Pixar

So we had an opportunity to tour Pixar Studios in Emeryville and we would have been just plain dumb to pass it up. What a chance of a lifetime and perfect for all my boys (Marcus, Justin and Bryan). The tour was exciting from the moment we drove up to the gates that say Pixar. We parked and couldn't believe we were actually there. Both my boys and my husband love to make movies, watch movies, review movies, talk about movies, if it has to do with movies, they love it. Just walking up to the entrance to the building was fun since they had the big desk lamp from the very first short that Pixar ever did and the huge bouncy ball. The lobby had Buzz Lightyear and Woody made out of legos and it was lifesize. There were pictures of Toy Story all over the place, huge wall size watercolors. It was all decorated in Toy Story since Toy Story 3 is coming out soon. Upstairs was all decorated in Up since it just won an academy award. We were able to go in a screening room where they show the families of Pixar employees the finished movie before the public sees it and we went into a working room where the artists bring what they've been working on and show it to the director. It gets picked apart so they can then go back and work on their piece. We were able to see all the art that was upstairs too. It was all Up artwork and we could see how the artist was portraying a certain feeling or mood depending on the colors, shapes and tones used. After the tour we had lunch in the Pixar cafeteria while we asked questions of our wonderful tour guide. So fun. So cool. So amazing.

Spring Break 2010

Since we homeschool we take our Spring Break when it works for us, not according to someone else's calendar. We weren't sure when it would happen or if it would happen but we decided this week was the week to take some time off of school and let the boys go to Universal Studios with Bryan. It's very expensive, almost as much as Disneyland but it's where Marcus wants to go for his birthday and they've never been before. The boys have been working really hard and if the boys are working hard that means I'm working really hard too. I figured we all deserved some time off to do the things we want to do instead of the things we should do. Today we slept in, well, the kids slept in a little but still early enough to get a few hours of video games in. I got up early because animals don't take spring break and they needed to be fed. I love to be up early anyway so it was nice to get an early start. My big project right now is sorting through five bins and four boxes of paperwork that I've saved for a family of five for eighteen years. Every thank you note, birthday card, Valentine's Day card, anniversary card, wedding invitation, graduation announcement, you name it, I saved it. Oh and all three of my kids draw all the time and I had saved every drawing they ever scribbled on every scrap paper. I also saved every piece of schoolwork they've ever done. I sorted through the boxes so that things were separated by person and then I let that person go through their pile. The rule was you could keep anything you want and get rid of anything you want but the box has to close neatly. The boys did really well but they both still have a pile to go through. In the middle of all the paper sorting I wanted to take a family bike ride. I wanted us to do something as a family that we don't normally do. We got all the bikes out, brushed them off, found the helmets, pumped up all the tires (after a trip to Target to get a new tire pump) and after an hour we were ready to go. Our destination was the donut shop that's five minutes away. I figured we had to keep it short and simple and fun. We rode down there, had a yummy donut and then rode home. It was fun and I'm glad we did it. I know the kids will remember it and that's what counts.

The Hardest Thing About Having Pets

The hardest thing about having animals is when they die. We've lost several pets over the years but it's always so sad. The hardest part for me is what do you do with it once it's dead. The kids always want to bury it but I think it would be more traumatic if another animal were to dig it up and the kids were to walk onto that scene. We've always placed them in the waste receptacle in a very respectful, discreet manor. The problem is that when I go to take the garbage out I feel horrible until it's garbage day. Sadly, this week we lost one of our guinea pigs and one of our frogs in a matter of two days. Justin and I cleaned out the guinea pig cage last weekend and I could tell Isabel wasn't quite right. Her eyes weren't bright and she whimpered when I put her back in the cage. She was gone the next day. The frog was the same way. He was laying upside down one day and I thought for sure he was dead but when I had Bryan go to get him out he flipped over. Surprised us. I could tell he wasn't good though. The next day he was gone too. The kids seem to be doing fine but Justin always takes it the hardest. He doesn't always show how he feels but I know it bothers him and I know he kind of blames me. A few weeks ago I decided to move the guinea pigs and the frog cage out to the classroom. The guinea pigs were in the garage but they were so messy, smelly and noisy and we hardly ever use the classroom so I thought it would be best to put them out there. The frogs just don't look too appealing so I moved them as well. The problem is that the temperature is so random out there. It can be really cold in the morning and night and then really hot in the afternoon. That can't be that great for animals. I did move the remaining living frog into the house because I just didn't want to see Justin's face if we lost another frog. I decided to keep the guinea pigs out in the classroom because the other two, Bugsy and Flower, seem to be just fine. They are both full of energy, have bright eyes and their coats are very shiny and healthy. Our chickens are doing well, laying an egg almost every day. They're done molting so they're feathers are very fluffy. I call them fluffy butts. The bunnies seem to be doing fine as well. The gecko is fine and so is the cat. Good thing.