At some point in the 2012-2013 school year......
Mason had some fun dressing up.....
And when he does it, he likes to go all out.
The 4th grade curriculum studies Utah history. They learn songs about the Native American Tribes, the different counties in Utah, the Explorers and Mountain Men who first explored our lands here in Utah and the Pioneers who first settled it.
Then in the spring, they have a concert for parents and the rest of the school to show what they know.
Mason's teacher chose 2 students to be the Spanish explorers, Father Dominguez and Father Escalante for one of the songs. Mason took it very seriously.
He came home so excited and telling me all about it. He insisted he needed a costume. I wasn't sure what to do for a Father Dominguez costume and was surprised his teacher hadn't sent a note home explaining what he needed to do. It sure was easy to handle since I know her so well! She had been Rachel's and Samantha's 4th grade teacher as well. I called her up and she was as surprised as I was. She explained that she had swords and a helmet for them and a map. They were just supposed to kind of wander around the stage as the rest of the 4th graders sang, looking at their map and "discussing" where to travel, etc. She had never told them they needed more than this but Mason decided HE needed more than this....
We talked about it and decided we would go with dark clothing and so he found some gloves and a dk brown shirt and black pants. He felt pretty good about this but felt like he needed just a little bit more...
We decided a cross would be just the thing for Father Dominguez-
so we went out into the yard and found some suitable twigs that were straight and not too thin and not too thick. We cut them to a good length and lashed them together with some twine. He was SSOOOO thrilled with the result. The day of the performance, he came into my classroom so upset as he had forgot his cross... I probably shouldn't have... you know how we are supposed to let them reap the consequences of irresponsibility and all that..... but I did it... I ran home and got his necklace.
And I haven't regretted it for a moment.
Responsibility is important but sometimes it's just as important to be rescued.
Also at some point in 2012-2013---
His class had a "Character lunch".
They had spent several weeks writing a "Tall Tale" adventure story. They were having lunch in their classroom together and were invited to dress up as their main character and take turns reading excerpts from their stories.
Mason's story was called "Strong John"
Strong John has a mustache and- if you haven't guessed it- super strength!
His eyes are especially strong. If he stares at something very hard for more than 5 seconds then that thing turns to dust. If he is angry while he's doing that, the thing just blows up!
His father was the strongest man in town. This was a magic town and in it lived an evil fairy. Someone had a magical rock and threw it at the fairy to make the fairy good and when the rock was thrown, some of the dust fell from the magic rock onto the baby and into his eyes and that's how he became Strong John.
Mason wanted to dress up of course. He had very specific ideas about the way he wanted his hair combed and then there was the mustache...
I wasn't sure how to do that. I remembered some dark brown felt in my fabric box and cut out a suitable shape. Then there was the how to get it to stick question.
I remembered when my girls were babies, hearing that people stuck bows on their babies heads with karo syrup. I had never tried it because with their 1/4 Mexican blood, they were born with lots of dark hair that I could clip barrettes into.
We smeared some karo syrup onto the back of the mustache and stuck it on his upper lip and it held! Strong John was able to make an appearance during 4th grade lunch.
I love that my kids like to get into their activities and aren't afraid to dress up and have fun.
I was so much more self conscience at their age and LOVE the freedom they feel to be themselves and have fun.
