Funny things my homeschooled kid did at summer camp

Gabriel went to Fire and Life Safety Camp last week offered by the Suffolk Fire Department. A graduation was held on the last day. I arrived early to get front row seats. This also gave me a chance to watch Gabriel interact in his camp environment.

The instructor asked all the kids to sit on the floor Indian Style. Gabriel did not know what this meant. He watched the other kids, a confused look spreading on his face.

"What does that mean? What is Indian Style?"
Pointing to the other kids Gabriel told his teacher, "That is not how Indians sit."
I stage whisper a translation to him.
"Sit criss cross apple sauce, like we do for Yoga."
"Oh! I get it."

His expression melts from confusion to comprehension. He arranges himself into full lotus and begins breathing exercises.

A few moments later the rest of the parents showed up. The teacher was trying to get the children's attention to begin the show.
Teacher: Give me your eyes, I need everyone's eyes!
Kids: wiggle wiggle wiggle
Teacher: Please, children. Look up at me. Give me your eyes. Julie, your eyes please. Cameron, your eyes please. Gabriel, give me your eyes please.
Gabriel: pantomimes popping out his eyes and tossing them to her, complete with sound effects

read my review of Fire and Life Safety Camp

If you can't ask for more wishes...

Gabriel: Mommy, do you know what I would ask for if I had a genie?
Mommy: Three more wishes?
Gabriel: No, you cannot do that. That is against the rules. I would ask for three more genies.

TAG, you're it! What is in the fridge at 7 AM?

I've tagged everyone I know who blogs to take a similar picture. That means YOU, the chic reading this who has a blog!

Last year this email thing went round of "what is in the trunk of your car?" I loved that. Besides. This is the first sunny day in, like, a MONTH and I feel silly.

I am not sure what that huge brown lumpy thing is in the freezer, but it has been there a very long time. We have a shelf of yogurt, a drawer of beer, a drawer of cheese, apples for an army, salad veggies, three different kinds of milk (whole, lactaid whole, skim), and several tubs of leftover soup. In the freezer we've got pizza, chicken nuggets, frozen fish, and fleece squares filled with rice that we call "boo boo squares."

Lydia, Shez, Michele, and Leah all responded... thanks!

A watched timer never beeps

We use the kitchen timer a lot. The kitchen timer is our Ultimate Diplomat, instantly resolving conflicts over timed events and limited resources like: computer time, homework time, recorder practice, etc. Just set the timer, I say, and all your parenting worries will disappear!

We had gotten to using it so much that I bought a second one to carry around instead of using just the one on my oven. Garbiel (7) had some questions about this new timer, which he asked while looking suspiciously at it ticking down his wait for the computer.

Gabriel: Mommy, is this timer the same as the kitchen timer?
Mommy: What do you mean?
Gabriel: Does it work the same way?
Mommy: Yes. It counts down from the number you put in. For example, if you put in '30'---
Gabriel: Excuse me, but I know how it works. Does it work the same?
Mommy: I don't know what you mean.
Gabriel: Are the seconds, you know, the same as the kitchen timer?
Mommy: Yes, they are the same.
Gabriel: Are you sure? These seconds feel really long, Mommy.

Mommy's squishy belly

DS: Mommy, you have a really squishy belly.

There is a long pause while Mommy contemplates this.

DS: I love squishy bellies.