Quick Visit to TCNJ

It has been nine years since I graduated from TCNJ... we were back for homecoming in 2007, and I think that was the last time I set foot on the Ewing campus. The alumni decal on the back of my truck is starting to come off and it was totally time to get a replacement. As we left the parking garage in Trenton, I decided that I'd drive on up and pay a visit with the boys.
(This was a risky move, as it was already past Oliver's nap time. But, seeing as class is over and I had no absolute reason to bolt home, I decided to make a run for it)

Changes, changes... so many new buildings. Very pretty ones, actually. And they've demolished the nasty ones. They've also added some artwork. Four orbs like the one above are planted outside Loser Hall, the new Art building, the Music building, and the Social Sciences building.
Yes, Trenton tried to push each one over. Because that's what you do when you're four.


Now, as you can see above, it looks like they're working on Green Hall. Not sure if it still houses the administration, but looks like it is getting an update.
The picture below is what's left of Quimby's Prairie. So sad! Some big-'ol building has been planted right in the middle of it. :(
As the story goes, one of the first presidents of the college lived in a home on the other side of the lake, which is just past Quimby's Prairie, and just outside his office window. He used this vantage point to make sure his wife wasn't cheating on him during the day while he was at work...
Guess he'll never know now...

Yes, ladies, the elevator in Forcina Hall still takes FOREVER and is STIFLING in the heat.
I walked the kids across campus to see if there was anyone hanging out in the ed. department that I might remember (there wasn't-- it was finals week). But there was a desk of "Take Me, I'm Free!" materials. Trenton scored with a teacher's manual for Arthur books.
Then we walked back to the new Social Sciences building. Can't believe I didn't take pictures of it, as the atrium is beautiful (you can see it here), but the kids were crabbin' and I wanted to just pop in and pop out. I left a note for my old adviser, Doctor Crofts, who was finished giving finals and out of the office. I was happy to get an email from him today! If you're wondering what he is up to, check out this review on his new book, “A Secession Crisis Enigma”.


Kids didn't fall asleep in the car until we were halfway home. I had the brilliant idea of parking the car, leaving the windows open, and napping with them in front of the house. Yes, it was that nice of a day...

Good Morning, Trenton!

Okay.
In case you're one of my readers from another state, here's what's going on in New Jersey.
Governor Christie is turning state funding up on its head. In a way, I think it is great. I'm all for listening to his proposals, especially when it is clear that he is looking to reduce a deficit and bring this state back to fiscal sense. But of course, there's two hot button issues that affect me directly, that I want to know more about. One is cutting state aid to local schools. The other is reducing state aid by 74% to New Jersey's libraries. You can read more about it here. After speaking with my local librarian, it seems that this will have a domino effect: funds that they thought would be coming from the state to meet needs will now have to come from local government, donations, etc. I use our library and its systems often. As a parent, we're there at least twice a month getting books, audio CDs, tapes, and DVDs. Sometimes we go for storytime or special programs. As a graduate student, the inter-library loan system is efficient and instrumental (especially for my area of study).
All this leads up to the following: the NJLA held a rally outside the State House Annex on Thursday, and I decided to attend. I wanted to learn more about what was going on and to show my support for our fantastic librarians.
But these kids aren't standing in front of a library, are they?
No. But the State Library is right next door ;)
We had gotten there early enough that we had a chance to walk around downtown. Can't say that it was overly exciting. Trenton is a city that is past its prime and will probably never go back. Which is a shame. Very much a forgotten capital. Great location, amazing history... but a dead-zone.
For those of you who did not know, the name Trenton actually means the town by the river Trent. (English)
Totally appropriate for my firstborn, who started his exit from the womb in a swimming pool, came out too quickly for a water birth, and now calls the seashore his second home...

So, if you are hanging out in downtown Trenton on a Thursday morning, why not check out the State Museum? It's free. And open early. And best? DINOSAURS!!!!!!

All I had to do was mention the dinosaur fossils, and he was jumping in the car, ready to go.


Oliver kept pointing to this one, dangling from the ceiling, and yelling "Bird!!!"
When he saw the T-Rex, he immediately said "GRRRROWWWL!" But he wouldn't go within three feet of the box. Neither of them would. Ha!

Below, they climb on a huge rock with a fossil footprint... it is right near T's head. See it?
They had a nice section on the history of Trenton (as evidenced in the battle scene above... I cannot WAIT until he is old enough to really understand the history of our great state... I get all giddy just thinking about it! Historian nerd blogger, right here!!!) There was also a room with pottery by a NJ artist (we did not break any pieces, thank you very much) and an entire exhibit devoted to Native American shoes. Cool.


And then there was the rally. We were told to wear red, which we did. There was coverage of the rally (you can read about it here, and watch a bit of it here), but not extensive. But very well organized. You can tell that a lot of people care, and do want their voices heard. Hopefully, the state congressmen were listening, and can take some of these issues up with the Governor and his new budget proposal.

Above, Trenton sits near a chalk drawing he did of the word "Library". There was a great photographer out and about that day. If you have a chance, look here and here for FANTASTIC pictures of the kids. I was very glad that I went and brought them. Trenton and I had a discussion about what a rally was and why the people were there. We brought several library books and read them together. Mostly, they raced cars and ate snacks. And Ollie fell and scraped his knee. But the two of them brought a lot of smiles and inspiration to the organizers, and for that, I'm happy. :)

"Gatorade! Water Up Ahead!"

"Gatorade! Water up ahead! I love helping at my dad's aid station for the NJ State Marathon in Long Branch each year! This year, it was wicked hot. Lots of people drinking lots of water. We even ran out of cups! Some year, I'm going to run it."- Trenton

"Mom, can we have a picnic lunch? I promise to keep my food on the table so that the ants don't get it."- Trenton
"(I make no such promises.)"- Oliver

"Hello Elmo sprinkler! It's been quite awhile since I've seen you! This is the first time you've seen me as a four year old. Watch out! I'm fast and I love to spin you in circles!"-- Trenton

"(Dude, Elmo, why are you spinning like that? And why is water coming out of you? And doesn't he realize that it is colder than he thinks? I'll stay right her with my towel and Sun Chip, thankyouverymuch.)"- Oliver

Tribeca Family Film Festival, 2010

Surely all of you avid readers of this blog remember me mentioning coming into the city for the Tribeca Film Festival? No? No worries ;) I'm sure you have better things to do.

Trenton, however, DID remember it.
So it is a darn good thing that the weather was nice (even a bit too hot at 90 degrees) and we were able to come in for the day.

The festival itself was AWESOME. Just about everything had a movie or popcorn theme. We enjoyed traditional buttered, cheddar, and chocolate drizzled popcorn. The kids did, too. Lots of freebies. We walked away with DVDs, photographs, organic lollipops, and sweatbands.
Oh, and this 3D PHOTO!

If you had the 3D glasses, you'd be able to see T's tongue sticking out. A very, very nice touch!

Brayden's Montessori preschool was conducting a fundraiser-- Hop for Hope. The kids enjoyed popping bubble wrap and weaving through mazes.

Now THIS maze was built entirely out of cardboard boxes provided by the moving company Moishe's. Too cool. A bit scary, though, as I couldn't see him and there were a dozen kids in it!
With the Road Runner.

Barron and Ollie definitely needed naps and to get out of the sun for awhile. After grabbing lunch and having some 'rest time', we headed back out to Greenwich St. to see other parts of the festival.

Above, a real Chinese dragon! The boys liked hearing the drums, but we didn't get close enough to really see the men in costume.
Below, we did get to see the Pirate's Booty Pirate!
Free eye patch ROCKS!


Yeah, so, we saw Johnny Depp. Kinda.
But we did see Liev Schreiber, his wife Naomi Watts, and their two kids. Poor guy was having to argue with paparazzi as his one-year-old cried in his arms. I'm hoping they got to do SOMETHING without getting pestered, as the kids surely would have loved all there was to do there.


OK this was cool. I don't remember the name of the company that sponsored it, but essentially, it was an imaginative playground concept. All the pieces were made of hard, lightweight foam. And the kids LOVED it.


My little man.
He's started to get a little attitude... Doesn't like it when I tell him "No". Even hit me in the face a few times for doing so! Have to begin laying down the line with him... time-outs usually come into play around this age...

Barron's looking for a way out.

Trenton and Brayden running through the streets on the way home.
Brayden is so city-smart: he tells his mom to stop and look as they approach any driveway or roadway. Trenton had to follow his lead on this day.

Home before dinnertime, with two tired kids.
Thanks for the fun time!

Winding Down

Hey!
Where have you been?
Oh yeah! It's the end of the semester.
I bet you were spending every available minute completing two student studies, two electronic portfolios, an assessment evaluation, and lesson plans, right?
OK. I'll cut you some slack then for not blogging for a few weeks.

(Thanks.)

And yes, it has been a great two weeks. Be happy that I took pictures to document it all!
***
I can remember when Trenton was a baby, and we'd find him hiding out in a nook somewhere, reading books or pulling them off of the shelf. Just like his big brother, Oliver knows which way to hold the book, how to turn the pages, and responds to the illustrations he 'reads' with his own little language. Man do I love early literacy! Above, he's reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Great clip of the author, Bill Martin Jr., reading it here.

Oliver Reads His "First Words Book" from Sheryl Konopack on Vimeo.

The weather's been getting nicer here...
Took the kids to Avon after dinner one night last week. Above, Trenton searches successfully for sand crabs along the rocks. He must have found close to 80 crabs, no joke. It was hard to pry him away and get him to come home. But the wind was picking up, and Ollie didn't like it at all...

Pick me up, Momma!

I've been seeing a lot of him at this angle lately... suffice it to say, we're going through a bit of an attachment phase. Can't blame him, especially with all his allergies this season.

Had to capture this fantastic chalk drawing that Jim did below:

Nice weekend, with Jon visiting. Basketball and time at the beach... all before Memorial Day!