Charlotte's Web

We recently took on a summer reading project. 

We just finished reading CHARLOTTE'S WEB.

It was a shot in the dark whether or not my kids would be ready to listen to a chapter book. 

They love reading their picture books and we go through the same ones time and again,

so I thought it couldn't hurt to try. 

Parker absorbed the idea tremendously well. 

He hung on every word and very much understood what was happening. 

I was very proud of him. 

Colette on the other hand, 

well, she's three, so I didn't expect much.

But I would hardly make it past the first page of reading, 

and she would be fast asleep. 

Every time. 

We even joke now that when she won't go to bed, 

"Colette let's go read Charlotte's Web."

To which she will scream in terror...

"NOOO!"

Oh well, just let her be three.

Anyway, 

After we finished reading the book, we had a multi-event celebration.

Modern education tells us that as you finish reading a novel, 

surely you must then watch the movie. 

As it happens, the blu-ray was in a cheap movie bin at Wal-mart. 

So we had a family movie night to watch Charlotte's Web,

starring Julia Roberts as Charlotte.

We painted our own spider webs with special words in them.

We did the method where you make a design with Elmer's glue,

sprinkle it with salt,

then paint over it with watercolors, or food coloriung

This worked out pretty well, 

since my kids love to paint,

but there are endless ways to do a web making craft. 

pre-dried web.

They took quite a while to finish them because they were very meticulous.

Colette especially.

It kept them occupied for a very long time.

Then if you are familiar with the story of Charlotte's Web, 

Wilbur the pig is taken to the county fair. 

Luckily for us, the completion of the book coincided, 

not only with the coming of Aunt Michelle, Grandparents, and cousin Noah,

but also with the coming of a travelling carnival. 

They didn't have pigs,

sadly,

but we spent an evening there riding many fun rides like Fern and Avery.

They let MITCHELL ride the ferris wheel!

I was a little skeptical.

Especially at the top. 

But I held on to him so tightly, 

and every time the wheel would go down,

he would make a loud, "WHOA!" sound.

Politely poised for the roller coaster ride.

A lady no matter the situation. 

Noah convinced Michelle to ride a crazy spinning ride, 

while I got talked into the ZIPPER!

Needless to say Michelle and I both went home with headaches.

But the best part of the night was before we even got to the carnival.

Let me set the stage for you.

--It's worth paying attention--

We had already spent the afternoon touring a local lake

{see previous post}

The kids had napped and were full of energy. 

The adults had not napped and were tired.

Grandma and Grandpa went to bed for the night.

The storm clouds are gathering,

the winds are blowing,

the main street is blocked by a vintage car parade,

the carnival is a few short blocks away,

but traffic seems blocked at every turn.

A woman in a motorized wheelchair zooms past our van 

in a long line of cars waiting to turn left.

I carefully formulate my argument to make to the children

of why going to the carnival looks like a bad idea.

I fervently and lovingly state my case,

 hoping that I might have success

in convincing them that the event they had long been looking forward to for days

really was too difficult to accomplish.

After I close my remarks, 

Colette makes an allowance of silence,

slanting her sweet head to the side,

and with full conviction of her heart says in a soft, pleading voice,

"MOM, WE CAN MAKE IT!"

As we adults choke back the immediate impulse to laugh, 

she emphasizes, 

"TOGETHER, WE CAN DO IT!"

As I saw the hope in her eyes that had been built up by days of anticipation

I knew there was no going back now. 

To the carnival we must surely go.