It's Gobbles Time!: Field Trips & School Friends

This summer has been filled with fun and friends for these kids, and it's kind of crazy. In the past two years I have gone so far outside of my comfort zone with socializing - first with my neighbors and now with daycare moms. The kids have spent so much time with these kids and we've weathered so much at school that all of the sudden, these moms of all different ages and backgrounds have become a pretty regular staple in my weekends.

With Gobbles being 4 years old, summer camp is taken to another level with weekly school bus rides to both a swimming pool and field trips. I so excited to sign up for two and hubs up for one. I'd do all of them if I had the time because I love watching him interact with his friends with whom he's grown up. Each of the trips were fun, but I completely forgot about the whole organizing 32 four-year-olds part. That was a bit of a shitshow throughout every trip, but I guess I have some part of my teacher mom in me, because me and a couple of the other parents stepped up to help out, make the kids walk two by two, take turns, etc. Nothing against Gobbles' teachers, but being young novices at this after a year of massive school turnover left them with a little bit of a dear-in-headlights / oh well type of demeanor on these trips.

First up was a trip to a local miniature golf place to play. It's actually the same place we went back to a few weeks later with my dad and the Lobster because Gobbles loved it so much. Anyway, the golfing part seemed like fun and I was friendly with two of the moms who went, so I was ready for the challenge. We were each paired with a teacher and 8 boys to navigate the course. The kids took turns going first and they seemed to tolerate that pretty well. They also had the enthusiasm of superbowl attendees, cheering on their friends and encouraging the ones who didn't quite get it (which was basically all of them). The day was hot but the kids made it through the course without jumping in the water hazards or passing out. After golfing 18 holes - and inspecting why the balls disappeared at hole 18 - the whole class settled in for a picnic lunch. It was here I really discovered what people really mean when they tell me that Gobbles is a "good eater". He downed half his lunch before most of the kids had even picked the crust off of their sandwiches. Poor guy has an appetite like mine, watching hungerly as the other kids eventually tossed half their meals. The food was soon forgotten and, after some cheering / harrassment by the whole class of some poor schmo driving balls on his lunch break, it was time to get back on the bus (the best part of every field trip!).

On the bus for our first field trip!

Just hanging out with my buddy J waiting
for the fun to start...

Contemplating my next move on this rock...

Going for par

Almost!

My bestest friend in the whole world, M.

My gal pal, E.

All ready for lunch!

Yum! Ready to eat!

Hey dude trying to golf... 'FORE!

Next on the school's calendar of events was the annual Alex's Lemonade Stand, thrown to raise money for the children's cancer charity. This year was different from other years, without our favorite Lee the Lemon organizing it and most of our favorite teachers gone from the school, we kind of felt like strangers in the school yard, even with the families we are closest to there. It's hard to describe, but the kids had fun, even though Gobbles spent so much time running back and forth from the moon bounce to the balloon animal stand I never even got a picture!

Four little siblings. Might not be as innocent as they appear...

Yes, Mommy, I can bounce with the rest of 'em!

The first of two cotton candies consumed that day...

Miss K and I have a love/hate relationship!

So girls, what do we have here?

Don't mind D and I, we're just having a snack...

This is how they entertain multiple kids
at once with the ratios they have!

Just two days later, I decided to have a happy hour get together with some of the moms from school with whom I've grown close (and some of the kids / sibling sets that Gobbles calls bffs). Hubs was away for a boys weekend so we relaxed on the sunporch with wine, ordered pizza, and watched the kids run all their energy out. Gobbles had a few freak-outs over his favorite toys being used, but we soon got to handing out glow-sticks and eating goodies that we were able to take their minds elsewhere. The Lobster's and her gal pal K just kept refilling their pirate's booty and watching the bigger kids run around and bounce around. We had so much fun and lamented the fact that a year from now these kids will all be headed in separate directions for Kindergarten, something I push out of my mind every time the thought creeps in. Gobbles loves his buddies and I can't imagine him not seeing them every day.

All the friends but poor K who didn't want to
climb on the rock with her cast... and lil bro E couldn't
make it because he was sick.

Silliness!

The next weekend, we went on took a little playdate to the Tyler Arboretum with two of the same families that we'd happy hour'd with the week before. The kids had a blast running through the grass, using their imaginations, and just playing. There was one tree house in the exhibit that had a little door, and Gobbles and his friend D began running up, opening the door, and asking us what kind of beer they wanted. I'm so glad that it was D who started the game, reassuring me that I'm not the only parent who enjoys a beer on a regular basis. Afterwards, we went to the his friend J's house for lunch, where the kids played until well past the Lobster's nap time, all having fun with J's abundance of toys!

Priceless

They could run all day!

Checking out the Goblin's house!

I'm king of the castle!

And i'm a little butterfly!

What's over there?

Still missing K, that darn cast!

Silly kids!

Making music with Daddy!

The cast won't stop her from dancing!

Three pals just chillin' in a chair!

This one's a littttle high!

Runnin' like the wind...

ok, okayyy mommy! one pic!

Just a little break from running!

Post hike lunch is the best kind of lunch!

I can't believe we all fit!

The next field trip I participated in wasn't as exciting as golf, but the kids probably enjoyed themselves just as much. They went to Pizzaria Unos and made their own pizzas. Before the bus left from school, the other parents and I sat through story time with the kids and talked about all the toppings they'd choose for their pizzas. Unfortunately, the setup the restaurant put on wasn't as exotic as we anticipated, giving each kid merely a shell, some sauce, and cheese to build their pie. Regardless of the lack of accouterments, the kids still had fun. They got to order their own drinks (there was one girl that had not one but three giant glasses of chocolate milk, yuck), Gobbles choosing water of his own accord, because being a creature of habit, that is his usual lunchtime drink. Props to my boy. Also props (but no shock) that he was the only one to leave without a doggy bag, having polished off every last bit of his pizza. The kids all got to make their own sundaes as well, having more of a choice in toppings for that. Gobbles selected sprinkles but opted out of whipped cream, probably already overloaded with mozzarella cheese.

Ok, guys, who's ready for pizza?!

Mommy this is my favorite food, how'd they know?!

Just some cheese here...

Clean plate award!

Let's not forget the ice cream!

We ALL want to hold your hand!

Mommy, i want to marry D!

The first weekend in August, while hubs was working, one of the daycare moms invited us to an impromptu water slide get-together at her house. We had an open schedule for that afternoon, so despite having to skip the lobster's nap to attend, we went and are glad we did. This mom is the one who is constantly doing something with her kids, every weekend there are at least 3-4 activity pictures up on facebook. For a random Saturday, she had a great setup with water slide, moon bounce, swing set, and other outdoor toys that the little group of friends enjoyed tremendously. The moms and I had lunch and a beer while the kids moved from one activity to another. After the kids started to run out of steam, our hostess brought out seashells and paint and they all got their artistic second winds. Finally after a few hours of playing we called it a day. As I loaded the kids in the car and asked how much fun they had, Gobbles pointed out that during their trips around the house in the power wheels they may or may not have crashed into our car a few times, but not to worry, no one was hurt. Smart boy, he is, telling me long after the fact so I didn't yell at him and threaten to end play early. I love that he confessed too, because I'd have never been the wiser.

Ok everyone, down the water slide!

Lobster, you need to turn around!

I don't care how purple my lips get, I love this!

Ok D, i'll let you drive!

But Z, when you're here I will take the wheel...

Now this is just a disaster waiting to happen!

Again with the lunch, yummo!

I promise we'll be back by dark!

Everyone paint a shell!

We all work so nicely together!

Finally, Gobbles' last field trip of the summer was to tour Citizen' Bank Park. Hubs took the chaperoning duties for this one. Although he had fun, I think next time he won't be taking the tour with thirty 4-year-olds again, as the teachers, most of whom were leaving the school a few days later, did nothing to control the kids and it was a bit of mass chaos (according to hubs). Regardless, Gobbles didn't notice the difference and was proud to have a morning out with his Daddy and show him off to his friends. He ecstatically told me about the time he spent in the press box, the dugout, and on the field, claiming his favorite place was the locker room, because they called it the clubhouse, just like Mickey-Mouse clubhouse.