Family Fun Day/Observations

Today we headed out to complete our usual array of Saturday errands (Target, the post office, the library) but we also went to the 1st Summer Family Fun Day in Old Lyme , which was held in the parking lot of the plaza where Michael works (truthfully, if he didn't work there we probably wouldn't have known about/even gone in the first place). We went around 2 because that was when he was going to be outside at it. It consisted mainly of 4 or 5 bouncers/obstacle courses and a poor pony that was giving rides under a tent (which still must have been pretty hot for him). Apparently before we arrived, there was food and water being sold by the Lions Club. The kids "running" it were volunteer high schoolers who were pretty much just listening to their ipods or texting each other. There was one kid on the bungee cord thing that Michael tried that actually did seem to be enjoying himself and playing with the kids. It wasn't really that crowded and for some reason, they had it spread across the top of the entire parking lot. I think everyone must have been at the beach; we drove by Rocky Heck to get there and they had the entrance closed with a sign that said Park Full. Here are some pictures of Michael hanging out with Tucker, getting paid to man the bouncer

Tucker enjoying a bouncer






Tucker and Michael competing in the bungee cord "race"





Tucker climbing and then sliding down a bouncer




(For some reason there's an extra picture of Michael and Tucker and I can't figure out how to make it go way---sorry about that!)

Some observations by Tucker today:

-When making cookies this morning (don't be too impressed, they were the break-apart ones from Nestle, he asked me if bees like eat chocolate chip cookies. I told them that they might because the chocolate might be sweet like nectar. His response was that they can only suck the nectar out of flowers and they MUST (his emphasis) bring it back to the Queen and besides they don't have teeth. (Sometimes I think he just asks questions to let let me know that he knows the correct answer!)
-I pulled up to a red light and apparently he didn't like that I went over the white line so I had to back up (he is quite the little back-seat driver!) Then the car next to me did the same thing and he told me "I think they want to race, Mommy. You better pull back up, we can't let them have a head start!"
-We drove by York in Niantic (the women's prison; or rather the "correctional facility") and he asked me why it was just for women and I said because they have to keep the men and women separated. His response: "Yes because otherwise they might fight and someone could get hurt". (out of the mouths of babes, I tell you).
-He asked me to read a banner to him that said "white elephant sale". When I read to him, he laughed and said "that's silly, Mommy, there's no such thing as a white elephant and if there was why would someone want to buy it?"

My favorite observation of the day was that "And We Danced" by The Hooters apparently makes Star Wars and Indiana Jones figures stop fighting and start dancing (actually anything by The Hooters apparently will work but "And We Danced" really gets it going, which I guess would be appropriate!

I guess this makes me realize (not for the first time) that sometimes it really is just the simple things around you that are important which is actually pretty relevant today considering it is Simplicity Day named in honor of Henry David Thoreau's birthday to remind us to simplify our lives. (before I go to the library each week, I try to find out what "holidays" there are that week and try to get books around those themes; in doing so, I discovered it is Simplicity Day!)

Tonight we are off to my friend Annie's house in Groton for a barbeque and then to Fort Griswold to watch the Sailfest fireworks (it's much easier to watch from the "Gronton-side" so you don't have to deal with the crowds). After the fireworks we'll probably go back to Annie's while the traffic settles down.