Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Impromptu block party

It was one of those great evenings where you feel like you have been transported back a few decades to where this was more of a common occurance. These days we don't often meet our neighbors or get along with them, etc. But the other night was different.

I was sitting outside with 2 of my neighbors while our kids rode their bikes. It all started when another neighbor went out to her front yard and turned on her sprinkler to water the grass. Her 2 daughters ran out behind her in their bathing suits and started running in the sprinkler. Bethany saw this, and ran over and plopped on the grass and yanked off her socks and shoes and ran to join them in her jeans and top. I eventually let her take off the jeans and run in her top and underpants. Luckily we know this neighbor and she had no problem with this. The other kids saw Bethany join in and they too started yanking off their socks and shoes.

So we grabbed our chairs and moved to the driveway. One of my friends has the lawn connected to the other neighbor so she turned on her sprinkler too, so it was 2 spinklers in one long yard. Then other kids on the street started showing up. So their parents followed. Then somebody made a joke about BBQ, and next thing you know we had a few BBQ's pulled out and all of us checking our kitchens for hot dogs an whatever else was handy. Then the MP's pulled up to see what was going on and they stayed for a few to visit. They couldn't stay long because they wereon duty. The kids ran in the sprinklers until dark, and the parents sat in lawn chairs in the driveway. It was awesome! Here are a few pics I took as things were just getting going.



Wednesday, September 9, 2009

An original Bethany story


Tonight Bethany wanted me to read her a story but I am too beat up from my class tonight to get up and get a book, so I suggested we make up our own story. I got her started with, "Once upon a time there was a princess named...." She chose to name the princess "Shiloh" after a boy in her class. And here is the story...
Me: ok Princess Shiloh like to....
Bethany: Eat princesses!
Me:oook. So one day she went to a castle but instead of a princess she found a...
Bethany: shell! But it was too loud and crunchy!
Me: So she went to another castle...
Bethany: What about Bethany! There is a princess Bethany!
Me: ok she found Princess Bethany at the next castle, but he didn't eat Bethany because Bethany said she wanted to be her friend.
Bethany:But Princess Shiloh said no! And went home.
ME: One day Princess Shiloh was walking and he saw Princess Bethany
Bethany:And Princess Bethany called her stupid and so Princess Shiloh got in a helicopter and flew to the desert and there were cactus's. Like in Texas. And there was a cowgirl and her horse ran away.
ME: Hmmm, do you think Princess Shiloh can give her a ride in the helicopter?
Bethany: Yes, and they flew back to Princess Bethany's house, and Princess Shiloh told Princess Bethany and the cowgirl to be friends and leave her alone!
Me: So did she go home then?
Bethany: No. She ate princess mommy's biiiiig nose and gave her back a small one. Then she went home. The end!