It’s time to go! (Round 2!)

Me: Can I take a break?

Gentle Reader: Sure…sure! Yes, of course! But…um….

Me: Why?

GR: Yes…why?

Me: I want to try new things. I want to go outside to play, get some fresh air, and do some much needed people watching. Plus, I haven’t baked blueberry muffins in *ages*.

GR: Ahhhhh. All right. You won’t be gone long, though, will you? Will you come back?

Me: Well, I did this once before, and you know me: when the muffins are ready to share, I’ll be back. Big hugs and thank you!

GR: See you later!

Principals: They *are* your pals!

Principal Number One: The Arts Have It

• A Roxbury, Massachusetts school principal fired the security guards and replaced them with art teachers. The result? The school boasts “one of the fastest student improvement rates statewide”. On a large scale such as this school, these results are amazing. On a smaller scale, such as a single classroom or at home, you achieve something similar when you make crafts, sing songs, and talk with puppets.

Principal Number Two: Sunny Days

• Principal Bob Samson of Bellingham Christian School in Bellingham, Washington, canceled school on May 3 because the weather was good. Not “bad weather”, as in snowy, rainy, or typhoony. Good weather, as in sunny, warm, and perfect for playing outdoors. Brilliant idea, yes? Who else is making a beeline for the principal’s office right now? (Be careful: no running in the halls!)

Got a bright idea for your principal? Oh I know you do! Share?

What, you *are* the principal? Saaaay, I’ve got and idea or two for you…….

Bird Words

My grandma taught me that the whippoorwill bird says, “Whip Poor Will! Whip Poor Will!”, although I have to stretch my ears to hear it that way.

Red cardinals? I haven’t heard them in a few decades, although I think I could pick them out of the crowd. What do they say? Cardinals say, “What cheer cheer cheer! Chip, chip, birdy, birdy!”

But these birds?

Carolina Wren: Teakettle teakettle teakettle!

Barred Owl: Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?

Common nighthawk: Beans, beans, beans!

Clearly these birds are talking my language. Who knew?

For more of these, you have to scoot over to page 49 of Sharon Lovejoy’s Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars: A Grandma’s Bag of Tricks!

Drink your tea-ee-ee-ee!

Okay, you’re smart, who says that?

Ella Fitzgerald and Bing Crosby – Children’s Songs

Oh grin who else wants to hear Ella Fitzgerald and Bing Crosby singing a whole pile of children’s songs? That was gentle fun.

How do we get across the town
Now that the bridge is down?

If you like jazz and haven’t yet gotten your children addicted to Ella and Bing, scoot scoot scoobydoobydoobydooby scoot to start taking care of that now. Such voices!

P.S Her birthday is 25 April and his is coming up on 3 May.

[The Jazz Street]

T is for Tulip

My oddest summer job? Peeling tulip bulbs!

I found it so miserable that I lasted only 2 days and swore off liking tulip bulbs for a long time after.

But I like ’em now.

Plunk a stack of origami paper down and start making these tulips.

Just don’t plunk ’em in water when you’re finished.

Yep, from the same person who brought you Origami ABCs and 123s.

[via Cool Mom Picks]

That list of 100 ways to be kind to your child

How did I miss this list last year?

Let your brain cells scamper around the various ideas here, borrowing ideas that work for you and politely leaving those that don’t.

#85. I did that today!

#32. Naw. Never. Nope nope nope. *grin*

Feel free to add new ideas.

Be amazed at what you come up with.

Will you share?

[Creative With Kids]