So worth red paint in my favorite jeans

It was an absolute beautiful fall weekend here in NC.  Bill had wanted to get one more camping trip in before it became too cold. Saturday night we each took a kid and had a date night. 

Bill and Ben camped to my night with Ian. On our date night we walked to feed the ducks, playground time, spaghetti dinner mess, then snuggled on the couch watching Dinosaur train and eating a K pop (what Ian currently calls all suckers since Ben calls them candy pops.)

I stayed up entirely too late in a quiet house cleaning and then grading a ginormous stack of papers while watching a Downton Abbey marathon.  Sunday we did church and once Bill was home I took the boys to the NC Museum of Art fallfest.  Since they have reopened after a massive renovation I've been meaning to take them and explore. 

They had several kids themed activities including veggie stamping on canvas.  The boys loved making shapes, then making a total mess.  Mom loved researching how to get red paint out of her jeans later that night. 

In the next room was build and then draw a still life. Ben sat for nearly 30 minutes drawing, completely focused.  He was so proud of his final creation.  I think he showed every single person on the way out his art.  Ian and I took turns drawing his "happy socks" (smiley face socks he loves and keeps demanding to wear) then covering it up with Ian's contribution, scribbling.   

We toured several exhibits which I was floored at the questions Ben was asking about what medium (he knew this word?) was used and why some paintings you had to come up with what you thought they were about.  again... all this from his weekly art class at school?

Afterwards we sat outside eating Loco pops which I have yet to find a flavor I don't like. Yesterday I had pumpkin spiced chai to the boys cookies and cream. 

On the way home Ben commented that he wanted to go  back and see the other building's art.  He went on to ask if on our upcoming weekend trip to Washington DC to see the Air and Space museum if they had more museums. 

uh.. yes... and uh... YES, lots and lots of museums that have different types of art!   I'm thinking we are going to making more than one mom/Ben overnight trip before 1st grade is over.

Last night we were talking about if we wanted to continue soccer for the next season or other options.

I showed him some of the art classes offered through the Town of Cary and we signed up online for winter classes including: "Ninjas, Monsters, and Dinosaur Drawing", "Bringing the Outside Inside", and a beginning clay basics class. 

By finishing a clay basics we can then take advantage of the kids open studio open on Sundays once a month. 

In all seriousness I love that right now this is something he really loves doing, can focus on for an extended amount of time, and is proud of himself. 

A triple win, for sure.