1m2aSandbox

Yesterday on the way home from church, the girls were lamenting the fact that I was going to be gone most of the afternoon: I had a dear friend in from out of town and we were going to catch up. In the midst of the general grumbling and kvetching, Maddie suddenly said to Cora, “Hey, Cora, I actually have a great idea of something we can do while Mommy is gone!”

Should I be scared here?

When we arrived home, Maddie threw off her coat and made a list of supplies she’d need, starting with two boxes of a very specific size. Lucky for Maddie, her mom is a box hoarder (yes, it’s probably a real thing) and I was able to find the boxes before having to run back out the door. As I left I saw Maddie happily using the good scissors while Cora reverentially lifted out our bag of multi-colored Sharpies.

Saying a quick prayer of thanks that I wasn’t in charge for the next several hours, I left.

When I got home right around dinner time, the girls had a smug, self-satisfied look about them. As soon as the meal was over, Maddie said, “Are you ready for the show?” And the two girls ran into the living room.

Maddie and Cora spent all afternoon making a puppet theatre. They’d designed an ingenious system of two attached cardboard boxes: one for the stage, and the other, lying on its side and stacked under the stage box, for them to slip their hands into for the show. They’d designed and colored scenery and a dozen puppets and even made a show announcement placard.

The grown-ups sat down to a fantastic re-telling of The Three Little Pigs, and let me tell you, I think it’s my favorite version. Ever. Maddie and Cora were happy and laughing and so proud of the work they’d done. They even cleaned up all the detritus from their creativity.

I? Am so in love with my kids.