An April Update

April has sped by, and I wanted to write a few tidbits of happenings that I didn't want to forget.

After having our 2nd annual Passover meal for YW's, Josh had the idea that we should do something similar for the kids.  I gathered together the ingredients, which wasn't too difficult.  Although it wasn't 100% authentic, it was close enough to get a "taste" of foods that may have been eaten during Old Testament times.   We talked about the Seder plate and discussed the symbolism behind each item.  I ordered my own copy of a book called A Christ-Centered Easter filled with interesting and special activities, recipes and information to make Easter more Christ-centered, which was helpful in preparing!  We didn't do outfits or fancy baskets for Easter.  Got a few candies and a little gift, and hid them around the house with clues, but most of the weekend was taken up by General Conference, which was nice.

Our Spring Break "Staycation" had us doing little daily outings to the library, pool, science center, etc.  Monkey has been working towards his Bear award, and with the upcoming change to the requirements, we encouraged him to get it before the change took place!  We worked on it all week, learning about folk tales, endangered animals, and law enforcement.  He did several fun projects, and we all had a good time doing it, and he was awarded his Bear at the April Pack Meeting!  He was a proud Scout...who needs a haircut.

Speaking of Monkey, he was designing this flyer for school, and when I asked him about it, he told us about this classroom service he and his friends created.  PBG Cleans is a desk-cleaning service.  It is truly a service, because it is FREE!  They have various levels of service:  Dry Clean, Wet Clean, Germ Clean, Bonus Clean and Super Clean.  The funniest part about it is that so many people want to be WORKERS, that they are struggling to find enough desks to clean!  So cute.

A fellow classmate of Monkeys has Autism, and really struggles socially on the playground.  In their morning meeting, he expressed his frustration in finding a friend to play with when he goes out to the playground after being in the resource room.  Fortunately, they have both a wonderfully kind class and an even better teacher, who always takes opportunity to let her kids problem-solve and cooperate to get things done.  Together the class voted to create a program called "Friend-Maker", where certain students wear a lanyard (again of the class' design), and are available to play with anyone who asks.  They created a skit (Monkey plays the part of the kid who needs a friend), and have been going to every class to perform it and let them know about their initiative!  I think it's so wonderful - makes my heart so happy, especially since Monkey was one of those little ones who had a really hard time finding a friend on the Kindergarten playground.

Boo has sure found a talent in music!  She LOVES to practice, and drives the other kids crazy as she plays for hours on end if she could.  Who ever heard of setting a timer so the child doesn't practice TOO long!?  Her teacher this year was one of my Beehives, and this is the first time she's ever taught.  She got an ideal student in Boo, and has had as much fun teacher her, as Boo's had learning!  We attended their Spring recital a couple weeks ago, where Boo performed Fur Elise, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  

This past week was the Elementary and 6th grade Orchestra Concert.  We got there super-early, and the room was quickly full to overflowing!  Boo performed several pieces and has really enjoyed learning the viola this year, and playing with some of her pals.  Diddles CANNOT stand the sound of stringed instruments, which is funny because she makes plenty of noise we don't much care for either!  I tried this time to bring along some headphones to let her watch a movie during the concert, but she could "still hear that music".  We ended up having to leave before the 6th graders performed.  (sigh)

Diddles has such an imagination.  It's one of my favorite things about her.  We rented the Disney movie Into the Woods, and were surprised all of the family enjoyed it so much!  Josh's Grandma put on a family production of the musical when Josh was a teenager, and he played the Wolf and a Prince.  We've often heard him singing "Hello Little Girl" even before the movie came out!  Diddles took a special liking to Little Red Riding Hood, and we've been listening to the music in the mornings as we've been getting ready.  One morning this week she kept coming to me asking for various things:  a basket, some butter, some cookies, a flower, her church shoes, etc.  Once I realized what she was up to, I had to smile.  She had dressed in her prettiest dress (with a red flower on it), tights, church shoes, and loaded up a wicker basket with dinner rolls, butter, cookies and a picked tulip.  She made a card and dropped off the basket to our "Grandma" Linda next door, who is in our ward. I had to call her (she was at work) to explain the strange basket she would find on her porch, but the story made me chuckle.

Just yesterday I left her home with Boo as I ran a quick errand with Monkey.  I got a text from her that said, "Diddles is selling lemonade.  Is that okay?"  Came home to learn that she made lemonade, grabbed a plastic storage bin and some glasses, and set up a stand on the sidewalk.  Apparently a "girl in a pink shirt" came by and gave her three nickels, "but she wasn't thirsty for lemonade right now".  SO FUNNY!  See?  Creative.