Diary: Friday, May 25, 2008

Today was our last Enrichment Day at school this year.  At our school, on most Fridays, parents come in and teach the 1st and 2nd grade classes.  At first I thought it was a cop-out on the school's part (I remember actually asking my wife if we'd be paying 1/5th less tuition at some point), but after doing a few I've grown to like them.  

School ends next week, so this was the last one for the year.  It was in Jonah's 1st grade class, the one with 9 boys in it.  We taught on Fairy Tales, which was bizarre to do in such a testosterone-laden class.  Their teacher is a saint.  In most schools, half of those boys would be denied recess, labeled, and medicated to their eyeballs.  But Mrs. Hayes lets them go just to the edge of their true boyishness, then she reigns them back in.  

Sometimes she lets them go onto the playground and run laps, and each lap has a "theme".  We did this some today after having cupcakes for the teacher's birthday.  There was a Silly Lap, a Hop Like A Bunny Lap, a Swim Like A Shark Lap, and some others.  The boys loved it, and were visibly calmer when they returned.

We came home after school, getting lunch on the way.  Wendy's for the boys and Chipotle for Kristie and me.  I'm still feeling a bit woozy, either from allergies, some bug that's going around, or the after-effects of my second MMR shot.  Here's a lesson: if you switch doctors, have your full medical records forwarded.  That way, if you decide to go to graduate school and your pediatrician is dead, someone will have a record of your immunizations.  Just a hint.

After work we ate some sandwiches and piled in the car to go see some cousins perform.  My wife's sisters' children were in a end of the year show.  Elementary and middle school bands and choirs performed.  It was a very Music Man moment, but I was happy to see Frances play the violin.  She's very good.  I missed seeing Lotte and Asher sing, but hopefully I'll get another chance.

Timothy didn't go with us.  He went to our school's talent night.  It's a kind of variety show, and one of his good friends was performing as Elvis.  Timothy enjoyed himself, and we picked him up on the way home.  It was "only" 9:15, so we had the usual discussion/argument about him staying up late.  He wanted to watch a movie, but we said no.  After much weeping (him) and gnashing of teeth (me), I agreed to let him read until 10.  

Then we argued about what he could read.  He wanted to read Harry Potter 3, and I wanted him to get started on his summer reading list.  We met in the middle, with him getting 2 weeks to finish the HP book before beginning Redwall.  

While Timothy was snuggling into the guest bed to read (honestly, it's the best place in the house to read a book), Jonah and Sam were getting ready for bed.  Sam would not brush his own teeth, so I helped him.  Sam after 9:00 is a totally different creature, unable to get out of the car, walk upstairs, pick out his own pajamas, or brush his teeth.

While I was brushing Sam's teeth, Stephen was sitting on the potty, doing origami.  The floor of our bathroom is littered with books, since both Stephen and Jonah have taken up having "quality time" in there after bedtime.  Stephen's set of books includes his origami manual, and he's been getting better.  I bet if I went and checked in their bathroom now, there would be a paper frog or crane sitting on  the window sill.

I joined Facebook today, and we'll see how it goes.  I never had a MySpace page, and I felt the lack not one little whit.  But Kristie caved to her sister Susan's demands and got herself a Facebook page.  So I got curious and set one up to see what it's like.  If it's anything like my LinkedIn page, it'll languish after 2 day's use.

Tomorrow I'm taking the big two boys to the Turner offices for a tour.  It's the absolute last day to finish up Tiger Cub requirements before Sunday's banquet, and half of my den couldn't make it last week.  Then we'll go to the Varsity.  

After that, we'll come home, finish Jonah's Tiger Badge and see how far in the hole we are for Stephen's and Timothy's badges.  I doubt we'll get them done in time for the banquet, but I've promised both of them that we'll get their Wolf and WEBELO's badges before the end of the summer.  I've got until August 11 before all my free time goes away.  Here's hoping.