A Day at the Theatre

The little boy looked around and mentioned something about a castle while looking at the boxed rows of seats. When I told him we were at a theatre, his brow deepened and I could tell his mind was trying to process something.

This president-loving child of mine wanted to know if this was THE theatre.

Before I could answer he remembered that Ford’s Theatre was in Washington DC and seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Even still, I had to reassure him several times that this was not the theatre Abraham Lincoln was shot in.

I once heard the actress Anne Hathaway, in a television interview, mention her father’s love for the theatre and how he told her something about a mediocre day at the theatre being better than a great movie any day of the week. As a movie lover, I’m not sure I can entirely agree with that sentiment, but being part of an audience for a play is a treat I hope my children might learn to appreciate one day.

That’s why we spent Thursday at a school performance of Martha Speaks in Columbus, Georgia. The RiverCenter Theatre hosts traveling plays year round. Several times a year, school performances are scheduled for plays geared toward younger audiences. 

The play, with its peppy songs and actors, was an appropriate length of time to keep the attention of small children. 

Maybe I should re-phrase. 

It was the perfect length of time for the little boy. 

Little priss was done 10 minutes into the production. She was more interested in trying to take my credit cards, the ones I was trying to use as a distraction for her to play with, to the folks on stage. That and she barked each time the actress playing the dog Martha began to sing. 

Needless to say, she and I spent the remaining 50 minutes in the lobby. 

We were supposed to go to our local junior high school this evening for the community children’s production of 101 Dalmatians, but thought better of that. If one dog the day before caused that much excitement, I’m not sure the folks attempting to act in tonight's play could have handled her response to 101 of them!

Back to the Library

Moby Dick almost did me in. After reading every single word aloud, I needed a major break from reading with the little boy.

So, we spent a lot of time re-discovering his books this past month. I mostly let him flip through and look at the pictures.

We got back on track last week with a visit to the library. He, of course, wanted to start over with the series of president books we finished about the same time as Moby Dick.

We also enjoyed reading some spooky stories to coincide with Halloween this week. I love ghost stories at this time of year and so does he!

A few of Jack Prelutsky’s silly poems have helped us get back into our daily reading groove as well.

And, we started another classic!

We’re reading the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, “The Fellowship of the Ring.” While I question how much he truly absorbs when I read books like this aloud, I know some is sinking in. I heard him mention something about hobbits to my father-in-law when he was at the house on Sunday.

As my husband often reminds me, he’s probably taking in more than I think.

CSA Wednesday

Each Wednesday we head to a local farm to pick up produce as part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Here's what we got today:

A Whole Lot of Peppers

More sweet potatoes and persimmons

Lettuce

Fresh Eggs

Pumpkin - the dip I tried making with the other two pumpkins didn't turn out so well. I'm going to try pumpkin bread with these

 And a Happy Halloween from Mickey and Minnie Mouse!

The Mother of a Five-Year-Old

Five years into being a mom and I realize I still have a lot to learn. I often discover new insights at each stage of my children’s lives.

Take the little boy.

I’ve never been the mother of a five-year-old boy before and this new terrain often leaves me puzzled.

Like why there is so much yelling on his part for one thing?

I’m not talking about anything disrespectful, though of course that does happen. I mean that talking in general and asking questions mostly involves a sense of excitement throughout the day that can only be described as yelling.

I also can’t figure out how he can sit so still and quietly while watching a movie, but as soon as it’s time to write, read or go to bed, he can’t stop squirming, scratching or moving?

Why he can’t seem to follow the simplest directions is another? I think the man gene of letting information go in one ear and immediately drift out the other starts at five.

He’s also becoming more of a daddy’s guy. That leaves me with a bittersweet mixture of feelings.

On one hand, I need him to spend more time with the hubby so I can spend more time with little priss and so I can get things done around the house. This reliance on dad and his sense of becoming more independent (baby steps of independence here) is as it should be. He’s a boy and needs to inch away from me in order to become his own person.

On the other hand, I realize I miss his earlier dependence on me.

There are times when he’ll let me snuggle up to him on the couch.  He kisses me good night and wants to cuddle at bedtime – when he isn’t moving. He doesn't want me picking him up much anymore, but every so often I get lucky and for a few fleeting seconds, I lift him off the ground and hold him in my arms as I did so often when he was a toddler.

I know these tender moments won’t last forever, so I’m determined to make the most of them as long as he’ll let me!

Pumpkin Carving

We spent most of yesterday afternoon on campus at the 24th annual pumpking carving contest.

I'm not sure how it's been going on for 24 years and this was the first time I'd heard anything about it. It's safe to bet I probably did hear about it, but since I didn't care anything about carving pumkins until I had kids, I likely ignored it.

There were some serious folks doing some serious carving!



This guy was slowly drilling off the outer layer of the pumpkin - We never saw his finished creation because he was drilling every time we walked by

Most of the pumpkins were displayed in a tire spider web that wrapped around the wall.



The one in the top right corner that looks like it has a tongue poking out was the little boy's favorite



Cinderella's carriage was my favorite - The carver was working on Prince Charming as we passed by

At 6 pm the Jack-O-Lanterns were lit and the place got crowded.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Cindy Lauper said it best.

Girls, even toddlers, just want to have fun.

I love watching this girl of mine, even when she’s mad. Her moods scream “GIRL, GIRL, GIRL.”

When upset, which is several times a day, she’ll run a few feet ahead, sit down on the floor and fling herself back. Sometimes she rolls and screams. Sometimes the rest of us laugh. Sometimes I roll my eyes - something else that screams GIRL.

She loves to dance. We break it down in the house to the Fresh Beat Band and in the car to Katy Perry.

If I try to grab her hand to hold it, she wants nothing to do with me. If I walk slightly ahead of her and reach my hand back, then she comes running. Each time that little hand wraps into mine, I feel so honored and privileged that I, a frustrated mess most of the time, get to call her daughter.

A few days ago she discovered my great grandmother’s jewelry cabinet. It contains necklaces and bracelets that belonged to her. I don't wear them, but because they were hers, I’ve never had the heart to get rid of them.

So glad I have them now! 

Let's play the game of how many necklaces can I wear?!?!

Dress-up, makeup, fits and all, it's so much fun being a girl. It's even more fun being the mother of one!

CSA Wednesday

On Wednesday we head to a local farm to pick up produce as part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program. Here's what we got today:

More turnip greens than we can possibly eat

Mixed greens

Daikon (white radish) - I love to shred these and saute with olive oil, garlic and dijon mustard before mixing with the greens

Squash

Fresh eggs