This is Not a Barbecue!

So, we went to a barbecue last weekend at my son's pre-school, Stumptown Kids, ran by the amazing and hysterical Jenn, whom I will talk about more in a future post.

(Stumptown, for my readers who do not live in Oregon, is a nickname for Portland.)

The barbecue was a blast, but I think maybe Trey was a little tired.

There were lots of kids there. And trees to climb. And toys. And even a musical performance. Here is a picture of Macy's awesome piano teacher Sarah. (I'll tell you more about her later too!)

I thought Macy was having a great time. Here's proof, a picture of her with a new friend and a can of pomegranate soda.

Now's the time to mention that this was a vegetarian potluck. 

Meaning, the party host Jenn is a vegetarian and although it wasn't expressly spelled out on the E-vite, most of the attendees just knew to bring a meatless dish. 

In fact, I'm not even sure where I picked up the term "barbecue" to describe this party. But I must have used it and therefore set up an image in Macy's mind about what would be served at this shindig. Because she completely ignored the long table of covered dishes, and I realize now it was because she was holding out for the good stuff. The hot dogs and hamburgers.

So, after a couple hours of chasing tired Trey around, we decided to pack it in and leave. John grabbed Trey and headed to the car, and I found Macy right in the middle of a huge group of adults and kids.

I leaned down to her and whispered, "Macy, we're going to head home now." Wide-eyed, she threw her head back and shrieked, "What about the FOOD? Where's the barbecue??!!"

Quietly, I said, "The food is over there on the table, Macy. This is a vegetarian party."

With that Macy declared loudly, very loudly, "This Is Not A Barbecue!" And you could have heard a pin drop. Even the kids were embarrassed for me. 

So, we went home, grilled a hot dog, and caught the last 20 minutes of Mad Men. I'm KIDDING.

You Only Get One Chance to Make a First Impression

So, we moved to Portland this summer, remember? And everything is going great. Macy started 2nd grade this week, and we’re settling into the back-to-school routine very nicely.

I really like Macy’s new school. I’ve already met a few of the moms in her class, and everyone is really nice.

Ok, so what’s the point? Where’s the punch line?

Well, this morning I walked Macy to school and I could tell she and I were starting to get the hang of things. Backpack on hook. Check. Lunchbox in lunchbox bin. Check. I waved and said hello to a few of the moms. This is going great, I thought.

“Mommy,” Macy interrupted my happy thoughts, “Come look!” And with that she steered me to a bright blue construction-papered wall showcasing the children’s first writing project, “What I Did This Summer”.

Macy’s essay was pretty short. There was no mention of the cross-country move, saying good-bye to her friends in Florida, her cool new bedroom or the great friends she’s made in our new neighborhood. She left out that she rode on a plane, learned to ride a bike, lost two teeth, went hiking and read her first Beverly Cleary book.

It started with, “This summer I visited my Grandma and Grandpa and we watched every episode of Mad Men.” There was a little more to it, but I couldn’t really focus in on any details after that intro. The girl really knows how to grab her reader.

First off, way to get off on the right foot with those new moms I was trying to make a good impression on. I’m pretty sure because this is Portland that a lot of them don’t have tvs because they are always outdoors doing cool extreme outdoor sports with their kids. Or composting. Or sculpting.

Second, it’s not true. She doesn’t watch Mad Men. With all the “smoking and drinking at work” scenes, this show is clearly for children aged nine and over, and Macy is just seven.