Bare feet, Bubbles and Barbecue

On Thursday I took all three kids to University Health Services for their annual well visits. These check-ups are required for the kids' schools, otherwise I would absolutely choose to skip the yearly morning-of-torture. And when I say "torture," I'm not referring to anything that the kids have to go through. The pediatrician who we've seen there for the last two years likes to contradict everything I say with out-dated information (re: foreskins, car seat safety and toilet training), and treats me like I'm an idiot because our children are not vaccinated. I understand that she has strong beliefs about the importance of vaccination, and that she may feel like it's her job to try to convince me to follow the standard protocol. But lying to me about the danger and prevalence of certain "vaccine preventable diseases," presuming, I suppose, that I haven't done hours upon hours worth of research on the topic, is not the way to change my mind. It only serves to weaken her argument and make me angry.

When our two hours of obligation were over (with all 3 kids deemed "healthy," despite the fact that I don't retract their foreskins in the bath every night, or ever), I decided that we all deserved a reward. We headed over to one of the local toy shops in search of something that we could play with outside. Luke and Jaz tried to get me to see the chemistry sets as suitable "outside toys," but we ended up coming home with a bubble wand designed to make GIANT bubbles.

We made up a batch of bubble solution straight away (recipe: 12 cups water, 1 cup liquid dish soap, 1 cup cornstarch, 2 tbs. baking powder), and spent the rest of the sunny afternoon becoming bubble masters.

I did most of the bubble-making, but Jaz got pretty good at it as well.

Luke and Zeb focused on improving their bubble-popping skills.

Luke and Zeb, poised at the ready with their bubble-popping sticks

I was reminded once again of how my vision of any given activity does not always match up with the kids' plans. I like to blow bubbles and watch in wonder as they drift through the air, waiting to see how long it takes for them to burst, how high they can go, what shapes they shift into as they move. The kids like to destroy bubbles just about as soon as they are formed (if they had their way, they'd actually be destroying them when they were still only half-blown!). So we had to do some compromising so that everyone's bubble needs were being met.

"1, 2, 3 . . . Charge!"

Luke and Jaz kept talking about how it was so wonderful and amazing that I was playing with them, and I was like, "I play with you all the time!" But apparently doing projects together, reading books together, and going for bike rides together does not count in the same way that blowing bubbles together does.

When 5:00 rolled around, it was still so lovely outside that we decided to eat at the picnic table. For the first time this season, we used the grill to cook up some barbecue chicken. Combined with potato salad and (previously frozen) corn, it was like eating a preview of summer for supper.

We sat on my mom's porch,
basking in the sun while crew boats paddled by on the river behind us.

Everyone loved the food
(an occurance nearly as rare as a measles outbreak).

After dinner, there was enough time for a bit more bubble-blowing
and running around barefoot before bath time.

Looking very pleased indeed

Eventually, the sun set,
signaling the end of another long, eventful and soap-filled day.