after a few meetings regarding preschool, i am very aware of my ability to make messes with kids.

even at home.

on my best days, i know that this is rooted in a firm commitment to exploration, creativity, curiosity, enthusiasm, hope for beauty.  i also know it is usually more energizing to make messes than to clean them up.

we made a mess making homemade chalk.  plaster of paris, food coloring and water.  i don’t know amounts…we just mixed until it looked right.  adding food coloring was impressive!

and as is familiar to me, naomi extended the activity…adding glitter, hiding little toys in the middle, pushing in letter stamps.

successful.

and i cleaned up the mess within a few hours.  though i went on a walk that night speckled in plaster of paris. during our walk i posed the wondering to jerry why i would go on a family walk looking like i did. eliza interrupted and says, “this is NOT a family walk.  we don’t have ollie or lucy or the gerbils or the snake along.”

her instinct of family seems wider than mine.