Wednesday, July 18, 2012

I love the creative mind of a child. I guess that’s why I enjoy being a Pre-K teacher. I also love seeing the wheels turn in the heads of young children when they first discover how something works. When I was young, I remember, my brothers creating a slip-n-slide from some old rubber shower curtains; my sister and I would create elaborate forts high in the top of our Magnolia tree and play for hours. Those were truly the days. Less technology and more time to use our creative minds.

Tonight, while the kids were swimming in the pool, Grace noticed a small hole in our rubber boat. The hole was right at the seam where the bottom and the sides meet. It wasn’t a hole that caused the boat to sink, but when Grace jumped into the boat, the hole got bigger and eventually the bottom of the boat was ripped away from the sides. I could have easily discarded the torn boat; but to Isabell, Cole, and Grace the pieces of the boat suddenly became a surf board, a slide, and a 2 man float. They spent the next hour playing with their new toys and they had a great time. When we came in for the evening, the two pieces of the boat were gently stacked along with the alligator and tubes, adding to the number of flotation devices that clutter the deck.

It was only a few minutes before everyone was completely clothed. Entering the air conditioned house was something that everyone dreaded. Cole was the first one to get dressed and came outside on the porch dressed in his shorts, shirt, socks, and shoes. Grace got dressed and cuddled under the covers of my bed, and Isabell dressed herself in pajamas. After Cole was warmed by the heat radiating from the back porch, he went back inside to watch TV with Grace. A few minutes later, I walked inside to check on everyone. When I walked in my bedroom, I was immediately overwhelmed by the horrible smell of stinky feet. I smelled Cole’s shoes and just about threw up. I immediately carried them through the house to put them on the porch. David was in the kitchen with Isabell, and I walked by holding the shoes in my hands, he looked at me and asked if I had pooted. I said, “No, that’s Cole’s shoes!” Needless to say, after a few minutes needed to catch my breath, I brought the shoes back in the house and put them in the washing machine.

I forgot to mention 3 visitors yesterday. I was reminded by my neighbor that I had neglected to mention her in my blog. I will try to redeem myself by mentioning her as a visitor today. Jo, Harlee, and Cheyenne came over yesterday. Jo visited while I was at a swim team meeting, and Harlee and Cheyenne visited several times walking back and forth between the two houses.

3 additional visitors yesterday, 2 visitors today, 404 visitors in all