Riley and Avery

So we went to the Garden of the Gods visitor's center for their weekly preschool program. They were read a story about Magpie's Nest and then made their own magpie's nests. It was a lot of fun for the girls. The young woman leading the program was great with the children. I was glad that Rudi was there because these other mothers are not mothers that I would feel comfortable around at all. Not at all. Yuppies and such. Oh, and since a picture is worth a 1000 words:

How many of these children are doing their own crafts? Um, just Riley and Avery. Some of the mothers actually took the nests away from their children so that the mothers could do them!! The mothers were standing and holding the nests high above the children's heads and smoothing them out and covering un-covered spots! It was insane! Rudi and I were the only parents not all up in their kids business. An interesting study on parenting culture. I did have to get the tissue paper from the middle of the table for the girls because they couldn't reach, but that's all I did. Of course, we looked like the unattached uninvolved parents, not the ones letting their kids explore and discover and express themselves freely. But whatever.



So, after the program, we went to their cafeteria for a drink and snack. Then we went to the gift shop. All in all, we spend $30 on a free event. Not cool. Since it's really nice out, Rudi asked if we should go downtown or to Manitou, and I said that sure, as long as we spend absolutely no money. He got all huffy and was like "fine, we'll just go home then." Grrrr. I am so tired of being the stick-in-the mud boring do-nothing penny-pincher, so he can play the freewheeling money spender. He seriously needs to meet me halfway.

I had a long talk with the girls that we will be going to these programs twice a month, and that the other times we go, we will not be getting snack, and we will not visit the gift shop. I was unprepared this time. Not next time. Geez, with Rudi as their father, they think the world is one huge gift shop and a place isn't worth visiting if it doesn't have a gift shop (I can't even count how many times we've gone somewhere and Rudi gripes about he absence of a gift shop).

Ah, yes, and I am seriously putting an enormous dent in the children's toys. They have way too much. It's like I turned by head that the toys multiplied. I'll try to sell them first, make room in their room, and use the funds I'll hopefully raise in order to buy a used bunk bed set for them. That's my goal, we'll see what happens...