This lazy Saturday morning didn’t even start with cartoons. When I got downstairs Ben was entertaining himself by jumping backwards off the arm of the couch. As soon as the cartoons were done and chores started, the littles decided building a fort sounded like a much better idea than just plumping the couch cushions.
Ben has been asking to buy his teacher flowers for weeks. The other day I finally remembered to grab a bouquet when I ran in to get a few items. I had them waiting when Ben got home from school. He took one look and his first question was, “They are going in a vase, right?”
The next morning I got them in a vase and agreed to drive him to school. He wanted me to carry the vase till we got inside the school. Then he told me, “I got this mom” and off he went down the hall.
Tonight we had a dinner and game night at the elementary school to raise money for the 6th graders trip to Nature’s Classroom. I went to the school early afternoon to help set up and work the cashbox behind the bake sale. Wade showed up with all the kids (after Alex plainly told me he would not attend earlier in the week) for the second seating and I did take a short break to sit with them. The littles immediately checked out the prize table and couldn’t wait for Bingo to start. Ben seemed to have the worst luck and couldn’t fill a single square in on his card. Amazingly, Alex got a Bingo and immediately gave it to Ben. Before too long Kaitlyn won and got her desired prize (which one of the principals had hidden behind the table to keep safe.) The kids had a great night and it was fun to see some friends and raise some money for the sixth graders!
Ben’s school has a night dedicated to specials – art, PE, music, computer, etc. The students and their parents come for an evening and visit each speciality and the activity they have planned. It was loud and hot and hectic, but the kids had a great time and I couldn’t believe the number of people I ran into.
I also got to see The Tower of Books Challenge. Ben has been bringing home a sheet of paper that tells him what types of books to read (a book that rhymes, a nonfiction book, a Dr. Suess book, etc). Every time we finish a sheet there is a new one. Ben’s class has the second most sheets turned in for the school!
Ben had his yearly eye appointment today and afterwards we went to pick out new glasses. We walked by the blue dog and it seemed only right to take Ben’s picture. I have years worth of Teague’s picture (see here) in the same spot.
The sunglasses are to help with the bright sunlight. His eyes are dilated and he was having trouble seeing.
I love winter Saturday mornings. We rarely have anywhere to be and have very slow mornings. Alex sleeps late. The littles get up first and start the morning with a cartoon each. Teague appears at some point during these and usually chooses to watch a cartoon too. Then at least one child usually wants to cook something for breakfast – waffles pancakes, muffins, crepes, etc. After breakfast, we finally get around to starting our weekly chores. I am not looking forward to spring sports and the hectic mornings that go with them.
As long as I have known Wade, I have known about his fascination with rolling ball sculptures. He loves to find them in random malls, hospitals, and sometimes restaurants. Visiting Boston Children’s Hospital has always been a treat because of the huge sculptures they have (until the last year when they took it out)!
Today a box arrived at the house addressed to Wade. He looked a little confused and then got the most excited look on his face. Evidently he paid into a Kickstarter campaign three years ago and they finally delivered – a desktop rolling ball sculpture.
These three were pretty cute tonight all cuddled up in the big chair:
I sometimes place my camera on the floor besides my desk until I get the pictures off my memory card. Normally I don’t put the camera beside my desk until late at night when I am working on my computer and all the kids are in bed. Today I was working on pictures while the kids were in school and then didn’t think to pick the camera back up. At some point, Ben came to talk to me at my desk and had a run-in with my camera.
I have a protective lens for all of my lenses. Thank goodness that is what cracked and not the actual lens.
Alex brought me the perfect snack after everyone else was in bed tonight.