Mine is the one on the far right. I’m going to glue photos to show through the holes. Awesome, right?
LilZ actually sat down with NikkiZ and I the other day and made some Valentine’s Day decor. We’re just doing it freestyle - gluing and cutting as we are inspired along the way. And then sticking our creations somewhere around the house. I’m sure we could have nicer displays if we mapped it out, but this is more fun. And - when you have kids 11 years apart - you embrace any group craft activity that arises.
We’ve decided to make Fridays the Eat Lunch At Brother’s School days. LilZ still doesn’t mind me hanging out with him and his friends at lunch, so we decided to make it a regular thing. We went last Friday and NikkiZ thought it was the MOST AWESOME THING EVER. She talked about it all weekend. There were brother-sized kids everywhere. She was amazed. Of course, it helped that I bought her a Kid’s Meal from Chick-fil-A that day. She’d hang out with Ogres and Dragons if it meant a chicken nugget would be placed in front of her face.
I have learned that middle-school children are a lot bigger and older looking than they were when I was that age. I’m not kidding you when I tell you there was one kid I saw and assumed he was the P.E. Teacher. He was huge. Turned out? He is a sixth-grader. No wonder he looked at me funny when I asked him when the next PTA meeting was.
(That’s a joke. Like I would go to a PTA meeting. Those things scare me.)
It’s a light into a world I think every parent should see - the middle-school lunch period. It will give you a deep admiration and respect for middle-school faculty as well as for your own child who has to live through such a cattle-call every day. It’s insane. I went to a very small school growing up and think if I had to deal with the crowds and chaos associated with a public Junior High lunch period, I’d have been committed before I was old enough to drive.
I’ll enjoy it as long as I can. LilZ told me he actually excitedly told his friends we were going to come again this week. Like - Good news! My Mom and my Sister are coming to lunch again! I figure - as long as he’s acting like that’s something to celebrate and not fear? I’m game.
First of all, those are gorgeous Valentine decorations! Each one is so unique and I LOVE all the different colors- what an artistic bunch you are!
Also, if I ever have a son, I hope he’s a lot like LilZ and still likes me when he’s in middle school. That is just so awesome!
awww you have an awesome son!!!
Great valentines!!
I hope you have fun again today.
I like the ad hoc artwork. It makes it more homey and less school like.
Have fun today! Really awesome that your son still enjoys your visits to his school. And you are right about the cattle-call feeling and the kids being so grown up now. I taught for one semester at a large inner-city middle school and was the smallest “kid” there — I was never so glad to have a leave replacement end because DAMN is that not for me!
Love the decorations! When I did youth ministry I always said I couldn’t do middle school. They scare me! I love how you have raised LilZ to enjoy your company. I hope to do the same with F.
I think it’s so cool that you go to LittleZ’s school to have lunch with him, and that he actually appreciates it! I hope I have such a good relationship with my daughter when she’s that age.
I am just so glad I’ve come across another parent besides me who is scared of the PTA!
I used to go to Donovan and Dalton’s school for lunches every Friday; they really enjoyed it!
That’s great, that you can do things with both of your kids that they both enjoy. “Brother-sized kids” … that’s so cute.
You are cluing photos? Steve and Joe would be so proud- A CLUE! A CLUE!
I’m saying it again, I just love LilZ! He totally rocks!
WHAT!?! They allow you to come to the school and bring a toddler? If you lived in CT there would be guards and most likely a police presence to stop you from doing that (yes even to parents) unless you had an apt. or special permission to be in the school during school hours. To eat lunch just because is such a foriegn concept here…. strange!
I think it is really cool and cute that you guys do lunch on Fridays. This qualifies you as a cool mom if you didn’t have that status before, and having a cute kid sister come to lunch entertains his friends as much as she enjoys it I would guess.
It it weird if I say I hope my son (now 5) turns out like LilZ? Because he’s a pretty awesome kid.
Those are some fabbo valentines. LilZ is a honey for making his little sis and mom feel so welcome at his school. But we were already aquainted with his awesomeness.
you have awesome kids.
I think it’s so neat that his school has a lunch that parents can come to. I wish my son had that (even if it was just so I could embarrass him).
I JUSt came from Tarjay with a supply of construction paper, stickers, scissors, and glue to make Valentines with the 3yo for the first time. I’m not sure how well it will go, but yours give me hope they’ll turn out great!
How sweet of LilZ to get excited about lunchtime visits. I’m sure you’re savoring every moment!
That is rediculously cute. It makes me grin ear to ear.
aww..those are soo adorable!!
Yeah…I teach middle school (7th grade) and the words “duty-free lunch” make me swoon! It’s crazy, no joke!
That’s so awesome that you all have such a great relationship together. I only hope my girls will continue to lurve each other so much like your two.
I would be stoked to have you and Nikki come to lunch with me