The End Zone

END ZONE: We were almost like normal people today - heading out the door to school at 8:30 in the a.m.

Today was cleanup the campus at the kids' Shoreline school (which we've been at a LOT lately, it seems like). I've always been a big believer of the "you mess it up, you clean it up" philosophy and Lord knows between the popcorn eating, pizza days and science experiments, my kids have made plenty of messes there this year. The least we could do was help clean a little.

I didn't know what duties we'd have, but as luck would have it, the very first (and only) person we saw upon walking in the building was the kids' science teacher. I said, "Reporting for cleaning duty!" and she asked if we had an assignment yet. I told her we didn't and she said she was going to claim us. :)

So we spent a couple of busy hours in the science room. First, CJ and Annabelle checked out the pencils, colored pencils and tested pens. Annabelle sharpened pencils and put new eraser tops on the ones that needed them. She also sharpened and sorted colored pencils.

Meanwhile, CJ's job was to test the colored markers and toss ones that weren't working so well any more. He took his job very seriously, carefully assessing each pen's worth. At one point he said, "I bet this is what Dad does at his work."

I laughed and told him I'd be pretty surprised if that was the case. :)

The kids and I spent nearly an hour servicing mechanical pencils (replacing erasers, filling them with lead, etc.).Meanwhile all around us, people were taking inventory in the classroom and cleaning up.

Not surprisingly, we also made time for the kids to get some popcorn and they watched part of a movie ("A Bug's Life") with some schoolmates. CeeJ and Bee were disappointed when we had to leave before it ended and surprised when I told them they own a copy at home.

And so, we bid adieu to the Shoreline school until next September.

GOOD BOY: On way home from Shoreline, CJ did his best black Lab impression - sticking his head out the car window and getting a face full of fast moving air. He does that from time to time. It always cracks me up and makes me think of big dogs riding in cars.

FINITO: This afternoon marked the kids' last Musikgarten class. They were each presented a Young Musicians II completion certificate and since the German unit was over, there were some allegedly German snacks provided by the music teacher.

Why the allegedly? Well, one snack was bratwurst, and that is German, indeed, but the other was Nutella. That made the moms in the crowd go, "Huh what?" The music teacher said it was a staple in Germany and its labels all used to say "Made in Germany," but now it's made in Canada. Oh, well that explains it. ;)

One mom said she believed it to be of Italian origin. (The 'ella' would seem to suggest that, and it's certainly not very German sounding!). Sure 'nuff, according to the folks at Nutella, who presumably know of what they speak, Nutella is an Italian breakfast item produced by the Ferrero Company in 1963.

Frankly, the kids couldn't care less where it came from. They both tried it and loved it. (It was their first taste of Nutella ever.)

REASONABLE: After dinner, CJ had a hankering to play his Nintendo Wii. Problem was, we were watching the Mariners game on the big screen (to which the Wii is hooked). We pointed that out to CJ and he got quiet - for about 30 seconds - before coming back with, "Well which is more important, the Mariners game or you child learning something?"

Naturally, we wanted to know what it was he'd be learning from the Wii. "Numbers. Big numbers," he assured.

We let him play - just as well. The Mariners were stinking it up.

BALLOON MAN: One of Annabelle's many creations today. She loves to make balloon people. This one reminds me of a South Park character. Its accessories include a Mariners hat (her sundae cup from last night's game), which has its own face (two beer bottlecaps as eyes, and an orange hat made from Sculpey).