Fall Harvest Fun

Today I volunteered at Lindsey's fall harvest party. Back when I was a kid it would've been called the Halloween party, but no matter, it's an excuse to veer from the norm, put down the books and have some fun for a while.

Lindsey's room had four "stations" and I manned the craft station with other parents. We helped 26-some kids make ghosts out of paper plates. I'm not the craftiest mom around, but I managed to hold my own.

It was fun, it was chaotic, it was the fastest hour of my day. Lindsey loved having me in her class, and I loved finally putting faces to all the names she's always talking to me about.

It was over all too soon, and I gave her hugs and kisses before leaving. I was expecting some tears, but she was having such a good time with her friends that she was happy to say good-bye.

I then made my way to Marissa's class, where I knew her fall harvest party would be wrapping up. One of their stations was one of the funniest activities I've ever seen. They had a blue plastic pool filled with hay. They would then bury a rubber chicken in the hay and have the kids dive in to find it. It was hilarious and messy, something I didn't expect in a classroom.

I sat with Marissa while she listened to a book being read by a parent, and posed for a few pics before heading out to work.

Surprisingly, Marissa was the one who was all tears and hugs, not wanting to let me go. I was finally able to get away after promising to pick her up "at 5," as she put it.

I wish I could be there more often. As it is I will be volunteering in Marissa's classroom next, in December for their holiday party. That seems too far away right now.