Arts Fest and more ideas

I posted this in my personal blog, but forgot to post it here. David's post reminded me of this!

From July 7, 2004:
First we went to the parklet, where they had an instrument petting zoo, where a local music store had instruments out for kids to try, which was pretty cool. We watched, but didn't try any.

Then, we went to this huge thing called Architects of Air, which is this amazing sculpture-like thing that you can walk in and it's supposed to be very peaceful and they play soothing music. I'm sure it is, but even though we went first thing in the morning, it was unbearably hot inside. I actually thought I might faint, between the heat and the disorientation of being inside a totally round atmosphere, but I stuck it out, because the kids were absolutely fascinated. It was really cool. I just wish it was actually cool inside ;).

From there, we decided to walk up to Allen Street to see the kid's exhibits, since it was children's day.

Then we ran into a ton of people from the Friends School. We saw Jael and Kelson, and their parents, who are going to take sabbatical this year and RV around the country, homeschooling and studying. I'm so jealous!

anyway, the kids spent all my money buying stuff that other kids made. Soren bought a journal that has a strap so you can carry it on your shoulder, body powder that is lavender scented, a straw hat with flowers on it (I have to take pictures of her in it!) and a clay animal. Emma got a straw hat too, with blue flowers; a cat of some sort, it's really hard to describe other than that it's fluffy - I think it's hooked somehow; a little bow and arrow made from a coat hanger, rubber band, and straws with clay soft tips for arrows; and she got a tooth fairy pillow.

We then went in the water stations they have set up - one has buckets that dump on your head and the other is a mister - very cool and calm for those not wanting to get drenched. The girls wore swim suits under their clothes and Emma got good and wet. Apparently it was very cold. Soren and I stuck to the mister and the edge of the bucket station but still enjoyed getting cooled off.

After that, david took them for smoothies while I found a shady spot to wait for the Kid's Wordstock. i wasn't sure quite what to expect but thought the girls would like it since they both love poetry and love to write. it turned out that 2 kids read their own poetry, but they had a bunch of Shel Silverstein and other poetry that kids could choose to get up and read. Emma read about 5 poems and Soren got up and recited two from memory! My little girl - getting up on stage and reciting? who is this kid? It was so cool. She did the Shel Silverstein Baby Bat: The baby bat screamed out in fright: Turn on the dark, I'm afraid of the light!

The other one she did she had learned at school about a green queen. I'm not quite sure of the words.

then we walked up to Old Main, kind of the heart of Penn State, visited the science table, and then the girls got sucked into being in the Processional, which looks much like Chinese New Year. They both could carry stuff or wear costumes. Emma wore a sort of large blue dog head with pink satin skirts and Soren carried a rabbit on a stick. I didn't have my camera but the CDT sponsored it and got pictures, so maybe there will be some in the paper tomorrow. We walked back up to where we started, and watch the sandscapes sculptor work on his sculpture for awhile and then went back to Erica's and made pizza and salad.