The Preschool Report

 

September 5, 2012 - Taken on front porch just before first day of Preschool!!!

The first day of preschool kicked my ass - and I'm loving it. I came home from Arabella's first day of school today, drank 3 huge glasses of ice water, and we both crashed for a 3 hour nap.  

Keith and I were just there to hang out today since it was Arabella's first day but were asked to help out at the woodworking table. I'm very happy to report that no one lost limb, life or digit on my watch. 

On her first day, in the 2.5 hours allotted Arabella managed to:

 

make two paintings / tell a story to her teacher that was read by her other teacher at gathering time / dance to stories at gathering time / dress up as a princess and a witch / go barefoot the whole time except for the 20 minutes or so she had another girl's flip flops on / ride the teeter totter / climb repeatedly through the rope loft / ride a tricycle / shovel dirt / go on the outdoor swings plus ride the indoor standing swing with 3 other girls while singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Arabella"/ pour her own water for snack time / play with dolls in the play loft / use a saw and vise / attempt to ride the zip line / see a lizard egg that her Teacher found in the sand / view a dragonfly, bee and log under a magnifying glass.

I'm sure there's more but Arabella isn't awake right now to remind me what I forgot.

Tomorrow Arabella plans to:

-Bring her backpack! Arabella was appalled that we forgot to bring her Dora backpack when she saw the other backpacks lined up at the entry.

-Spot a fish in the pond - she looked and looked but could not see the fish on the first day. It has come up repeatedly in conversation this evening that she could not see the fish! 

-Help mom at art table (I am officially on duty tomorrow as a working parent - I told Arabella that she should still play whatever she wants just like today, but she insists she will be helping me at art table tomorrow)

I'm so glad we are at a parent participation preschool -this is so much more fun than just dropping her off and it's so awesome to meet other parents with a similar perspective!  

(Sorry I don't have any photos during preschool - Arabella's preschool has a rule that parents don't take photos there as it can be intrusive and distracting to the kids - which I totally get and support but it's kind of a bummer when it comes to blogging photos!) 

Not a preschool photo - just one from the archives of Arabella playing at a park to dress up this post!

Arabella tap dancing!

Had to share Arabella's exuberance in this video - she seems so EMPOWERED by the noise she is making with her feet.  I already shared this on Facebook but wanted to give it a permanent home here. So if you have seen the tap shoes at Payless Shoe Source and were on the fence about getting them for your child (boy OR girl!) I would recommend yes! Just $27.00 for priceless happiness.

Take that Shirley Temple! What Arabella lacks in training she makes up in sheer enthusiasm!

Arabella's Kitty, Frog and Ice Cream Story

The frog goes into the air balloon and goes into the car and I hold him in my hands. Him be nice. Him be friends with me. Him be big kid frog. He won't be so big, him be's a kid. The frog wants. Kitten, wants to pet him. The kitty cat. Him said "hello kitty". Kitty said "hello frog". 

Them wanted ice cream. Two ice creams. Says one at a time. Yeah. Them get some pink ice cream. Both want a pink ice cream. Them said mother, mother, us got ice cream. Them -the frog be a girl and kitty be a girl too. They like ice cream. Them love love ice cream. Like this (Arabella made licking motions with her tongue). Like a kitty. I got vanilla ice cream. It's white and I liked it. It shaped like a bowl. It's just a square. Eats and eats and eats and eats and eats. 

Kitten wants a bowl of bones.  And Arabella eats apples and froggy eats green fish.  Meow, meow, says kitty and frog says ribbit and I said "them be number five." Their moms five years old too. Them five old years. Them big kids like me. 

How to post a video so that people on Ipads and Iphones can see it too! (Or, YouTube is a video laundering service)

Almost a week later, thanks to Arianna Birondo I have figured out why the video review I posted of Arabella didn't show up on my Ipad or on other people's Iphones!  I shot the video on my Ipad but uploaded it using Blogger's "Insert a Video" feature and added my file from Dropbox. This was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG - so Ipad and Ipod don't support Flash/Java and won't play the video if you add the video directly from your computer. BUT if you first upload your movie to YouTube (you can do it on a private channel too if you don't want people searching for and viewing it via YouTube FYI) and then upload the file from "My YouTube Videos" option in the "Insert a Video" button on Blogger, YouTube "launders" your movie file washing the coffee out (Java) into a clean one that can be viewed on Ianything.  At least that's how I understand it.

So if you're reading this and thinking "Duh - everyone knew that" - well, good for you, and please leave your name and email in comments so I can add you to my list of People Who Know Things About Tech Stuff. I'm posting this in the hopes that some other poor person searching Google to find out why their video on Blogger doesn't show up on Ipad or Iphone can get an answer, since when I searched Google I got nothing actually referring to this issue and no help from the Blogger help section either.

Arabella's video review of Suessical!

Here's Arabella's take on the performance:

So, the verdict is in - Arabella liked it. And so did her parents! We'll definitely be going again. Here's a link to another grownup's take on it with a much more comprehensive review:

http://www.greatlocalshows.blogspot.com/2012/08/seussical.html


I agree with everything said in the review link above, plus want to mention mom's pick for standout performance was Carli Meyer as Gertrude McFuzz, the bird with a little tail and a big crush on Horton the Elephant; Keith's standout pick is Randle Rankin as Horton.  Those are just highlights - the whole cast from little toddler through adult is entertaining and engaging throughout.

If you wonder why I am promoting this so heavily, it's because:
1. I love having great live local entertainment in Central Roseville
2. I want this group to be around when Arabella is old enough to perform in a few years (if she so chooses)
3. The talent pool in this town is AMAZING










All the details for performance times and location are here at 

http://www.perfcal.com/orgs/StandOutTalent.htm

Jennifer and Jason Bortz run Stand Out Talent at the Tower Theater and are doing an amazing job - 
Go see Suessical, and tell them Arabella sent you!

Did you see Suessical? Please leave us a comment and tell us what you thought. If you haven't seen it and don't plan to see it, then please comment below about why you want to be a Grinch (who was also in this show but we weren't able to find for a photo after).  

What are YOU doing this weekend in Roseville?

Arabella the theater-goer in the lobby
of the Tower Theater. 

What are your plans for this weekend?  We are super excited about ours!






First up, we are going to opening night of Suessical the Musical at the Tower Theatre on Friday night. At only $5.00/kids, $10.00/seniors, and $12/adult, tickets are a bargain for a super fun night out! Come support our AMAZING local theater, and have fun as a family - everyone loves Dr. Suess! (I think, but if you don't please leave a comment and tell me why).  We're going on opening night because Arabella is already a theater hound and we'll most likely be hitting this show more than once.  

The Tower Theater - photo taken by Arabella's mom

The Tower Theatre (View)
417 Vernon Street
Roseville, CA 95678
United States


The show runs from this weekend through September 9th with showtimes on Fridays at 7 pm, Saturday at 7 pm, and Sunday at 2pm.






You can also buy tickets online and see showtimes and days here: http://events.sacbee.com/roseville_ca/events/show/272948067-seussical-the-musical


Pre-show we will be having our usual Friday evening meal of Bella Familia Pizza obtained at Roseville Brewing Company - did you know that Roseville has it's own Brewing Company?  It's located at 501 Derek Place (off of Washington Boulevard between the intersections of Washington & Pleasant Grove and Washington & Junction).  Every Friday night there from 5-8 is beer tasting, pizza for sale from Bella Familia, and live music.  It's very family friendly with lots of kids.  Scott makes the best woodfired pizza, and usually while wearing a kilt!  I'm getting The Pig, The Fig and The Goat.

The Pig, The Fig and The Goat - figs, goat cheese,
 mozzarella, and ham.   Yum!

After the show we'll probably take a short walk down the block and spring for dessert or coffee at The Place or Java Jungle.


Then on Saturday we are super looking forward to Movie in the Park at Woodbridge Park with Despicable Me - we've seen it before and it's a favorite of ours. Steve Carrell's Eastern European accent as Gru the supervillain who turns into the Superdad of three adorable orphans (sorry that was probably a little bit of a spoiler, but the poster spoiled it before I did)

Movies in the Park in Roseville are sponsored by RCONA (Roseville Coalition of Neighborhood Associations)

Here's the info direct from the RCONA site:
Join us Saturday August 25th for our sixth 2012 Movie In The Park

Woodbridge Park -- Despicable Me (95 minutes)

Enjoy an evening in the park with your friends and neighbors. Movies to begin at sundown on a 30 ft. screen (weather permitting). Come for dinner at 7:30 pm with lawn chairs, blankets and pocket change for hot dogs, teriyaki, popcorn, snow cones and beverages. Ladihawk Castle, and Tie Dyed booths will be joining us before the show.  You may bring your own shirt to dye for $3.

Closed captioning (subtitles) are available on request for the hearing impaired. Most movies do have subtitles - but some may not.

Directions:

Woodbridge Park
415 Sierra Blvd.

Come out and see it - this is the last Movie in the Park of 2012!  

What are YOU doing this weekend?  Please let us know in the comments - no plans are too glamorous or too boring to share!!


p.s. Another great resource for ideas for local families is Placer Playtime Publications  (also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PlacerPlaytime and Twitter as @CommunityMama).  Check there for more great suggestions!

Butterflies

Butterflies by arabellajane on Polyvore

Arabella has been on a little story strike lately, but I asked reminded her the other day that she used to tell me stories that I could put on "us blog" to share with her adoring public, and asked her if she would tell me another one. I played it cool when she agreed out of the blue and set to transcribing - this story is short but super sweet.

Arabella's Butterfly Fancy Nancy Story

Butterfly come in the store and come in the house two threes and flutters!! And butterfly flutters by and Fancy Nancy comes and pets her butterfly and comes in the tree and Fancy Nancy climbs and her mother said "What's that big tree?"  Nancy says "It big tree you climb with" said Fancy Nancy. Butterfly flutters in the clouds and butterfly flaps his wings up to the sky! Us go on roof (the butterfly & Fancy Nancy and her mom). They took the ladder - no they flew in pike position and roll up there [visualize a fancy Olympics dive but in reverse going up from the ground to the roof is the way I understood it from Arabella's description]

The sad illustration above is one of my first attempts at Polyvore. I actually like it fairly well except for the huge white background, but   I have to get back to real paying appraisal work instead of playing with that anymore. Do you use Polyvore? If so, you can follow me under name arabellajane and I'd love to know what name you Polyvore under so I can follow you too. It's a lot of fun, and fairly simple once you get the hang of it if you use the premade templates. It's kind of like Pinterest collaging.   If you don't use it, have you heard of Polyvore? If you go to Polyvore.com, you can get started super easily. No, Polyvore is not paying me to write this and mobilize all 20ish of my readers to use Polyvore - although they should the way I am talking them up. OK, back to real work, Happy Tuesday everybody! But seriously, leave us a comment (about anything (besides spam of course)) - it makes our day bright and shiny!