Welcome to the Ferguson Museum of Self Portraits!
This year we visited La Casa Azul in Coyoacán, Mexico, which is where the artist Frida Kahlo was born and lived her entire life. La Casa Azul is now a museum. Frida Kahlo’s artwork is about 2/3 self-portraits. She once said, “I paint self-portraits because I am the person I know best.” In the spirit of Kahlo, we each composed a self portrait, because we each know ourselves the best (… although at times it seems I can predict when the kids need to eat or sleep better than they can themselves).
May our artwork give you a smile this season! Read on for a peek into what we did this past year.
We began 2024 on a bittersweet note, saying our final goodbyes to our 19 year old dog, Chata.
Winter brought plenty of snow forts, sledding, and cross-country skiing.
Spring arrived with new life as we hatched eggs in our egg-frame incubator. We had a clutch of 7 adorable chicks.
Iola began jazz piano lessons, and all three girls are taking music lessons. A spring piano recital showcased Iola and Frida’s hard work and talent.
We traveled to see the total solar eclipse in April, viewing it from a McDonald’s parking lot in Arkansas.
In May, we ventured to Mexico City, where the vibrant culture delighted us (and Montezuma’s revenge tested us!). Highlights included a lively lucha libre match, ramen noodles and donuts at a baseball game, and, of course, countless street tacos.
The summer was spent getting tan at the pool. Iola and Frida took summer tennis lessons.
One highlight of our year was celebrating Christmas in July with the Sailing Santa crew. We built a sleigh for Grinnell’s cardboard boat regatta. Iola and Frida sailed it to a first place victory!
We had the opportunity to sculpt butter with the official Iowa State Butter Cow sculptor—an udderly amazing experience!
We have been spending Friday afternoons carving wooden spoons.
Our November travels took us to Northfield, MN, where we met one of our favorite authors, Kate DiCamillo.
We also met other amazing writers throughout the year, including Mac Barnett, Shawn Harris, Pedro Martin, and Justice Alan Page.
We joined artist Isaac Campbell in Grinnell, helping to install wheat-paste murals around town!
This fall, Iola and Frida joined the Tiger Sharks swim team. They have competed in a couple of swim meets and I’m happy to report they haven’t needed lifeguard services.
We spotted the Tsuchinshan-Atlas comet in October. Iola is getting better and better at finding things to look at with her telescope.
By November, the northern lights graced us with their ethereal beauty right here in Grinnell.
This fall, we welcomed a new international student, Suzune from Japan, into our family with our other international students: Kevin, from China, Anh, from Vietnam, and Mario, from Bulgaria.
Iola, 11
She professes to love tacos but craves a simple baked potato with cheese. She had her braces removed this spring. Iola is into typewriters. Often, in the evenings, one can hear clicking and clacking from her vintage, early 1900’s era Underwood typewriter. If she’s not writing something, she’s usually drawing a comic (often about her mom) or reading a book.
Frida, 8
Frida decided to quit shoes this year. Frida asked Santa for a real, alive tarantula this year. Instead she will be getting her adenoids removed. Frida keeps us all in line, reminding us about budgets and quoting Golda Meir, “Don’t be so humble – you are not that great.”
Fleur, 6
She’s usually the first to wake up in the morning, always with a smile. Fleur proudly upgraded to a bike with gears this year. On Fleur’s 6th birthday we went kayaking on Lake Red Rock. (She had requested a new kayak after the last inflatable kayak deflated in a freak accident with a kayak launch). Making books, pushing pandas in strollers, and playing kickball are a few of Fleur’s favorite things. She sent Santa a long, meandering list of what she wants this year. Topping the list is a “gadget” (good luck with that Santa!)
Thursday night Iola lined up our boots by the back door for the Kings to leave gifts in – similar to Santa leaving gifts in stockings hung up by the chimney. We woke up to our boots filled with gifts! Iola received a pair of socks, orange jello, M&M’s, and lemon gum. Frida got a dinosaur balloon and a pear.
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