Summer Break: Week Two

Week two of summer break was another mix of relaxation and activity! It's the best way to spend the summer. Here's a quick peek at some of the fun we had last week:

Heading out to Empty Bowls Houston with Henry last Saturday

We love to support Empty Bowls Houston! If you're not familiar with the organization, the goal of Empty Bowls is to alleviate hunger in our city. Once a year, the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft hosts a huge party; for $25, you pick a bowl (created by a local artist) and then are treated to soup, a drink, popsicles and coffee, music and pottery demonstrations. Henry and I adore this event as all proceeds benefit the Houston Food Bank. This year, we even won an item in the raffle -- a one month's supply of GoodPops popsicles (our favorites!)!

Gene didn't really think we needed more bowls, but Henry and I came with these two anyway. 

In the afternoon, Gene and Will ran some errands, and Henry and I visited the Moody Center for the Arts on the Rice University campus for a special Family Jam day. 

There wasn't a whole lot to see, but we enjoyed the installation, Repeater by David Scanavino

and then ate some delicious Fat Cat Creamery ice cream.

 

Our Sunday was pretty quiet, with lots of game playing (Betrayal at the House on the Hill is a new favorite) and reading. Always reading!

On Tuesday, the boys and I visited the science museum, where we found a brand new, 18-foot fossil of a crinoid.

Turtle for Henry

The Cabinet of Curiosities exhibit is always a hit.

Afterwards, we walked around Hermann Park for a bit. We have been so lucky this year with the mild weather we've had so late in the season!

Japanese Gardens

Carrot soup in Henry's new bowl

On Thursday morning, we headed out to the Houston Arboretum with Ruby. A cool front came in overnight, bringing dry air with it, so while it was warm, it wasn't humid, making a trip to the arboretum lovely!

On Friday, we visited the MFAH to see the new installation, Pixel Forest and Worry Will Vanish, by Piplotti Rist. The museum always has the most interesting installations in the summer!

Back home, we were inspired to make our own art project (based on an activity Henry had done at the local library last week). We made watercolor-salt bookmarks! The process is easy. I cut a piece of watercolor paper in half and we each painted our page with plain water. Next, we swirled watercolors all over the page, blending and mixing as we wanted. While the watercolors are still wet, you sprinkle salt (large grains of sea salt are best) over the paint and let the whole thing dry before brushing off the salt. The salt absorbs some the of the liquid, leaving behind gorgeous designs. 

We cut our bookmarks into strip and couldn't be happier with how they turned out!

One of my bookmarks matches my current read! 

What have you been up to so far this summer?