  You see, depending on your adjective, you are watching a different show...reading a different comic...you get the picture.  But at the end of the day, it is our beloved web-slinger with the same band of villains and supporting characters. We are up to the introduction of Venom (a personal fave) so Oscar is pretty stoked, but truth be told, my Spiderman knowledge is somewhat limited compared to my other superhero crushes.  Doodle direction this morning over rice krispies and riveted crime-fighting viewing was very specific:  "Draw his head & the spider symbol."  Ok...minimalist and focused.  I can follow.  Then he explains he will be using the bag at playtime as the signal that there is crime afoot & Peter Parker will have to exit & return as the costumed hero.  Oh - a prop.  Love a multi-purpose anything.  Happy Wednesday!  xoxo

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Paging Dr. Venkman

Another doodle inspired by legendary actor Bill Murray!  Well, sort of...that's my spin on it anyway.  Oscar's show & tell letter is "G" this week, and naturally he decided a ghost was what he wanted to bring in to speak about in front of the class.  No other logical choice really; complexity arises out of options here.  So many ghoulish choices around the home, it's hard to narrow the appropriate object...at 6:30 am I might add.  I refused to let our copy of Ghostbusters leave the house and my set of Beetlejuice collectors cards was off limits, so we settled on one of the residents of the haunted house - there is actually a little family of nylon & cotton ghosts, fashioned in the traditional sense that are perfect for such an occasion. Befitting a cloudy spring morning, huh?  Happy Tuesday xoxo

Monday, April 11, 2011

Captain Nemo Knows What's Up

We had a "whale" of a weekend, literally.  Oscar settled into not 1 but 4 different documentaries over the last few days all about the magnificent mammals.  We decided on the narwhal for today's doodle, which really, excellent choice.  Narwhals are like magic - that unicorn tusk is killer - and throughout history & literature has been referred to as a mystical creature.  I thought the narwhal was technically a porpoise, but as it turns out it's part of the white whale family.  Not all together off, porpoises, white whales and dolphins actually form a "superfamily."  Feels like there should be pop band & colorblocked 70's bus involved here, right?  I smell an animated series...Happy Monday! xoxo

Friday, April 8, 2011

Birds of a Feather

This morning as I was packing Oscar's bag for his post-school sleepover, we started chatting about the weekend.  Baseball, pilates...usual stuff with the exception of my tattoo appointment tonight.  Oscar seems almost as excited as I am - kids really seem to dig them (my kid at least).  He also knows how much I like birds, which is the subject of the latest one, and asks that I draw my signature bird - the rooster - on his snack bag.  No sweat - I love roosters.  There are so many cool ways to illustrate them.  Of course, once I finish this one..."What's that rooster doing?"  "It's a weathervane.  He spins in the direction of the wind.  Tells you where it's coming from...where it's going."  Oscar is intrigued.  He suddenly decides he needs this, here, in the apartment, for Saturday (the guinea pig).  "Um, why does Saturday need a weathervane?"  "So he knows when I'm coming."  Hmmm, yes.  I guess there is a certain logic to this.  I'm going to leave it there.  Happy Friday xoxo

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Wake Up Dead

Nothing says spring like a cemetery, eh?  Let's consider the damp chilly temperature, grey skies, and underlying Easter message about resurrection for a moment, shall we?  It's all coming together now, right? Actually, we just really dig cemeteries.  And zombies, monsters, etc...those that know us know.  Oscar has been busy orchestrating playdates in his custom-made cemetery (a gift from Santa), and we've been doing some spring landscaping (i.e. dead floral arrangements for the tombstones), so no surprise that he's asked for a rendering this morning on the bag.  I'm just grateful he didn't ask for the religious tomb-scene he's been detailing the last couple of days as part of his upcoming holiday learning...not sure how that would have turned out.  You may have mistaken this blog for a catechism flyer - ha!  Happy Thursday xoxo

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Mmm Mmm Octopus

There are letters & then there are letters that give back.  One of Oscar's homework assignments last night was to list words beginning with the letters "n" & "o" so...this morning I asked if he'd like to choose one of those words for his snack bag doodle.  Despite some other goodies - owl, ostrich, nest - octopus always wins.  And rightfully so.  We LOVE the octopus around here for myriad reasons - complex nervous system, highly adaptable, strategic hunter & all around cool looking cephalopod.  And oh, we like to eat them...often.  This is an animal that tastes delicious & can possibly do your taxes.  In your face H&R block.  Happy Wednesday! xoxo

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Please Forgive Me Harrison Ford

Ok, more than once I have stated I have no business doodling portraits.  However, Oscar is currently on an Indiana Jones kick, thanks in part to my own minor obsession.  So, when he asked me to "draw Raiders of the Lost Arc" this morning...um.  What exactly am I drawing?  "Draw him, and the whip."  Ha!  Good grief.  I am being asked to draw a long standing crush...I mean, come on.  Han Solo?   You want me to draw one of the most perfect men ever to walk the earth?  Why stop here - I should just let rip a crappy sketch of Paul Newman & Marlon Brando while I'm at it.  Well, anything for my son, even if it means hate mail from adoring fans over this abomination.  Happy Tuesday xoxo

Monday, April 4, 2011

Happy Bug-Day

Oscar is a generous kid.  Once again, he elected this morning to have me choose the doodle, with one directional point.  He awoke today ready to celebrate my birthday (yep, it's happening right now).  He drew something for me, he had a gift on the ready & when asked what he would like on his bag, he stated "It's your day mama.  How about you draw your favorite bug."  Aw, nothing says birthday like an insect I guess.  So, I took him up on his entomological offer...here is my fave.  Dragonfly.  The black sharpie can't do it justice; kindly use your colorful imaginations here.  Elegant & beautiful, I have been excited by dragonflies pretty much my entire life.  Oscar totally digs them too, although admittedly he's a little afraid of them.  "I knew that's what you would draw!  Or I thought it would be a bee."  Hmmm, really could have gone for that too I guess - either way, spring is here & we have lots of bug appreciation time ahead.  Happy Monday xoxo

Friday, April 1, 2011

Major League

Don't get your hopes up...this blog is Sheen free.  We have a milestone weekend ahead - Oscar has his first opening game day tomorrow - his first baseball team.  Unlike all of the other kid activities, this one seems monumental - a classic rite of passage that will hold a permanent place in his memories.  He has his sights set on a trophy, which is kind of adorable in that it doesn't seem tied to any competitive value.  No, he just thinks they're cool & shiny & "like statues" he tells me.  Always the visualist.  "You're going to be cheering for me, right mama?" he asks as I draw.  "Of course!  Every game - I'll even make up some rhymes if you want."   "Yeah!  Um, like what?"  This is going to be a long season now that I've signed myself up for lyrics...am open to any ideas so please pass along :)  Happy weekend xoxo