I'm coming to the end of a couple of weeks where, through a series of events that were both willingly chosen and guilt driven, I have severely overextended myself. I blame this mainly on my old nemesis, The Phone, and a few ill-considered actions in which I for some ridiculous reason, chose to answer it when it rang and then could not say no to whoever or whatever was on the other end. I have been to PTA meetings, rehearsals, concerts, played special numbers for church, filled in as organist, taught classes on parenting skills (I know!), showed up to events to act as photographer, and just in general been a point person for a number of outside-my-work-hours work things not to mention two Really Big Things I am working on for my actual job responsibilities. In other words, all work and no play make Alice an absentee mom. Note to self: learning how to say "no" occasionally could come in quite helpful. Every time I think "if I can just get past Tuesday. Tuesday is the last of my commitments and after Tuesday, all will be at rest and I can breathe," then I realize "oops, except for that thing Wednesday."

Last weekend, The KingofHearts announced to the girls that we'd be heading out to test out the aerodynamics of paper and string and they'd better get their shoes on, stat. Not having any idea what he meant, they still didn't want to miss out and scampered off to find shoes and put something on other than diapers and underwear. When we finally got to our destination, here's what he had planned.


Despite little wind that morning, we found a nice kite flying hill and managed to get some kites off the ground, which greatly impressed me. When I was a kid, I could never get a kite up in the air for more then ten seconds unless I was running at full speed and that never lasted long, so I was dubious about the girls' abilities to handle this activity without great frustration, but apparently that had something to do with the fact that where I grew up in the desert where moving air barely has the force needed to spread the seed of a dandelion plant. I was pleasantly surprised that even The Caterpillar was able to get her kite flying in the actual air for a decent amount of time.


That is, until a big wind snuck up on her and she let go of the string. The The KoH went comically sprinting across the length of the field, trying to catch it. When he got almost to the edge of the park where the fence would have stopped him, I thought he was almost going to get it and he reached his hand out with his fingers juuuust about closing around the string only to have the wind suddenly snatch it from his grasp and lodge the entire thing at the top of a very large tree and while we stood under it, considering whether that branch there might hold his weight if he climbed up, the string broke and the entire thing went sailing off into the neighborhood, never to be seen again. I imagine it would have made Charlie Brown pump his fist in solidarity.

The Dormouse hardly noticed the drama but kept a watchful eye on her kite thereafter.


The Caterpillar, however, was unfazed by all the drama and simply found another way to entertain herself: "Look! Dirt!"


At least it beat Kite Day.