Once Unwritten

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May 7, 2017 by Jess 2 Comments

Taking A First-Timer to An Art Museum

This week, I had the pleasure of taking Jacob, my 15-year old stepson, to an art museum for the first time. I live near San Antonio and recently saw a billboard for a French Impressionism exhibit that was currently on display at the McNay Art Museum and I knew I wanted to go before it was over. When I did some research, I saw that there was an a Paul Klee exhibit going on until this Sunday, and with only a few days left to catch it, we made the very spontaneous decision to go check it out on Thursday evening.

McNay Art Museum Once Unwritten Jess Olma

On the drive there, I asked Jacob if he had ever been to an art museum. No, he told me. Not gonna lie, I was a little sad to hear this, since I basically grew up in an art gallery with all the art my dad surrounded us with. Dad is an artist. He is talented with a paintbrush, but just like an athlete who can pick up any sport or a musician that can pick up and learn any instrument, my dad is the kind of artist who finds treasure in trash and he creates things everywhere he goes. He paints, he sculpts, he writes, he works with wood and metal, he builds…I’m quite certain there’s nothing in the creative realm my dad CAN’T do.  That being said, knowing my stepson had never been to an art museum broke my artist heart a little. Since this was a new experience for him, I felt I needed to teach him some things about being in an art museum and how to appreciate the experience, so here’s some first-timer tips for you.

  1. Appreciate the architecture. Your art museum experience begins long before you step foot in the door. Most art museums are a work of art themselves. Make sure you take time to appreciate the home where the art you’re seeing lives.

McNay Art Museum

  1. Know about free and discount days. Before leaving home on Thursday, I knew that teen admission was free but it was going to cost me 20 large to get in. Turns out, Thursday evening from 4-9 is sponsored by HEB, so I only paid $10 to get into the special Impressionism exhibit. Maximize your museum dollars by going at these times! Plus, the museum will typically have more staff present on those days if you have any questions.
  2. Find your favorites. The mistake I made the first time I went to an art museum was feeling like I had to love every piece. Boy was I wrong! I love all art, but I definitely have my favorites. I encouraged Jacob to find the types or art and the styles he liked instead of making him sit through the areas of the museum that made him want to fall asleep standing up. But once you find your favorites…
  3. Research! Learn about your favorite artists and their work. Read about their inspirations and the time period when the work was created. When I attended a Kandinsky exhibit several years ago, I wasn’t crazy about some of his sketches until I learned that he did those sketches during WWII when there was no access to art supplies and materials. It made me appreciate those sketches and his talent even more.
  4. Get inspired. After walking through an art museum, many people feel energized, excited and inspired. Don’t let that creative energy get away. Go home and create something! Paint, draw, cook, write, knit, color…it doesn’t matter what you do. Just make something.
  5. Support your local museums. Last, but not least, show your museum some love by making a donation, especially if you are attending on a free or discount day. Many small museums area running on fewer staff members and donations than they used to, so if you liked the museum and enjoyed your experience, show them some love. This includes sharing positive reviews on social media and encouraging friends to go too. Museums will only stay open as long as we support them, so everyone has to do their part if they want to continue enjoying its benefits.
  6. Did I forget to mention their incredible Beauty and the Beast-esque library? Because…goals.

McNay Art Museum Once Unwritten Jess Olma

When was the last time you attended an art museum? Come join my VIP Group and tell us where you went!

Filed Under: Activities, Life Boxes Tagged With: Art Museum, Fun Activities for Kids, San Antonio, Summer Fun

April 8, 2017 by Jess Leave a Comment

Kid-Friendly Letter Writing Using Paper Airplanes!

When I was a kid, I remember taking my lunch to school each day. One peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich, a bag of potato chips, some fruit and maybe a little dessert like leftover brownies or homemade chocolate chip cookies. My mom was always so thoughtful with our lunches, but when I sat down to eat, the first thing I would do was find the note my dad had written me. Each day, before he left for work, he would sit down and write my sister and I a quick note.

Some days, it was just a simple “Have a great day, I love you” and his signature smiley face. Other days, he’d spend extra time imparting bits of wisdom, using our spelling words in a sentence or dressing up that smiley face into a pumpkin for Halloween or a including a four-leaf clover on St. Patty’s Day. To this day, I have a shoebox full of every lunchbox note my dad ever wrote to me. He was touched a few years ago when I told him I still had each of those notes.

My dad took the time each day to commit this small act that left a lasting impact on me, so when I heard about someone doing something similar with paper airplanes, I was on board!

Usborne carries a book called 100 Paper Planes to Fold and Fly. The book is a fun take on the art of paper airplane folding and includes several folding instructions for different styles of airplane and boasts changing paper patterns on each page.

A consultant in one of the groups I’m in began using this book as a way of connecting her Air Force husband to their kids during his absence. He would write them a letter, she would fold up the plane and the kids would find them in the house or their yard. This simple way of relating a message inspired me! I immediately sent a message to my friend Cait (whose husband is a pilot) and she loved the idea of doing this with her kids!

That got me thinking…I would LOVE to gift my friends with some samples of these paper airplanes to create a fun, new experience for their kids. If you are a pilot’s wife or military spouse, I would especially love to share these with you and your kids as a small token of my appreciation for your family’s service and sacrifice.

To claim your FREE paper airplanes, please follow the link to fill and fill out this Google Doc: Paper Airplane Giveaway

Once you’ve written, folded and shared all your letters, come on over and join my VIP group and tell us about your paper airplane experience!

Filed Under: Activities, Books, Literacy Tagged With: Aviation, Fun Activities for Kids, Letter Writing, Military, Paper Airplanes

April 8, 2017 by Jess Leave a Comment

5 Random Acts of Kindness for Kids

Have you ever been sitting in line at Starbucks, get to the window and learn that the person in front of you has already paid for your drink? Have you ever been performed a random act of kindness just to make a stranger smile? And, have you ever wondered how to teach your kids this sort of kindness that makes your heart smile? I have just the book for you!

Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy is one of my favorite books because it teaches kids the value of kindness and how to put it into practice in their everyday lives. We could ALL use more of this in our lives and I believe that when kids see adults performing kind acts, they will mirror our actions and be inspired to come up with their own ideas for spreading kindness.

So, let me help get your creative juices flowing by giving you five easy ideas you can do with your kids today!

  1. Pay for someone’s order in the drive-thru line and include a colored page from your favorite coloring book. I promise, nothing gives someone a bigger smile than free coffee and a coloring page from a kid.
  2. Have your kids go through their old clothes and make a donation to a local foster home or children’s wellness group. When children see that their act of kindness is benefitting their peers, it becomes relatable. By performing an act for someone just like them, they will be more inclined to do kind acts for their peers in the future.
  3. Volunteer for a cause that is important to your family. The cause could be something as simple as walking a dog at the local animal shelter or attending a family fun run in your neighborhood.
  4. Sponsor a child. This is a big one, but our family recently embarked on this adventure with a boy named Marlon from Ecudaor. We exchange letters and postcards and we are able to support his family and community. He shares the same birthday as my stepson, so it gives us something to celebrate together. (More of this in another blog post!) While this is a more costly act of kindness it is certainly one that your children and family will remember and cherish for years to come.
  5. Looking for a quick, easy, FREE kindness tip? Pay someone a compliment, say please and thank you, hold the door open for a stranger, SMILE! In our fast paced lives, these small gestures show that even in the simplest of tasks, we can find time for kindness.

Do you have another idea for a random act of kindness or a story you’d like to share? Come on over to my VIP Group and give us a shout!

Filed Under: Activities, Books, Usborne Books Tagged With: Pay it Forward, Random Acts of Kindness, Teaching Manners, Volunteer

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