It's hard for kids to understand the concept of time. And even harder for them to fill the hours of "waiting" until the pool opens up! Why the YMCA doesn't open their outdoor pool any earlier than 1:00pm is beyond me, but I'll tell you that it's difficult to pacify pool-anxious kiddies when 9:30am rolls around and they're convinced we should be swimming! (And why is it that kids can pop out of bed at 7:00 am ready to face the world with boundless energy, and it takes me half an hour to drag myself out of bed and wipe the drool off my face? So unfair!!) So, with more than enough time to fill, this morning we decided on a picnic adventure to Botanica!!
Ethan was grossly disappointed to realize that Botanica is nothing more than another "FLOWER PARK" which inspires any and all adults to incessantly snap pictures of the beloved children. I had to bribe him, actually, to even
go to Botanica . . . bribe him with the butterfly garden that Botanica is highly acclaimed for!
Of course, Ethan had no problem with getting his picture taken with this tame monarch butterly.
Christlyn got her turn to hold the butterly, too, as the two kids watched several other butterlies hatch from their cocoons (or crystals as the butterfly volunteer called them). We saw all types of moths and butterflys . . . too many to recount! But, we were given a Butterflies of Kansas book that I'm sure Christlyn will cherish as much as Ethan loves his Snakes of Arkansas book!!
Little did we know when we arrived at Botanica that there was some sort of preschool play day at the park. Though we shared the park with about 50 preschool age kids and their parents/day care workers, we were allowed to do several activities, including the one above. The kids each got to make a necklace out of fruitloop cereal to hang in the backyard for the birds to eat. Christlyn was very artistic and made a pattern out of the fruity cereal. Ethan just wanted to
eat the cereal!!
Doesn't she look contemplative? I love this picture!! It embodies the essence of serenity and peace! Most five (almost six) year olds ask lots of (loaded) questions! Today she laid them on
thick!!! On the carride home, she asked me "Are God and Jesus the same person? How can two people be one person?" So, we had the Father-Spirit-Son Trinity discussion--which let me assure you left her more confused than ever, but she nodded politely when I asked her if she understood!!! Then, out of the blue she asked me what " I swear" means, "does it mean saying bad words?" How do you explain to a five year old how one word can have two different meanings! Once again I got the "sure, okay, uh huh" look and polite nod!! I'm just glad that after spending the morning out in the park with the butterflies and bubble bees, that I didn't get asked the "birds and the bees" question! I mean, as Aunt Kathryn, I can only do
so much!!!
Ethan was grossly disappointed to realize that Botanica is nothing more than another "FLOWER PARK" which inspires any and all adults to incessantly snap pictures of the beloved children. I had to bribe him, actually, to even go to Botanica . . . bribe him with the butterfly garden that Botanica is highly acclaimed for!
Of course, Ethan had no problem with getting his picture taken with this tame monarch butterly.
Christlyn got her turn to hold the butterly, too, as the two kids watched several other butterlies hatch from their cocoons (or crystals as the butterfly volunteer called them). We saw all types of moths and butterflys . . . too many to recount! But, we were given a Butterflies of Kansas book that I'm sure Christlyn will cherish as much as Ethan loves his Snakes of Arkansas book!!
Little did we know when we arrived at Botanica that there was some sort of preschool play day at the park. Though we shared the park with about 50 preschool age kids and their parents/day care workers, we were allowed to do several activities, including the one above. The kids each got to make a necklace out of fruitloop cereal to hang in the backyard for the birds to eat. Christlyn was very artistic and made a pattern out of the fruity cereal. Ethan just wanted to eat the cereal!!
Doesn't she look contemplative? I love this picture!! It embodies the essence of serenity and peace! Most five (almost six) year olds ask lots of (loaded) questions! Today she laid them on thick!!! On the carride home, she asked me "Are God and Jesus the same person? How can two people be one person?" So, we had the Father-Spirit-Son Trinity discussion--which let me assure you left her more confused than ever, but she nodded politely when I asked her if she understood!!! Then, out of the blue she asked me what " I swear" means, "does it mean saying bad words?" How do you explain to a five year old how one word can have two different meanings! Once again I got the "sure, okay, uh huh" look and polite nod!! I'm just glad that after spending the morning out in the park with the butterflies and bubble bees, that I didn't get asked the "birds and the bees" question! I mean, as Aunt Kathryn, I can only do so much!!!
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