volcanoes and braids
Either I will get a call today telling me that FavoriteSon has been suspended because he brought explosives to school . . . or he will get an “A” on his Volcano Project.
Okay, I admit, I was just as dead set against a paper mache, baking soda and vinegar spewing volcano as FavoriteSon was. B O R I N G.
So after doing absolutely NOTHING on this project over the two week Christmas break, we found ourselves in Walmart on Friday night, with a working volcano due Monday morning. We are nothing if not consistent. FavoriteSon, PinkGirl and I are walking around Walmart looking for ideas. We quickly decided the basic structure of the volcano would be an upside down planter from the garden department. But what to spew? And how to spew it? FirstHusband, the engineer, is at work, so we keep text messaging him about when he will join us:
Me: What time will you be getting off work?
Him: What time will the kids be going to bed?
So. No help there. We wander aimlessly around Walmart. A paint pump? A fish tank pump? A garden sprayer? An air mattress pump? We really need to decide what we want to pump before we decide what KIND of pump to buy, so we quickly buy a compact squeegee for my van (nothing to do with the volcano, I just thought it was cool) and join FirstHusband for dinner at Carrabba’s to use our 2 year old gift certificate.
FirstHusband and I are talking about volcanos and I keep asking FavoriteSon questions to draw him into the conversation about HIS homework project. He keeps interjecting to ask if we can go to Gamestop after dinner. sigh.
We end up at Michael’s craft store with four packages of quick drying clay, a terra cotta pot and . . . a rocket engine. Yes. Michael’s sells rocket engines. FirstHusband is smiling and FavoriteSon is explaining how there really IS a type of volcano that explodes like that. PinkGirl and I go to look at the 70% off Christmas items.
The boys spend all morning Saturday wiring and soldering. Then they go into the backyard to test it before they make a terra cotta pot LOOK like a volcano. It works. It explodes. I look at FavoriteSon and say, “When you get sent to the office on Monday, give them your dad’s work number so he can explain how that’s perfectly safe.”
FavoriteSon spends hours rolling clay and attaching it to the pot and we go to bed. Sunday morning, the clay has cracked. A LOT. So after Sunday School there’s another trip to Michael’s for more clay and the cracks are filled with red clay to look like lava coming down. Then it’s tested again, this time adding sand to the top of the volcano so it shoots dirt up into the air and looks even more realistic. Again - either FavoriteSon will be suspended or he will get an “A” on this project. (It is cool.)
FirstHusband drove FavoriteSon to this morning school and we hope he made it into the classroom without dropping the volcano on the sidewalk.
Meanwhile, I had to drive PinkGirl to school (yes, same school) because she had “hairstyle issues” this morning. We were rushed. FirstHusband’s alarm clock didn’t get set last night and mine goes off at 6:30 a.m. so I asked PinkGirl if she could wear “PinkGirl Hair” today (that’s just straight down, no braids, no barrettes, no ponytails, no nothing).
“Please mom, that’s the yuckiest hair. I want two braids and then put them on top of my head.” So I braid faster than I ever have, and attach the braids to the top of her head with barrettes and she goes to look in the mirror while I hide, knowing what I’ve done. “That is the ugliest hair EVER!” Then tears. Since I HATE sending kids to school in tears, I tell FirstHusband to take FavoriteSon to school and I will take PinkGirl. (Lower school starts 15 minutes later than upper school.)
PinkGirl gets the “Braid Book” (WHY did I buy that thing?) and selects a different hairstyle. Now that the pressure is off, I actually make it look like the picture and PinkGirl is relieved that she doesn’t have “ugly hair” today. We drive to school, wave to daddy as he leaves campus and she confidently and happily goes to class.
My Monday Morning Mommy Work is done.
Added Later: He got an “A”
