The Chalk Fest

Though we spent the majority of our time at the beach during our trip to the South, one of the main purposes for visiting Florida this weekend was to attend the Chalk Festival. It was amazing!
We spent about an hour there each day of the weekend and today. We saw the same chalk paintings each day as the artists constructed them. It was so neat to see them transform from the beginning sketches to the final picture.

{There were a handful of “interactive” drawings, which gave us the opportunity to be part of the picture. So cool!}





{Some of the paintings were both on the ground and on upright boards to increase the 3D feel. It was hard to tell where the board ended and the ground started. Talk about talent!}











{And some of the drawings didn’t look 3D at all until we looked through our cameras. I have absolutely no idea how a camera can transform a flat drawing...}

















We chatted with some of the artists, and gained a whole new perspective into chalk drawing. And now I need to step up my chalk game from flowers and bubble letters!

Such a great experience to see these drawings in person!

We skipped town.

My mom and I flew down to Florida with the kids to check out the chalk festival and sand sculpture fest. Leaving Chicago during the first snow of the season was a plus.






{No, thanks.}





{We arrived at my parent’s place with just enough daylight left to check out the pool. The water was way warmer than the air!}





{“Keep your face out of water for 3 days,” said the doctor who closed up Mason’s head. So Mason used about 300 pool noodles to follow those orders. And then screamed bloody murder whenever his face got wet. Eyes rolling.}

And then early to bed to rest up for a full first day in the sun.

First up: The Chalk Fest. Where Camryn lost her mind for a solid hour for no good reason. Per usual.






{We had the chance to decorate this wall and the ground in front of it. Budding artists?...}












The talent that the artists have is truly amazing. We were able to sneak a peak of their work on the first day before anything was completed. We will be back tomorrow to check up on the progress. Mason was star struck when an artist touched his arm and talked to him. Heart eyes emoji in real life.

Then off to the beach to kill the afternoon.






{Not a single cloud in the sky to ruin our afternoon full of sandcastles, seashells, and salt water!}





{And then I figured out the best use for sand: child containment for the win!}

We finished off our day with a dip at the condo pool before gearing up for another packed day tomorrow!

Figures.

Because why not split your head open the day before we go to Florida?












It happened yesterday about 10 minutes after the boys got home from school. Throwing the ball in the family room is always a point of contention for me. And yesterday it was a point of contention for the table. We went in thinking stitches but came home with a glued face. All is well, and this rascal should be able to swim by Sunday. I should have snagged a few more tubes of glue for the boys’ mouths...

Transformed.

I promised Jacob a room makeover for third grade. Out with the Ninja Turtles and in with the sports! And after months of brainstorming and weeks of scouring the stores and Internet for the perfect combination of fillers, his room is finally complete!

The befores:

{Bunk beds that would be shipped across the hall to Mason's room.}

{Bright green walls that would be replaced with a more muted grey.}

 {And décor that just wasn't Jacob's style anymore.}

And the afters:

{Canvas wrapped t-shirts in all of his favorite sports teams sit above the metal pipe headboard that I constructed. A true labor of love!}

{A desk I also made out of metal pipes showcases all of his trophies and gives this boy a special place to do homework.}

 {A hat rack I made out of old barn wood from a Tennessee tobacco farm, a blanket ladder I made out of metal pipes, and pennants I picked up at the local flea market round out this room.}

Jacob is loving his new room. I have caught him reading after school on his bed (this kid NEVER reads!), and he told me that he doesn't ever want to get out of bed in the morning because he loves his room so much! His ideas gave me the inspiration, and I love how it all came together. The perfect room for this sporty little guy!

Only Mason.

Mason—our resident geography buff—excitedly pointed out that the peels in our leather recliner remind him exactly of the Bay of Bengal.












I️ don’t know whether to be impressed that Mason knows what the Bay of Bengal is, or embarrassed that our leather chair has peeled so badly that it now looks like the Bay of Bengal.

Either way, still laughing that this analogy ever crossed Mason’s creative little mind.

Colonoscopy prep is no joke.

But when family history says you need a colonoscopy in your 30s, you gotta get through the prep first.



{A colonoscopy goodie bag from my mother. How kind. All kinds of clear liquids suitable for my 36 hour clear liquid diet. That did nothing to get me excited for the prep.}

And then at 6 last night my binge drinking began. A whole half gallon of liquid that tastes like a dirty ocean. Bottoms up! (Some butt humor...)



A half gallon in 1-2 hours sounds daunting. So I broke it down in to cups. 8 cups. That’s not so bad. And it wasn’t for the first cup and a half. But then I needed a Sprite chaser to choke that crap down. And once that crap goes down, crap comes out. Shudder.

Off to bed at 10 only to wake up a few hours later for a middle of the night date with the other half gallon. I had to talk myself out of a very dark place during the second half of my “cleanse.”

But the light at the end of the tunnel is the 30 minute propofol nap I got to take while the doctor shoved a camera up my behind and went exploring. I explained the procedure to the boys pre-op and Mason thought it was the funniest thing he ever heard. Camera in the butt. His words of encouragement this morning before I took off for my procedure: Hope the doctor remembers to take that camera out of your butt.
Thanks, Mason.

Test is done. And glad I had it. Three polyps removed: 1 benign and 2 precancerous that have been sent out for testing. I will be back at it again in 3 years. Hardly enough time to forget the fun that is colonoscopy prep.

And now it’s time to get back to the things people my age do. Like not having cataract surgery and colonoscopies.

Halloween

Not my favorite holiday. But because kids...



{Not acting. This kid has sensory issues. Luckily Jacob finished the gutting job for all.}





And the finished products. Mostly done by Caleb because everyone except me had lost interest in this project five seconds deep. I never had any interest to lose.

And then off to collect the booty. Acting cool on a very cold day.


Collecting the rest of the crew before making the rounds.


Camryn came home at intermission to help me pass out candy. More fun to be inside!

And after 4 hours scouring the neighborhood, this is what we have to show for the effort.

Peace out, Halloween 2017.