Crafty Saturday

We love Home Depot. We sometimes go to Home Depot just to walk around and look at stuff ... finding things we can't live without ;). Jeff has a spot with his name on it (Contractors Only), and oh, we like to use it ... it's like rolling into an expensive hotel and walking right into the action.

This Saturday was the first time the children attended the Home Depot craft hour. They offer this one hour activity every Saturday at 8 am and the participants - smaller and bigger kids - get to bang around to their own enjoyment and create something cool. There is a group of 'regulars', children with numerous pins on their aprons, who have been attending for a long time. And there are the rookies, like us, who were also so warmly welcomed. The children all received an orange apron - just like the Home Depot employees - customized with their names.

I though this would be a great way to get the family going on lazy Saturday mornings and it was a complete success. Lutza was not hesitant, after putting on her apron and safety glasses, she got to choose her tools and nails, pick through the wood pile and 'warm up' by banging around and trying to build something. Vidor was not so sure if this whole affair was for him. He even pulled his neck into his coat and just watched, which was rather surprising since he lives for tools.

Lutza started to build a 'Birds Welcome' sign and did excellent with driving her nails in. I pounded the nails in just far enough that they would be standing stable and she did the rest. Tongue has to be just right!!!

Vidor finally took his coat and cap off and got busy ... he was so gentle and precise. I think the possibilities almost overwhelmed him. There were so many things he could do.

After about 20-25 minutes of 'warm-up', the Wood Doctor gathered the children together. I just called him the Doctor because he was wearing white work gear and glasses - a perfectly grumpy but funny character for the job. He reminded the children to the rules. The most important was to always wear eye-protection - unless any of the children wanted to borrow that extra eye-ball he was carrying around in his pocket.

Eventually the real builder, Daddy, joined in too and showed us some tricks.

Lutza said that it was okay that her house was a little crooked, the birds wouldn't mind it (I was her assistant and I am officially the Queen of finding knots and missed nails). She was very proud of her job!!!

It was a perfect way to start the day and have some family time together. Next week we are making race tracks. Do you think Vidor is excited?

Thanks Presidents

Lutza has Show-and-Tell every Thursday at school and they always follow a monthly theme, this time Italy. But as usual, I forgot to find something in time. As we were scrambling to get our shoes on, I spotted the last box full of pictures and frames that I failed to unpack in our new house yet. YES!!! (And NO too in the same time, because I just got reminded again to all the 'picture-stuff' I have been planning to do). But YES, because on the very top was sitting a framed picture of Mr. and Mrs Bush! There you have it, show-and-tell for this week. So in the car I tried to explain Lutza who is the president. It's a tough one! Try to choose your words and concepts in a way that an almost 5 year-old understands the importance of this position.

Momma: What is the name of our country?

Lutza: The United States of America!

Momma: Good deal! You know, the president is the leader of this country, like in the old days we had kings, today we have presidents who guide our country toward making wise decisions and to protect our people.

Lutza: Does he know the Queen of England?

Momma: Oh, yes! They meet sometimes to discuss important things.

Lutza: Do they have tea together?

Momma: Yup, you are getting it now ... over tea you can talk about important stuff. But he is a person who is also responsible to provide you with laws so you can have health-care (oh, deep stuff so... I had to make is sound more down-to-Earth), so you can go to the doctor, and you have schools and education, and we have soldiers who protect us.

Lutza: ... and he makes you eat healthy food and brush your teeth all the time ....

.... And our short drive is over. I think the only thing that I drilled in her that on the picture is President Bush who is our old president.

So at the end of school I talked to her teacher. Miss A. thought it was wildly funny what Lutza said at show-and-tell "Yupp, these are my daddy's friends on this picture!" - and that's it. THAT'S IT??? (Jeff always says 'my Buddy the W' when he talks about President Bush. S0 Lutza pays attention to that .... but my speed lecture on the importance of our president was probably never processed).

Being President's Day, we decided to celebrate by taking it easy and enjoyed our freedoms and privileges without limitations. Thanks to our great leaders for this great day!

On the above picture is Bendeguz, making a fashion statement (and enjoying his privilege of being able to wear anything regardless of race, gender, social-, economic-, or ethnic status). For snack he consumed one jelly tortilla roll, a bowl of rice with peas and chicken, 1 1/2 bananas and two oranges .... and out of the leftovers he made a nice 'soup' in his milk cup that he proudly stirred and showed off.

This is my lovely Lutza who found a new box of markers and loved every minute of her coloring.

Vidor (marker lines on his face) finally allowed me to wash and refurbish his cuddly bear. He willingly put 'Brumy' in the wash and kept him company so the bear is not scared and held his hand while I stitched up the hole after we put fresh stuffing in him.

Bendeguz is obsessed with seeing himself in my phone, so we made some silly pictures, too.

So Dear Presidents, thanks for all the great stuff you do for us, and thank you for letting us spend a fun day together.