Setting the stage

First, I keep forgetting…..

My new shoes!

Also, whilst traveling, we came across this-

Kiddo wondered what it was and we told her a TV.  Her reaction was priceless.  She was gobsmacked.  Didn’t believe us.  We reminded her of Home Alone and watching that.  Her comment is burned into my soul.  “It’s so SMALL!!!!!”  Welcome to the past, my dear.  HAHA

It’s not all TV and technology for her, however.  This last Saturday, as I mentioned in the previous post, we took her for a day and had a family day.  Well, it started with a train ride and she was content with a book and chilling.  We found seats, so it was nice to just sit and read for a bit while the train did train things.  We’re all comfortable enough with the train now that we can read and zone out a bit as we are a bit more familiar with the stops and timing of where we are going.  

We started at a little cafe that J and Kiddo found while getting lost the other weekend while they were still on break and headed to the English Bookstore while I cranked up the tunes and made some chicken noodle soup. It reminded J of Wilson’s Coffee and Tea in Racine and she wanted to take me.  Yeah, I can concur with J on that.  It had Wilson’s vibes.  Cool place.  Wonderful coffee.  We even had a scone and a slice of cheesecake.  Well, Kiddo had most of the cheesecake.  J and I split the scone, but J got the lion’s share.  

After that, we got a car and took a short trip to the Chinese Royal Theater to see the London Cast preform Matilda.  Kiddo LOVES the movies, both the regular version with Danny DaVito and the musical version, so she heard about it and wanted to see it so J and I looked up tix and they were affordable, so why not.  Kiddo got to see a stage play/musical and we wanted to expose her to that, but also make sure it was something that she knew, so she could have a point of reference.  She loved every minute of it.  Had thoughts on the lighting, the effects, the stage set up and scene changes, and really just bought in and let her imagination do the work that was needed.  So much so that she asked us on the car ride home if she could maybe do acting like that.  J has a contact for a kid’s theater here and has reached out to them for info and when casting for the spring play will be and what that play is and Kiddo is still all in on it, so it looks like she may be giving stage acting a try.  Good for her to try new things and I’m sure (if she gets a part) she will be adorable and find parts she enjoys, but also have critiques on things she doesn’t. Then, she can decide to do it again or it can be a one and done.

After the play, we headed to a Pakistani place that J has eaten at with some friends and colleagues that she wanted me to try.  Kiddo is fine with Indian food, so Pakistani isn’t that different.  We got a TON of food, but it was all so so so good.  Kiddo tried everything, even some of the spicier chutneys and went Gail Simmons on us with her feedbacks on the food.

Speaking of food feedback, Kiddo doesn’t like beef and cabbage stew.  At least, not the pot that I made yesterday.  It was “too sweet” and I can see that.  I braised beef belly and short ribs in wine and then added red cabbage and some balsamic, whiskey, and coffee before adding the carrots and potatoes.  I also half caramelized some onions before deglazing the pan and adding that to the stew pot.  J and I dug it, but our palates are a bit more refined than Kiddo.  Next time, I can focus on a more savory type stew and we can get Kiddo’s feedback on that.  

After the stew, she was excited to get to her homework.  No, I’m not joking.  One of the things they are doing is Fairy Tales and they need to write one of their own.   Kiddo couldn’t wait to get to it and loves writing.  Wonder where she gets that from?  HAHA

While at school the other day, J grabbed a snap of Kiddo heading off to lunch with friends.  Look at her!  She’s such a person and so cool that she makes friends easily and, much to our happiness, the girl in the photo on the right of Kiddo is a new student that started Monday of this week.  Kiddo and her are friends already and Kiddo took to her immediately and didn’t stand off from her like the rest of her class did.  She also brought in her other friend B and he took to her as well and at recess, Kiddo has brought the New Girl around her bestie H and helped branch her (New Girl that is) out to the other classes and other friends.  Super proud of Kiddo for that.  Making friends, branching out, and being social gracious and aware of others and helping a new person fit in and get along.  I couldn’t do that.  It’s not my strong point.  Kiddo, however, excels at stuff like that.  She’s such a leader.

Let’s go, Kiddo…. It’s the weekend as soon as you finish out today and we have a lazy one planned.  The first week back can be rough, so we’re looking forward to sleeping in, resting, hanging out, and just being us again.  No homework.  No school.  No schedule.  Just family.  Let’s go to the market together and go to a noodle or dumpling place for lunch.  Let’s play legos.  Let’s doctor the friends with nurse Poley. Let’s have two days with no schedule and no bell.  Let’s just do us!