Friendship Parties

February really cranked up the home improvement projects (more to come on that later), so we couldn't wander very far from home. As a result, the kids' imaginations have been coming alive, especially as unpacking in the game room revealed more and more forgotten toy treasures. For example, here is a blanket fort converted to a buggy to transport Queen Hadley with driver Owen, but the travel was so long that they needed some reading entertainment on the journey.

On another day, I happened upon a grand meeting of all of the stuffed animals in Owen's room. Roll was taken, and Owen presided over the meeting, but I'm not sure exactly what was discussed. You'll notice the highest esteemed, most senior loveys got prime, front row seating on the mermaid's tail.

We've also been enjoying monthly Kiwi Crates, which the kids got for Christmas. Each month a box arrives with a new STEM activity outlined in easy to follow instructions with all the needed supplies. So far we've learned about capillary action (through color absorption) and mechanical joints (through building an arcade claw game). Someone really looks forward to these boxes!

Remembering our success in Idaho, I have joined a few online "mom groups" in the area with hopes to socialize and meet people outside of our neighborhood. It's definitely harder to find fellow moms of older kids willing to make new friends, but one group had a meet up on the weekend at Little Land, which was an indoor playground nearly too small for my kids. O and H had a blast anyway, despite being among the oldest there, and I did meet a few nice ladies. The kids enjoyed the obstacle course, slides, and sack swings best.

We all know that February brings Valentines, and their new school encouraged parent volunteers and visitors to attend the class parties. I went back and forth between the two classes, and it was great to put faces to names, see the kids in their class environments, and participate in the fun! Hadley's class imitated cupid with Q-tip straw dart practice and candy heart towers.

Owen's class passed around a plastic wrapped candy ball that you had to unwrap with oven mitts and exercised their lung capacity by transferring candy hearts with straws.

The school called them "Friendship Parties", which I think is a smart move these days to foster a love for all of your classmates. The kids loved getting a card and item from everyone and passing them out, too. They didn't even seem to mind that we reused their box/bag from last year! ;)