BABY CHICKS!!

I am sure there are many perks to being an elementary school teacher, I am not well versed in those perks but they have to be there, otherwise those teachers would not exist! This afternoon I was privileged to witness two of the perks, math blocks and baby chicks!
We are blessed to have a "framily" member who teaches the young and plays with math blocks and baby chicks for what I can only imagine are hours everyday! She invited my little chicks in to see her baby chicks, and did I mention the math blocks?

Just being in the presence of this place we call "school," just one room over from a real live kindergarten room was so much awesome!!

We waited for the baby chicks to be ready to receive visitors and when that moment finally came...MAGIC!

I not sure if it was just the environment he found himself in, but Sy choose to take on the role of educator and began in vain the task of teaching the baby chicks how to tell time... on a calculator...

May not be my job, don't wish it to be, but I sure am glad there are those that desire to spend their time playing with math blocks, hatching baby chicks, and just keeping school fun!

Thank you for the MAGIC!

"It's Our Rocket Ship!"

You remember those days when you would take the couch cushions off the couch, gather the throw blankets and set out to the build the "coolest fort EVER!" Well, this afternoon was one for those days for the little ones around here. Though there were no couch cushions, throw blankets, or forts involved. Nope, Sy-B built a "rocket ship" and he invited his girl to come along for the ride.

Two kid chairs, some wooden tools, a set of alien Rummy cards, and two vivid imaginations you have got yourself the "coolest rocket ship EVER!"

A little attitude was clearly in the mix as well.

It is intriguing to watch how quickly one child can enter into the created "world" of the other child. I wonder if they are seeing the same things, seeing them similar ways, or do they both have a completely
different view? Does not seem to matter in the least, when one is describing what they see, the other just as quickly affirms the visuals and adds some additional flare. Magic!

MAGIC!

Good Choices, Poor Choices, but All Made in the Name of Magics!

We frequently talk about how we live so close to "The Big City" and yet we hardly ever go there, but when we do we always have such a nice time.  MAK has made a couple of trips and LOVED it.  The newness, the novelty, the enormity of all things "Big City" are magically captivating to little ones and not so little ones alike.  Sy-B on the other hand had not yet experienced the wonderment of "The Big City." This weekend we decided it was high time we leveled the playing field.  Plus my sister was in town and therefore we carried with us a 3:2 ratio.  The odds were in our favor.

All we told the kids was that we had fun things planned for the day and we needed their cooperation to make it happen.  After a quick lunch at home we loaded up in the car, took Adventure by the boot straps and threw caution to wind.  The kids tried to guess our destination with such ideas as the zoo, the beach, David's house, and even one guessed "The Big City," but once they saw trains... LOOK OUT... Sy-B may have blacked out there for a moment.

Trains are magic, I think we can all agree on this point.  Sy-B was absolutely beside himself and girlfriend could not sit still to save her life.  Then out of nowhere came a hero in disguise, a man dressed in ordinary clothes walked past the kids and to the front of the train (we were in the first car), turned around and said, "Do you kids want to be engineers?  Would you like to sound the train whistle?" Wait... WHAT!?  Did he just... say whistle?  YES, YES, YES!!  You would have thought he offered them a trip to the moon!  They were so proud!  I don't know if that gentleman has any idea the magic that he performed that day, but magic it was!  Good people, doing great things = magic!

Another video that is worth your viewing: Train to the Big City

We had full intentions of riding the train up to the city and making our way to the lake and just hanging out playing in the sand and getting good and dirty, then grabbing a bite to eat and heading back home.  Though, like I have said before, "over planning kills magic."  We surfaced from below ground (as the 3 of us carried them up the stairs in the jogging stroller) and were beckoned by that beautiful, bazaar bean thing.

Where's Waldo?

Up to this point we had been on roll with good parenting choices for the day.  Though as is often the case, all good things must come to an end--for our travels took us south of The Bean, to the twin digital-face-water-spity-things.  The spawn were unbuckled from the stroller and released into the watery world found between those two faces (I realize the description sounds just shy of truly creepy, but really it's not, it was awesome-sauce, for sure!) The poor parenting came in the combination of wet kids and temperatures in the 50s.  It was a beautiful day, but a bit brisk if wet.  When we asked MAK if she was cold, she yelled, "but we're having SO MUCH FUN!"  They must feel nothing when they're having the time of their lives.

These two young fools were giddy with joy, and though we tried for a brief moment to have them "try" to stay dry we quickly 'took Adventure by the boot straps and threw caution to the wind' and said "let them have magics!"  They were, by no means, the only people in the water... not even the only kids in the water.  But they were the least careful, most adventurous, and most awesome duo that side of The Bean!  They ran, and ran, and ran through the water and dipped their hands in the spray.

I will have you note the little girl in the background with a winter coat and scarf... that was overkill if you ask me!

Then it happened... the second time the spray began pouring out of "the mouths", MAK took a different approach and apparently her brother followed her.  Let's just say different approaches sometimes have different results.  Though I did not see, nor capture the second approach, the effects were clear... it was a poor choice--a lesson learned.  In order to fully realize the lesson learned, their father, with incredulous laughter, had them shamefully approach their mother (quite a distance away), walking through the masses of people who either witnessed the act, or upon their visual of the children realized the act that had been performed and there-by provoked gasps and laughter from near and far.

Side note: look at that precious train ticket tucked away in his lapel pocket.

Their/our decision-making not only resulted in entertainment for many but these two quickly became a tourist attraction.  A group of men visiting from Egypt found the events hysterical and asked to take pictures with the kids.  Surely muttering as they walked away something along the lines of "stupid Americans."  I can surmise this based on the questions they were asking: "Is this okay?  Where are the mother and the father?  It is cold, is this okay?"

All was awesome because this mama had brought a warm change of clothes.  So after a quick wardrobe change, we were off to dinner.

We choose to eat al fresco for the lack of wait time, but we quickly realized the reason for the lack of popularity for outdoor seating... it got real cold, real fast once the sun dipped below the buildings.  We ate, and we ate fast.  Then the kids were loaded back up and under a blanket as we raced back to the train and made our way back home with two tired, punchy kids.  I believe that MAK even said to me at one point in a public restroom, "Isn't it glorious... not taking a nap?!"  Well, it's not my first choice of adventures--not napping, but at times it is worth the increased amount of whining that ensues.  This day, it was worth putting up with the end of the day madness.

Surprises, trains, beans, 50 degree water parks, stroller rides nestled amongst skyscrapers, freezing al fresco dinners, races to catch departures, and screaming car rides home... MAGIC!

Let's Go Fly a Kite

The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the wind was whipping! I refrained from going into the detailed explanation of the drastic difference between the current high pressure system and previous low that could be pinned down as to the cause of this windy, sunny day...but someday we will have these coveted deep conversations about the physics of wind and we will surely use a kite for our data collection device...duh!

To nerd this down a bit, check out this girl--her dad said "Let's go fly a kite." And she said, "Let's do this thing!"

Strawberry shades = pure magic!

Oh, oh, oh!
Let's go fly a kite

Up to the highest height!
Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring

Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear

Oh, let's go fly a kite!

With tuppence for paper and strings
You can have your own set of wings

With your feet on the ground
You're a bird in a flight

With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite

This was the perfect kite flying conditions, our only fear is that our kids will believe kite flying to be this easy every time.  As B and I were reflecting on our personal kite flying memories they involved each of us running through fields attempting to augment the wind with our speed.  Hmmm, let's just suffice it to say the neither of us were that fast and flying a kite was a short lived glorified exercise routine. I guess this only supports the inclination that our kids are in fact magic!

PS - I would marry this man again and again and again!

My Bad Imagination Did It!

6:02 a.m. April 11, 2014 I was introduced to MAK's "bad imagination." From what I can tell her "twin sister" is no long with us and/or has transmogrified into a "bad imagination." This morning, as is my usual morning routine, I was headed downstairs for my humanizing first cup of coffee when MAK began calling out for her dad. Being the kind and selfless soul that I am at 6:02 a.m. I spared my love from the early rise and went in myself. Once inside the room I sat myself on the bed and began scampering through my mind to find a way that could get my five-year-old to quietly go back to sleep. But then it happened, "Mama, sooooo, my bad imagination was flushing sparkle down the toilet." Brain scampering took an about face turn to "bad imagination?" "flushing?" "sparkle?" is this real? Was she just dreaming or is this a fancy/innocent way of telling me she flushed something inappropriate down the toilet?

"MAK, were you sleeping when you did this?"
"I didn't do it, my bad imagination did it!"
"Who or what is 'sparkle'?"
heavy, frustrated sighing "Twilight Sparkle, the pony!"
"Wait, you flushed a pony down the toilet?!"
"NOOO, my bad imagination did! Actually... I think it went like this. Sy was on the little potty and pushed the flusher and then Sy was pushing Twilight Sparkle harder and harder into the toilet."
"Were your eyes closed when this happened? Were you asleep?"
"Well, yeah..."
"Praise the Jesus!"

I need a cup of coffee!

This boy l call "Bud"

So there is this little boy, I call him "Bud" and he melts my heart on a daily basis! Those steel blue eyes and that blonde buzz cut are a combination that makes me cave most every time. I am trying with all my might to soak this up while it remains innocent. You know, before he learns the true extent of this magic he has over me.

One of the greatest magics this little man has is the "theater of his mind."  He has one of the best imaginations...EVER! He wakes up and hits the ground in a land that no one else has ever been too.  Occasionally he invites us in. As in the other morning when I walked out of my closet and onto a pirate ship! This pirate ship set sail about 6:50 in the A.M.!!! A wee bit earlier than I typically set sail but hey it was a pajama party pirate ship and it brought magic to the start of my day! That boy!

Speaking of traveling, this guy travels in style...his own style...which is magical to say the least.

I love being asked to join him on his "mind's stage," I try to never refuse the opportunity. Not that I haven't but I can only guess that when Mama and Daddy join him "on stage" it simply reinforces the magic and keeps it alive! I pray that he maintains a commitment of imagination for. like. EVER!! So Mama and Daddy will continue to walk the plank at 6:50 in the A.M. and will continue to dress silly and plead the awesomeness of the outfit and will slay the dragons and ride the horses and "sword" and shoot any and all things, because no matter how old Mama and Daddy are, we maintain our commitment to imagination as well!

"Since it is so likely that children will meet cruel enemies let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage." C.S. Lewis

Mimi's Magics

As of late, I have been trying to “cool-it”—trying to slow down—to drink my coffee with two hands. I’m trying to sit and soak it all up because these two little ones, well, they won’t always be this little, and say such cute things, and cuddle me for no reason but to just be close to me. Not sure how successful I have been at this “two-handed coffee drinking challenge,” but as with a few things in life there is success in the trying.

As I sit here snuggled under an old quilt that I wish I made, but seriously—I ain’t got time for that—I once again find myself reflecting, reflecting on this one day, 5 years ago, when this girl I know showed up in my life and made all things sing, and sparkle, and magical. I’m not gonna lie, I kind of went into this whole parenting thing much like I do most things in life. The thought occurred to me, “seems cool, I bet I could that. Yeah, lets have a kid and see how that goes. I prefer to run my life with the motto that “over-thinking kills magic.” And lets just be real honest, my girl has lots of magics!

Five years later, I still think this whole parenting thing is cool, and I still bet (most days) that I can do this. So far, so good. This little girl made me a mom… magic! She has magics that she knows about and uses to their fullest powers and she has magics that she has yet to realize. For a while now, I have felt compelled to record some of the magic that Mary Alice Kunz has taught me these last five years:

“Until further notice… celebrate everything!” This girl loves a party! She seeks out reasons to be with people, reasons to have ice cream, reasons dress up, reasons to try something new. At times, that is a birthday party, or a holiday, or the summer solstice, or Tuesday. It doesn’t matter the reason she just wants to do life with people and with as many people as she can because people are special and people are reason enough to celebrate EVERYTHING! Magic!

“Persistence and humor can get you what you want.”  Now hear me out, I am by no means a fan of “Mama, Mama, Mom, Mom, Mom…MOM!” This is not magic, this is annoying. No. Girlfriend plays this same game, but with a magical twist. Last night was a good example:  brother and sister were having an argument about who was going to sleep in the basement with their cousin.

Sy:  “Mimi, I’m going to sleep in the basement this night.”

Mimi:  “Oh no you’re not, I am!”

Sy:  “Nope, I am.”

(continue the back and forth)

Mimi:  “Alright Buddy. The one that gets to sleep in the basement is the one that is sitting with the pinwheel pointing at them, who is sitting right here, and so… oh its me! (delivered with the tone of one that is shocked)

Persistence and humor = magic!

P.S. She slept in the basement.

“Feel your feelings.” Though the thing that currently has this girl in hysterics may not seem like a big deal to me, the adult, it doesn’t mean that this is not a world crushing, magic stealing moment for my baby. I need to treat it as such more often… for fear that she may loose some of her magics, of course. I am by no means advocating that she ONLY feels her feelings. No, logic + feelings will take her very far. What I am saying is that neither is more or less important, they are a “both/and” situation. A well-rounded person can both think and feel. Thinking keeps feeling in check and vice versa. I just don’t want my girl to ever “learn” to just “stuff her feelings.” Feelings are important and they are important to understand. It is important to understand the motive behind our feelings. Right now, at five years old, it may seem like the only motive behind the hysterical outburst is that I gave her the blue bowl and not the green one. But really, blue may be her favorite color today, and blue may be the color that makes her feel special today or even magic, and so it is my job as her mama to teach her how to express her feelings in appropriate ways. I want her feel her feelings, to know when she feels special and what things make her feel special.  I want for her to know how to communicate those things because I believe that by knowing her own feelings and the motives behind them, she will be able to recognize the same feelings in others and know how to handle them with care. Magic!

“She sings off-key, but with great spirit.” Yep, that’s her! To. A. Tee! Mary Alice’s life is a running musical. She narrates most of her actions to song. Original scores, of course. Unfortunately, her most frequent duets are done with yours truly; so her pitch is off, like way off, all the time, way off. You’re welcome, world! Though at five years old she still has the magic of “great spirit.” She doesn’t realize yet that there is a flaw to her singing, its just fun, and happy, and makes those around her smile.  Making people laugh and smile is one of her favorite things to do and one of my favorite things about her.  She is just plum funny and intense, intensely funny, spirited… yeah we’ll call it spirited. She has joy and passion about… everything. The other day I was putting her to bed and she says to me, “Mama, do you remember when I woke up and there were balloons in my room, and I just jumped out of bed, and ran, and turned on my light, and just ran back to my bed and jumped for great joy!?” “I remember something about that.” “Yeah, we should do that again sometime!” Great spirit or magic?

 Mimi, "The Girl on Fire"

“She had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous.” Perhaps it’s the idea that all we should have for dinner is “chips and candy.” Wait, that may not be ridiculous, this may have, or needs to happen! I’m on the fence with this one… pressing on. An abbreviated list of ridiculous that Mary Alice delights in: carb loading at every meal, wearing pink and red together, reading past her bedtime (when she doesn’t even know how to read), sugar on/in everything, laughing at jokes she doesn’t understand, working the word “poop” into most conversations and laughing uncontrollably when she does, watching the same movie over, and over, and over until she has every single word memorized (this one goes for books as well), taking 1.5 hours (on average) to eat dinner, squirrels, singing under the covers, changing the subject to compliments whenever she is in any sort of trouble, “burtending” that the beach towel she has wrapped around her neck is “a cape like Elsa’s”… the list could go on and on… MAGIC!

“I don’t know what lies around the bend, but I’m going to believe that the best does.” She loves to know things just to know them. But, just because she doesn’t know or understand something doesn’t mean that it isn’t going to be awesome! “This is the best book ever!” Stated before she has read the book. “This is the best movie ever!” Stated before she has watched the movie. “Mama, you’re the best singer ever!” Wait, no, wait a second, she has heard me sing and still believes this… because she’s MAGIC! She believes in her core that this world is all rainbows, unicorns, summer, and winter snowfalls. And who am I burst that bubble? Oh no, this is one of her greatest magics! I mean, seriously, can you do this… for real?

So in the last five years, we, as a family, have become increasing more silly. We have lots of tickle fights. We jump on the beds, the couch, the piles of dirty clothes. We make things and gush over them. We smile at the world. We introduce ourselves to everyone we meet. We love people and try hard to make them feel special… we show off our magics because who doesn’t like magic anyway?!?

“She’s a mess of gorgeous chaos, and you can see it in her eyes.”

“She is delightfully chaotic; a beautiful mess. Loving her is a splendid adventure.”

I want to be just like her when I grow up!