So, I've instituted recess in our daily schedule. Somehow, even with a yard, the kids weren't getting outside enough and had way too much extra energy by the end of the day. Anyone with kids knows that extra energy is bad news for bed time. Anyway...now the kids are required to go outside and play at certain times of day. Exceptions to recess may include rain or hurricanes.
The first day of required outdoor play time was pretty rough. The kids liked getting bundled up in hats, scarves, gloves, and coats because it seemed like a novelty. Then they set up their camping chairs, brought out a few bins of indoor toys, and settled down for a relaxing recess. Seeing the lack of energy expenditure, I made them bring the chairs and toys inside. Imagine with me, the tantrums that ensued. Wait...I don't have to imagine. I was there to witness every second of the kicking and screaming.
By the second day they had the hang of outdoor play and begged me for extra time at recess, which of course made me thankful for enduring the tantrums and insisting that actual play happen during outdoor play time. And this is where the fun began for Joshua and Hannah...I'm not so sure if Abby enjoyed her week of recess quite as much as the others.
Most of the kids' time was spent riding a boat (aka-the back patio). This meant that Joshua drove and Hannah manned the door which worked much like a subway door. In fact, it worked exactly like our sliding glass door (that's because it was our sliding glass door). Now, this door was key in their boat play. It allowed them to pick up and drop off passengers, namely Abby. Poor Abby was shuffled on and off that boat countless times this week. Most of the time she was shut inside the house waiting for the boat to come back to her stop. She waited patiently, hands clasped behind her back. I wish she waited for other things with such long-suffering...
Now, today, the play time really heated up. Joshua was using his loudest voice during their recesses today. I guess he wanted to give the neighbors something to talk about. First they rode their boat, but then they hunted bears. I'm sure that anyone on our street who was home today heard his shouts, "Quick, Abby! Go attack the bear!" Abby dutifully obeyed...every time.
This is the game I thought the kids were playing late in the afternoon when, through the din of their bear hunting, I heard Joshua's voice ring out, "Abby, COME! You're under arrest!" My thought, based solely on his tone and not at all on what he said was, "Uh-oh. Someone's getting a little carried away in his pretend play." But Abby didn't protest, so it must not be too bad. And then Joshua continued, "We're going to [dramatic pause] CRUCIFY YOU!!!" He couldn't have been louder if he tried.
I quickly checked on Abby to make sure all was well (and it was, thankfully), and then proceeded to think to myself, "Wow...we are those weird neighbors everyone else seems to have." At least we live in the Bible belt now...
So what weird and/or embarrassing things have your kids done this week?
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