Two Teas

I had the privilege to experience dates for tea twice today. The first time was this morning, at Crispy's school. It was a Parent Appreciation Tea in the Kindergarten classroom. The kids had spent the week practicing how to pour punch from the punchbowl, pick up cookies using a napkin, and decorating the tables with original artwork. The kids were so proud to be the hosts. "Mom, may I pour you some punch?" So polite and such good etiquette for a bunch of 5 & 6 year olds! They finished the "tea" time with a collection of favorite songs and finger plays...their teacher is a talented woman who plays the guitar and sings with them almost every morning. Crispy handed us a pretty window cling butterfly he had made that we added to our growing collection on the library window. Soon we will have a whole fleet of them!

We spent the afternoon with a friend in town for another tea. Laura came with me today, and had a great time playing with all of the little daycare kids and new toys. For the rest of the evening, she asked, "Can we go to your friend's house again?" I brought Jonny and Melissa over to meet us there after school, and witnessed how non-friendly my children are. Jonny was sitting in the sandbox next to one of my friend's sons who was just one year younger than he, and did not once say a word to him the entire 20 minutes they sat there. To be fair, neither of them were talking, but still, for Jonny who has SO MANY friends, it was weird. Like he had no idea how to strike a conversation. I expected it from Melissa, who was so shy that she spent the whole time quietly whining to go home. I will certainly have to look for a therapeutic friends group for her over the summer. I think I may have to see if I can get a discount for older siblings (Jonny)to join too. They must just be so use to being at home and with each other that they are like fish out of water around other kids. I will need to be doing a better job fostering communication skills at our house. It was all so strange. I know they can do better!

Bob took Jonny to soccer tonight and reported that he did a great job being in the game and participating in his position. That was good news, as our kids tend to hold back and blend into the background in sporting events. I look forward to seeing him play sometime...though at this point I do not know when that will be, as we have scheduling conflicts over the next few weeks! Tubby and I took Michael and a substitute goalie on an hour long trip to Inver Grove Heights for a hockey game. It was a super physical game...lots of checking from really BIG kids on the opposing team. It was reminiscent of the Wild's playoff game #4, without the fist fights. Fortunately for us, checking was their only strategy, and our guys basically skated circles around the other kids and won the game easily. Also was good for our goalie from Waconia who is pretty tiny, and only had to defend our goal a handful of times in a 60 minute time span. Michael did well, and kept up a good fight. He fought through 2 guys who were team checking him on the boards, didn't give up, and even emerged down the ice with the puck in his possession. This upper tier hockey team has had such a good influence on his playing ability! The parents of this highly competetive SouthWest Metro team are not so receptive to us Waconianites. No one EVER says a word to us. Tonight one of the ladies smiled at my baby. That is the most we have ever gotten from anyone. It is pretty ridiculous. I am certain that we will never be so competetive that we would turn to be so snooty. I am glad we will never meet in regular league again. Another reason to be happy to be in friendly Waconia and not in the cities.

We ended our long day with watching the Wild lose. Bummer. Exciting game though...good hockey! Now the pressure is on to win Saturday's game, or else the season is over! What will we do then? Watching baseball on tv is not quite the same thrill!