"she didn't read the book"

Yesterday we went to the Children's Museum for what would be our last chance to go to the cooking classes held each Thursday morning.  Next Thursday begins kindergarten! 

I knew it was going to be about sunflowers, but didn't know what story they'd hear first.  Turns out, Mary Ellen had picked a fresh sunflower from the museum's garden and had a non-fiction, yet children's book, on sunflowers.  Since the twins are pretty much the oldest in this bunch, Mary Ellen did not read the book, she just showed the pictures, talked about them briefly and passed the flower around to let the kids see the parts and feel it for themselves.  Ther ewere a lot of words in it.  No way she could have read it to the group and not lost them all. 

When she showed one photo of a field of flowers, she said, "This is on a farm in Pennsylvania."  Gretchen interrupted, "Well, actually, Mary Ellen, we have been in Pennsylvania when we were driving to New York."   Other parents laughed.  Me too.

Carl sat nicely though the story.  His favorite color is yellow and he always likes to stop at the flower displays in stores, so he was happy to be handed a big sunflower to hold, look at, smell, touch...

Then, they did the cooking portion of the class.  Each child was given 1/2 a banana.  They unwrapped and cut it with a tongue depressor.  Then, she gave them each a tiny cup with peanut butter and a rice cake.  Carl looked at me and asked, "Does it taste like popcorn?"  I thought it would, but turns out they were white cheddar flavored.  No wonder he only took 2 bites.  I thought it tasted pretty gross, too.  But, I will buy him some real popcorn cakes or rice cakes soon.  I think he'll be into them.  He also passed on the PB.  At this point, I told him he could just eat his banana because I knew he wouldn't make the flower with it.  He enjoyed that! 

So, they spread the PB on the rice cake, stuck the banana slices on it, too and then each child got to spoon some sunflower seeds over the top to stick in the remaining PB.  Carl simply took 2 big spoonfuls and dumped them on his plate.  All in all, a great snack for him!  2 of his favorites. 

Gretchen completed the snack project.  Oh yea, they got a piece of green taffy like candy for the stem.  Carl politely declined that, but not Gretchen.  She loves her sweets.  She ate a few bites of her flower snack, but honestly, she rarely eats the project.  Process vs product cooking.

So, then we played in the museum for another hour or so and then met Lew for lunch.  Not many opportunities to do that with kindergarten on the horizon.  Ended up getting 2 new Smurfs, too.  We had picked a McDonald's simply because it was close to work for Lew, but they have an indoor playground which was perfect since it was now raining cats and dogs.  We stayed inside for 2 hours!  Lew left after eating... and got soaked.

Then we went to Target ot exchange a dress with a tiny hole in it.  Damn.  I usually check everything I buy thoroughly for holes.  I flip stuffed animals, turn shirts inside out, etc... but apparently did not do that with this dress.  I could have sewn the hole (in the seam) but it was on the front arm seam and if they had another one, it would just be easier.  And they did.  Cool.  Picked up another golf shirt for Carl, too since they were only $5 this week.  A bright red one because Lew was wearing his bright red one at lunch.  "A want a shirt just like Daddy's." 

We headed home for a late-ish nap and on the drive home, I asked them if they enjoyed going to the museum for the cooking class one last time.  Carl replied, somewhat annoyed,  "Yeah, but she didn't read the book."