Loads Of Fun

Huts had a great idea this weekend: to take the kids to the children’s museum in Bloomington and let them blow off some steam. I wasn’t sure because of how quickly they got bored last time, but this time, they had a ball. They spent three hours playing on three floors and would have stayed longer if the Legos had been there (they were removed to make way for play stages—sorry, Christian).

We left around 1 and went to the toy store, where they all found something they had been looking for for a while—Christian, mini Lego figures, Tori, Tippy Tumbelina LaLa Loopsy, and Eli, a camera and Caillou video.

We were all hungry so we went to Applebee’s where we spent our gift certificate from Christmas. We got a nice big booth in the corner and the kids actually sat down and ate. Christian wasn’t too fond of his dry burgers, but he ate them anyway like a real trooper. Tori gobbled down her grilled cheese, while Eli ate his macaroni and cheese.

We got home around 4. Eli had fallen asleep in the car and slept until 6. Tori and Christian played with their toys while Eli slept, and then they all three played together until dinner and bedtime. It was a nice day.

Valentine's Day

We had one of the best ever! It started with Huts and me taking the afternoon off just to have lunch together and prepare for the second grade party. We got to relax a little before the chaos! And of course, when I got into the car, Huts had a great little surprise for me—flowers, chocolates and a Sing-a-Ma-Jig (the kids and I are obsessed with them!). I also got a surprise at work with an e-mail from a long-lost cousin whom I chatted with last night and learned much about my grandmother's side of the family.

We got to the school early to set up for the party. Our friend, Carol who recently retired, came too—many thanks to her. The kids came in and we had a great time together playing games, putting together a craft and scarfing down sweets of all types. This was our last official party of the year, and Huts and I did much better this time around. We had more than enough stuff to do. Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun, and there were no meltdowns this time. Carol even managed to sneak down to Tori's room and sit with her for a while. The kids came home happily exhausted.

My Birthday Flower

Christian woke up this morning and told me Happy Birthday first thing. Then he gave me a hug. He also made me a flower from Legos. Huts will post a photo of it soon. I took it to work where everyone admired it. But now I must take it home so Christian can dismantle it and return it back to his game, which is the first thing he did when we all got home.

Bellyacher

Christian came home Monday with a great assignment: to research and report on someone in black history. His choice? Martin Luther King Jr. Since he was out of school, I decided we would tackle it and get it done well before the February 23 due date. We sat him down to look at some photos and listen to some clips of King’s speeches. Then we printed some research and away we went. I helped him complete all of the notes and then yesterday we put them together into a report.

Christian wrote four pages on Martin Luther King Jr. and we just touched the surface. We could have said so much more, but it was grueling just to get him to write four pages. When he was done, he leaped off the bar stool and crawled into the living room. Huts coaxed him up to the computer screen where they printed off photos and glued them to a folder. I tucked his report inside, along with his research, notes and some other photos. Now all he has left to do is the oral report.

I tried to teach him all I could about Martin Luther King, but I don’t know how much he understood. It’s hard for an eight-year-old to
comprehend being treated differently because of the color of your skin or how much money you have. Racial and class discrimination is hard to define in eight-year-old terms.

The only thing we missed and probably should have mentioned was King getting the Nobel Prize at the young age of 35. Oh well, I will keep talking to Christian about it and hopefully get him ready for his oral report. I don’t think they get a real grade on it as long as they do it to the best of their ability.