The Sky is Falling!

SUNNY MORNING: Not only did the sun rise this morning, you could actually see it! It streamed in through our eastward-facing windows.

I noticed I could see the kids' shadows behind them, on the front of our kitchen island, so I suggested they play shadow charades. They were totally down with that idea, and took several turns striking different poses. Two I caught with my camera were Annabelle's tree and CJ's elephant.

MUSIC TO MY EARS: Since the kids were up early enough, we had time for them to get in a jam session before ballet. I had them fetch and set up their glockenspeils and we reviewed the proper way to grasp the mallets and how they were to hold their arms while striking the notes.

They started in on a few drills and I ran upstairs to fetch something. It was so nice hearing the tinkling downstairs (and no, it wasn't Kirby making a puddle on the floor). I miss the days of having Rick and Ken around, providing live in live music on a regular basis. Here's hoping CJ and Annabelle will get as much enrichment and enjoyment out of music as their older brothers did.

SCHEDULE SHAKE UP: On Thursday mornings, our S.O.P. has been to drop Bee at ballet, then CJ and I walk to the Magnolia branch of the Seattle Public Libraries system, check out a bunch of DVDS, er-I mean books, and then walk back to the community center to collect Annabelle. Well that was B.B.C., or before budget cuts. In an effort to contain costs to match reduced revenue, the library system is cutting hours back at several branches, including Magnolia. So it doesn't open until 11 a.m. now, which is when Annabelle's lesson ends.

So today, CJ and I burned the clock by walking to Albertsons for Super Bowl cookie fixins, and then over to the post office. He even had 10 minutes or so to play in the park adjacent to the community center.

I guess the upside of the schedule change is that Annabelle will be able to join us for our library visits. Today, she and CJ read a small pile of big books together.

LITTLE CHICKEN: This afternoon the MPA student body and staff watched "Chicken Little." The movie we screened was an animated version from Disney, released in 2005. But before I hit the play button, we all talked about the age old fable, with roots reaching back to Aesop and beyond.

I asked the kids what would be wrong with going off half cocked, running around freaking out and yelling that the sky is falling? The kids generated a number of negatives to that scenario, including that you'd scare people, that people would think you're crazy, and that if it wasn't true, people would think you're a liar, and wouldn't believe you if it was true in the future, like The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

I was planning on the movie being background noise for me while I was working on a baking project, but I found myself actually watching and listening to it. The plot advanced at a good clip and the movie featured baseball and aliens, with music by the Barenaked Ladies, Elton John, and R.E.M. What's not to like?

Take away messages from the film: Every day is a new day; Communication between kids and parents is key; It's important to tell the truth. Good stuff.

SHORT STORY: Today's retelling is short and tomorrow's may be even shorter, as we're taking a road trip down to the 'Couve to deliver some goods and check out our old haunts.