Multi-purpose Craft Sticks

As I took Barley to soccer practice, he informed me that Daddy had a "special treat" for all 4 of us, and while he (Barley) had already had his, I was going to be lucky enough to have mine after practice.

DH had just gone grocery shopping, so I will admit my curiosity was piqued. I had eaten a hurried dinner in the 15 minutes between when I stepped out of the home office and when I took Barley to his 1.5 hour practice. A special dessert sounded good to me.

Barley was delighted I had forgotten my knitting, since this meant I would have to WATCH him the whole practice for a change. He was not thinking about the fully charged iPhone with internet access in my pocket.

Hey, there are only so many times I can watch kids run backward and dribble a ball with one foot around orange cones. I watch the GAMES without my knitting--those are too exciting to miss! Practice is another matter. Barley tries to "test" me by giving me a thumbs up signal. If I am watching, I am to give him one back. He informed me that last practice, he signaled me 6 times, and I only saw him once! I hinted maybe he wasn't holding his thumb up long enough or high enough, and anyway, they practice waaaay across the field from me so who can see that far anyway?

He informed me that he held the thumbs up at least 15 seconds each time, and that meant that he signaled me for at least 90 seconds (at least his math is good)! I retorted he was lucky I sat there through the practice at all--most of the other moms are dropping their kids off and leaving--so there!

Anyway, as I sat in the hot sun semi-watching the drills, I daydreamed about this special dessert. Ice cream sandwiches? Nah, Barley had just scarfed a box of these last week--that wouldn't seem that exciting to him. It couldn't be Haagen-Dazs or Ben and Jerry's--the boy only likes chocolate--the more interesting flavors would be wasted on him.

I wondered what it could be that he thought was so special? When we finally got home, Barley instructed me to wait in the living room, so he could ask Daddy to get the special dessert out for me. I waited 10 minutes, then realized Barley was in the TV room playing video games with his brother. When I called out to ask if I could go in the kitchen yet, Barley said he'd forgotten--then told his Dad what I was waiting for.

DH called me into the kitchen, and warned me that I might not be quite as excited as Barley was. He reached into the fridge and pulled out....

a homemade frozen popsicle made from apple juice.

OK, I will admit I felt a little let down. Frozen juice treats are not my favorite thing, but Barley was watching me with such a happy, proud grin (it was MY idea to make them, Mommy, and we saved that one for YOU!), I had to eat it.

I had just finished the last drop, licking the craft stick off, when I asked DH where he found the craft sticks? I didn't remember there being any in the kitchen.


DH: "I got them from the kids' art supplies in the office."


Me: "Were they in some wrapped packaging or something? I don't remember buying any."


DH: "No, they were loose in that glass container with all the loose parts...why?"


Me: " Oh... Those were from their stick and tape rafts that they brought home from school. I took the tape off when they abandoned them--figured they could just reuse them in some other craft project."


DH (laughing at me): "Lucky you didn't ask until you were done with the popsicle, huh?"


Me: "Yeah, right. So... don't save these, OK?"


Message to all well-meaning Dads out there: Don't prepare food with children's art supplies, and we promise never to serve you a soda with an empty paper towel tube as a straw...Deal?