A 5 year old's Mosh Pit

My boys (5 and 2 years old) went to a birthday party yesterday. There were fun activities planned and the children all played nicely together. After presents were opened, cake was eaten, and tummies were full...the kids resided to the room. I don't think any of the parents gave it a second thought until we heard Katy Perry's "Fireworks" blaring through the slightly opened door. What we found was a 5 year old's mosh pit.

Each parent took a turn peering through the small slit in the door to see what their child was doing. I was eager for my turn and for a fleeting moment felt like a 2 year old who was ready to push her way to the front. When my turn arrived, I was nervous about what I would find. Would my child be the one out of control? This is what I saw...

The room was softly lit by the light filtering through the princess curtains. The mattress was laying on the floor and my youngest was jumping up and down pumping his arms in the air. He had a huge smile on his face and was trying to sing the lyrics when they seemed familiar. His cheeks were beet red and I could see small sweat beads forming on his forehead. My oldest was sitting on the floor, break dancing. Yes, break dancing! He was spinning on his booty and trying to wiggle on his belly. I stifled a laugh as I took in the whole scene. A little boy was curled up in the corner with a spot light, swirling it around from one person to the next. The girls were all dressed up in their princess garb, make-up applied, and singing at the top of their lungs. It was a sight to see.

I would have never imagined that 5 year olds could appreciate music as much as I do. A birthday party and a 5 year old's mosh pit...oh my!

Monster Hide-and-Seek

I get joy out of watching my husband play with our boys. There is something about watching a man cherish his children that warms my heart. Last night was the perfect example.

My husband works insane hours but always makes time to spend some "guy time" with his boys. Yesterday was no exception.

The boys know that dad is home when they hear the garage door begin to creak open. You can hear the elephant stomps as the boys pound downstairs yelling, "Dad's home, dad's home!" A smile automatically appears on my face as I watch my husband scoop each child up  like a sack of potatoes. Well yesterday, he decided to scare the kids. He quietly snuck into the bathroom and jumped out to surprise the boys. Boo! My oldest said, "You didn't scare me!" While my youngest squealed like a little girl and opened his arm to get some dad hugs.

The game continued for the next hour as they searched for their dad. My youngest had me giggling and reminiscing though. When my husband started to chase him, he got that excited/scared laugh. You know...the one where you are having a wonderful time but secretly you are petrified at what is happening. I laughed out loud because I remember making that same giggle when my dad used to chase me around the house. The highlight reel ran through my head as I watched. I loved the game but my little heart would pound in terror at the possibility that it may be a monster, and not my dad, who found me.

Such a magical moment. I wish every day could be like this.

My, how cartoons have changed!

I love cartoons and enjoy trying to sort out the adult humor from the kids humor (Bugs Bunny...need I say more). It's fun to see how cartoons have changed. I tend to be the parent who keeps a very close eye on what my children are watching. I carefully search the channels looking to see what is appropriate in age and content..but they have changed so much.

I was a Fraggle Rock, Smurfs, Muppets kind of kid. These were great cartoons but lacked real educational value. I am impressed by the educational cartoons that are out there right now for preschool children. I just finished watching Sid The Science Kid with my 2 year old. We learned about joints today and my little one couldn't wait to show me what he learned. "Mama, a joint", J said as he did jumping jacks across the living room. "Great buddy, can you show me a finger joint?", I said with just as much enthusiasm. "You bet, it's right here", he replied pointing to his thumb joint. We cheered together as we bent our joints. It's amazing what those little minds can gather from a 30 minute show.

I'm thankful for the encouragement these shows give to learning. We always talk about what we've learned after watching a quick show together. My mind even begins to wonder as I think about how great these tools would be in the classroom. Who hasn't thought about using Between the Lions in the classroom? I already use clips from School House Rock...how can I use these great cartoons to help my children without misusing valuable teaching time? Things to ponder as I contemplate how to make each moment in the classroom more productive and fun then that last.

Which cartoons yell to you, "use me in your classroom"?

Knuffle Bunny

My boys and I were lucky enough to snag tickets to see Knuffle Bunny: a cautionary musical. We have been reading the books since they came out and the boys even own their own Knuffle Bunny.

I like to surprise my kids but figured that this particular event deserved a little more prep then normal. The last few days, we have been rereading the Knuffle Bunny stories and digging a little deeper into them. We made connections to our special toys and shared stories of misplacing them...often. So last night, after reading the most recent story, I told the kids about our morning surprise to see the play. My boys have been to Shrek and Lion King, so they are experienced theatre boys. They were beside themselves with excitement and could not wait.

I have NEVER been to this theatre so we left early, in the snow, so we could get there in plenty of time for mom to get lost. And lost we got; I found a parking garage and attempted to find the theatre on my own. I'm not afraid to ask directions, so I confronted a few strangers and asked where to go. They each gave me different directions. We walked the same street three times in two different directions with freezing winds trying to hold us back. My youngest looked at me with watery eyes and said, "Can we go home and watch Mickey Mouse, its cold." Thank goodness we left early. We arrived in plenty of time and had front row mezzanine seats. Aah, what a view!

The show was adorable and followed the first book perfectly. There were black and white back drops that were probably taken straight from the book. We listened carefully to the songs and giggled through each one. The boys sat on the edge of their seats, legs dangling, and fingers twitching in anticipation. Another Mo Willems friend appeared during the show, and that was a wonderful treat. The boys belly laughed numerous times and my youngest clutched his Knuffle Bunny close to his chest throughout the show. What a wonderful moment and yet another treasured memory.

FYI: I've always pronounced Knuffle Bunny with a silent K. I learned today that you are supposed to pronounce the K...according to Mr. Willems himself.

Hockey

You can always tell that winter is coming to an end in our house because hockey tends to follow closely behind. This is my oldest sons first year playing "true" hockey. Today will be his last day and it will be a bittersweet moment.

Our family is a hockey family...all of the boys play and enjoy it tremendously. I enjoy watching the game...the fluid motion of bodies gliding along the ice like geese on a lake. The extended stick and flicks of the wrist that lead to scores and cheers of joy...fist pumped up in the air. The knot in my stomach when my son is guarding the net and a puck tries to weasel it's way past him. The red cheeks and sweaty hair letting me know that he's had a good workout for the day. Eating popcorn in the stands with my little guy as we cheer together for his idol. These moments will be cherished. Today will be a bittersweet day!

Acts of Kindness...sorta

My boys play nicely most of the time...they are brothers, so I can't expect it to be ALL the time. Yesterday had me laughing out loud though.

My youngest (J) was determined to not have a nap, so he was pretty crabby by the time my oldest son (T) got home from school. J just wanted to curl up in my arms and whine. It was one of those kind of days. I curled up on the sofa with my alligator teared son while my oldest kept making trips upstairs. The first trip was for J's silk (a necessity for cranky days) and a cozy blanket. He tucked J in and gave him a quick squeeze. "Sweetie, that was so nice of you", I said with a melting heart. "I'm just being a good big brother", he quickly replied, and off he went for another trip upstairs. My heart just swelled to see my boys interacting so nicely. Isn't this what every mom wishes for?

When he stomped down the stairs the second time, he was cradling some of J's favorite stuffed animals. Again, I mentioned what a generous and kind gesture this was. T smiled at me and said, "Can I get a sticker for that? At school, Mrs. F gives us stickers to put on a chart for when we are kind to others." So THAT is why the acts of kindness were flowing today. In my sweetest teacher voices I said, "I'll talk to dad about getting you a sticker chart. Look at your brother and how happy he is right now...that's all because of you. Doesn't that make you feel good inside?" He crinkled up his nose, smirked and replied, "Yeah, but I'd really like a sticker too."

I guess that I should just be thankful that acts of kindness were flowing in our house for the day....well sorta!

Coffee Shack

I never pictured myself being a coffee drinker. I never liked the smell of my dad's coffee wafting through the house in the morning but college changed all of that. Those long nights trying to compose the perfect paper, and all of that textbook reading (groan). Tea just didn't cut it, so my coffee addiction began.

I should clarify that I am a fu fu coffee snob. I have spent so many years living in the Northwest that my taste buds have become extremely picky. I even began shunning Starbucks for my local coffee shack. There is nothing like the perfect cup 'a Joe. I love the way the espresso makes a swirling design on top of the foam. It's like a beckoning call for me to savor each sip.

I moved to the East coast this past summer and am craving a coffee from my local stomping grounds. I began my search and discovered a stand close by that lived up to my high standards of "watered down coffee", as my dad says. The next time I went, I ordered a white chocolate mocha. Should be a standard, right? Well, the lady began filling my cup up with regular coffee and a pump of chocolate. My heart began to pound as I watched the black slop fill my cup. "Excuse me, is that the mocha?" In a frustrated voice, she said that she was making my drink. "Isn't a mocha a shot of espresso, chocolate, and milk?" Not at this stand...that would be a white chocolate LATTE. Ugh! To make matters worse, she looked at me and said, "Aren't you from Seattle?" The flames began to shoot from my ears as I politely smiled and thanked her for my drink.

Oh Coffee Shack....I Do Miss THEE!