Field Trip Fun

May is a busy time of field trips and fun, and both children took class excursions last week to "All-A-Flutter", which is a nearby butterfly farm.  Leah's preschool was first, and Miss Leah was excited to share her knowledge about the monarch butterfly life cycle.   She was chosen to assist during an informational presentation about butterflies, and was very proud to be a special helper:

The children were enthusiastic learners and everything is exciting and adorable when you are 5, especially props:

Next, the preschoolers visited the butterfly enclosure and used their sugar pads to attract monarchs.  Here is Leah with her BF, Silas:

We visited All-A-Flutter as a family two years ago (shortly after moving to NC), and I was amazed at how much Leah remembered about that day.  That little girl's mind for facts rivals her trivia-loving brother's at this age.  She is a sweet little butterfly girl, and was very gentle with the delicate creatures:

Leah asked me if she could wear her "biggest bow" on her field trip, as she remembered that the butterflies loved landing on them:

Leah and I also went strawberry picking a couple of weeks ago during one of our stay-at-home Fridays.  This Mommy and Leah field trip was such a sweet morning together, and we came home and made freezer jam that afternoon.  Leah is such a delight.  She brings a ray of sunshine with her wherever she goes, and I adore our special time together.  We've been making our Fridays extra special this spring, and I am soaking up every minute with my Peanut before she goes to kindergarten in the fall:

Meanwhile, back on the butterfly farm, Luke had a blast on his class field trip last week as well.  He's a bit wet in these pictures, as apparently the misting station on the playground was the big draw for the 2nd grade boys before they entered the butterfly enclosure:  

I should have known that Aiden and Luke would have coordinating blue shirts.  Too cute!:

Luke was able to coax his monarch to come off the sugar pad and sit on his finger:

It was a fun day for these second graders, and I was thrilled that I was able to chaperon their class as well (and now feel like I can give personal tours at All-A-Flutter after being there twice in one week!):

In one more piece of field trip news, Luke's class attended a Greensboro Grasshoppers game last week, along with every other 2nd grade class in Guilford County.  Due to the large number of students at the stadium, only 2 parents were selected to accompany each class.  I was not chosen, and panicked slightly at the thought of the complete chaos of thousands of students in the ballpark.  I soon channeled my nervousness at this lack of control toward the oh, so important decision re: lunch for the field trip.

The students were given the option to pack a lunch or take $10 for the snack bar.  I, of course, was in favor of the healthier option, but Luke was excited to be a big kid and order from the concession stand.  Mark also was on Luke's side, and offered this helpful tidbit:  "Carrie, please don't have him be that one kid with homemade peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat while everyone else gets to have a hot dog!".  Sigh.  So I googled a sample menu from the Grasshoppers website, carefully reviewed appropriate choices with Luke, and reiterated, "NO, you may not have coke/caffeine for the first time.... NO, a 32 oz. souvenier sized sprite is NOT necessary...", etc.  Poor kid.   Another mom even texted me the day before the trip and asked, "Are you sending $10 or packing a lunch?"   Eager to have a potential kindred spirit, I texted her back, "VERY RELUCTANTLY sending $10", and she responded, "I know!".  I launched into my crazy dialogue about my concerns about Luke making smart food choices, (remember, this is the same kid who called basketball camp, "Snack Camp") and there was a long pause in our texting.  Eventually, she wrote back, "Oh.  I was just concerned about long lines at the concession stand."   (Mark gently reminded me later that night that sometimes I may need to "tone down the crazy"...).  Somehow, miraculously, Luke and I came up with a compromise that he would pack a lunch AND take $10 (for "snacks and a drink if it gets hot, Mommy").  Hooray!

Anyway, our good friend ended up being the chaperon for the class and knows me very well, so he texted me this picture at 10:00 a.m. on the day of the field trip.  The caption read, "Lunch is still in the bag".

When Luke got home that afternoon, he excitedly told me,

"Mommy, I ate an ENTIRE bag of cotton candy!   I also ordered 2 bags of chips and a large sprite, and even have 50 cents change!"

I was speechless.   He also shared that he didn't eat any of his lunch except for a few grapes and that his tummy hurt "a lot" on the activity bus on the way back to school after the game.  "I almost threw up, Mommy...".  Luckily, Luke quickly rallied and was back to his hungry, usual self later that afternoon.  

So, there you have it.  Field Trip Fun in all forms.  Butterflies, strawberries, baseball, and a big bag of cotton candy, sprinkled with a little crazy, and a big ol' dose of humility for Mommy!