Mary Poppins Jr.

To have something to do in the evenings besides watching TV, we taught the kids the game of rummy this week.  Our first game, the practice round, Caroline showed her skills collecting three 5s and three Aces.  We had to keep reminding a certain sibling that it was just a practice round.  It didn't count.  We were not keeping score.  But, if we were keeping score, Caroline would have won.  We've been playing off and on all week and they've picked it up pretty well.  It's been fun.  I tend to show no mercy at card games and I have yet to win a game against them, so they've done well.  

The kids have also used some of their extra time reinvigorating their Super Girls comic book.  They had worked on it a year ago or so, but then interest waned.  Now that our school days are shorter, they have more time in the afternoons.  When they decided to pick it back up, there was a lot of discussion, somewhat heated, as to who would be the idea man, who would be the inker and who would color the pictures.  There was more than one child vying for the inking job.  

Henry has used all his outside time this week sitting in a tree.  He started on Monday while we were doing yardwork.  He made it up pretty high and has enjoyed its boughs ever since.  He just sits and watches the traffic go by as if he were sitting on a porch swing.  

He's gotten Josiah up a few times, too.  Other days, Josiah has worked on his chalk drawings.  This week he drew Agent Jones. (Fortnite again...)

I ruined dinner the other night.  I put the peas in the Rice-a-Roni.  One child, who shall remain nameless, said they would eat the Rice-a-Roni (because they love it!) and they would eat the peas, but only if they were separate.  When that child was told, Take it or leave it, they used their best death scream, "You ruined dinner!!!"  I have since made a mental note to tell their future spouse, Do not put peas in the Rice-a-Roni.  Always on the side.  It has been several days since that incident and I have been told repeatedly that I ruined dinner that night.  Ruined!  I thought it was good.  I was going for a fried rice type thing with the vegetables in it.  Not appreciated!

This weekend we went to see the play/musical Mary Poppins Jr.  Josiah and Henry both had classmates in it.  Josiah's classmate was a butler, who didn't speak much, but had a lot of stage time.  Henry's classmate was Chimney Sweep #3.  Their older sister, however, was Mary Poppins.  They did a really good job.  We were blown away by how well they sang and acted.  Josiah got the acting itch after seeing it.  He said if they ever made a play about the Beatles, he'd be the first to sign up.  This particular acting company is over an hour away from us, but we'll have to see what might be on our side of town.

Josiah volunteered at church again this morning.  He was assigned to the same classroom he's been in with the pre-K kids.  As we walked to our car after church, he commented, I think we need another helper in there.  Those kids are a train wreck. Apparently there is one kid in there who is a bit on the destructive side.  It's not boring, that's for sure.

This evening, Todd brought us to the Over the Top Waffle Shoppe.  This is the place he brought Caroline a few months back.  They make the waffle cones fresh and then scoop your ice cream into them.  Caroline got a smores waffle, Josiah got cookie monster, and Henry got chocolate lava.  As Henry ate and the chocolate drippings fell on his face and hands and arms, it reminded me of him enjoying his chocolate cone at the beach a few years back.  The boy loves his chocolate ice cream and he does not mind it all over him.... 

The kids are looking forward to the start of next week because we get to go to a bowling party.  May is very much a fun, easy month for us.  We're enjoying it.