Crayola Factory

Camp may be over, but the fun never stops! Therapists are coming in and out (finally!), and I am completing crafts and watching movies... Yesterday Mommy and Daddy had a special treat planned:  We went to the Crayola Factory! I learned all about how crayolas are made, from how they are done (basically oil and chalk) to how they are labeled and packaged. I even saw the world's biggest crayon! Really cools stuff!

The trip was not planned, but the day was sunny, not too hot, and Daddy was up to driving... This was not so far, just an hour away. There was no traffic, and it was a smooth ride... Just as I like it. After that trip in the beginning of the year where we had to wait 4 hours in the Holland Tunnel I definitively appreciate nice uncluttered roads!

As we arrived, a big red crayon with a friendly face greeted us.  So we had to take a moment for a family picture. Daddy held the crayon as if he were holding on to a spaceship. And oddly enough, my sister was calm and compliant... What a Kodak moment!

Mommy took me through the history walls... reading to me every little detail about when crayons were invented, when they started being boxed, and even name changes...

All I had to say is that it was soooo boring! I know Mommy gets a kick out of reading details and memorizing data, but come on! So many things to do and she kept fussing about walls. Ugh!

Finally, the ending. Ok. so it was interesting that some names were changed to promote globalization... and inter-racial tolerance (wow, crayons can have that much influence!) between kids of all races.
 

We moved on to enjoy the show about how crayons are made. I saw they have different stations. In one station they mix the ingredients, and drop the "syrup" in a tray that has holes and cylinders. Then that is cooled off, and the tray is emptied into an area of inspection

The crayons get inspected to make sure they are all in shape! Broken pieces are melted back into main syrup... Nothing goes to waste! Then the crayons get labeled, and then they get sorted by colors into different canisters, machines sort them so there is one color of each crayon inside boxes, and that's that. You can tell the whole process had me quite engaged!

My sister... not that much. She was engaged with her V-Reader. I won't complain... She i still too little to understand as I do. I guess it will be my duty to explain things later on...

I passed by the areas of funny mirrors and a seascape where you can write stuff in the wall... Then there was an area where you could make shapes in the wall with a glowing stick. I had trouble seeing the images, so I moved on.

I waited patiently as I saw my father having fun scouting for crayon bounty! There is this game... where you have to collect crayons that are in specific areas... You have to collect five special crayons. Daddy was having a blast finding them for me and my sister.

While I waited, Mommy helped me get into one of the special photo studio booths... I was happy to see that I was just the right height so the camera would catch me! Mommy helped me print out an image of Cinderella with me in front of the picture! Awesome!

We passed by the area of testing floor chalk... I would not touch the floor, but I definitively would pose with this cool mural as my background... My sister seemed to like that idea. Cheeese!!!

I enjoy my solo pictures much more... I know, I just love the individual attention. It also allows me to practice my thousand eye moves. Here is a smizing one...

We went up to the 3rd floor, and it had a wet attraction in which you have to make a ship float through many many obstacles. The main pilot of my ship was Nurse Migdalia... whom I caught enjoying pushing the ship through gates and rivers... maybe enjoying it too much...

We reached the coolest room ever! Here there are giant monsters, and their bellies are lighted screens. You use a neon marker to make shapes as you like. This looks like a chalkboard because Mommy used flash... but without it you get to enjoy the magic...

See what I mean? I love making neon shapes. I loved writing in the board, with Mommy's help. We made faces and hearts. We are both so talented!

And while I was having fun, my sister let go of her V-Reader to take my iPad... I lent it to her, but eyed Daddy with caution. I know Daddy wont let anything bad happen to my stuff... He better!

Finally, we reached the 4th floor. It was a gallery, and the most peaceful room in the whole building... Apparently people do not like to do art appreciation. Well, I do. I looked through everything, and was quite amazed at all the stuff kids my age have done! I was also quite exhausted... And by the end of the exhibits, I fall asleep.

Mommy took this picture from the 4th floor... Outside everything looked so beautiful! Green trees, blue sky, brick buildings... Lovely.

Since I was sleeping my parental units took a break to take an actual rare picture of themselves. We then went down to the first floor, visited the Crayola store to get the prized 5th crayon and a picture of the biggest crayon in the world, and get some artsy stuff. Wow! It actually took us 3 hours to tour the whole Crayola Factory... and that was without stopping to color our stuff. Mommy gathered the crafts so we would do them at home.

There is a pretty park right in front of the Crayola Factory. A big stone says it is in honor of firefighters... There was a small stand where a guy lends people books for reading while in the park. Kids where riding bikes... the water fountain looked very peaceful.

Mommy took a moment to capture the overall place (and its high middle firefighter obelisk) and me and my sister. Incredible, she didn't turn her face! Me, I was rocking my sunglasses. We got closer to the water fountain and enjoyed the breeze, the sunny day, and the good company.

I have to say I loved it all. This is exactly what I should be doing everyday... It is sad that there is no nearby place like this at home... and then, that sunny days are so scarce (yup, Winter is coming... and apparently my sister agrees).

 And a cameo appearance by our guest for the day... After this, we headed to our car and of we went back to New Jersey! And no screams in the background, as now we make sure to pack what my sis likes.

This week I've had an overload of therapists coming in and coinciding, actually a happy thing... It is almost as if I were throwing parties! I feel like a social butterfly! I am really enjoying my adapted dancing Mickey (a donation that my AT adapted, thank you Adam!!!), as well as I am enjoying doing so many crafts and so much attention. I am missing my teacher a lot, but I know it's just two more weeks until he's back...

Well, I really can't complain. This year I have done so many things I thought I would never get to do! I thought my life would be all about hospitals and four-walls at home... But no... God has helped me be healthy, and has allowed me to have a taste of life. It is almost like my family has been allowed to celebrate by birthday since May! I am so humbled, and so grateful...

My journey is about sacrifice, about endurance, about never giving up, about faith, and honor, and courage. I promise to keep living life to the fullest, embracing all that is important and invisible to the eye, and delighting myself in so many wonders that are waiting for me to discover them! Thank you, God, for allowing me to share so much with my family, for allowing me to get to know them all at times when they can be free to smile... Thank you for allowing us all to enjoy each other. Thank you for every precious second. Amen!

This has been an unforgettable Summer... My Summer.