Short Lived Enthusiasms

We have had some fun short lived enthusiasms around here lately.  Besides waiting impatiently for summer, it's what's been taking up all of our time.

First, the girls got out our roller skates a little while ago and were roller skating up and down the driveway.  This was great for the younger ones, but we didn't have any skates for Hannah.  She researched vintage skates online and wanted to buy some so she could join in the fun.  I found some like she wanted for sale at Big 5.  The next day, money clutched in her hand, we bought them.  Maggie got some too, for her birthday.  Then the next day I went to DI and found some adjustable skates for Caleb.  I was so excited to find what he wanted and in his size.  Aaron has now expressed interest in roller blades.  We've been to the park several times to roller skate.  Hannah has told me that she will be skating to school next year.

Then, I got an email from a home school group about a vintage sewing class.  As we are volunteering again this year at This is the Place, and I have visions of making clothes for it,  I was pretty excited about it and talked my mom into going with me.  We learned about day caps--a fashion apparently worn in the 1820's and 30's by everyone as a hat/hair covering and fashion accessory.  By the 1850's (pioneer time), it was less widely worn, but still an important fashion.  Especially, if you happen to be dressing up as a pioneer and would ruin the impression with modern hair.  Anyway, we learned a lot about fashions of the time period and a really cool sewing technique.  Now we just have to find the time to actually make the caps.  I would probably have more time for it, if I spent less time reading the sewing class blog about reenacting.   (Did you know that this year is the 150th anniversary of Gettysburg?)

On an interesting side note, we went today to the Golden Spike National Monument.  It is the 144th anniversary of the driving of the golden spike, and they had a reenactment--costumes, golden and silver spikes, and steam locomotives.  My mom and I spent the whole time, with our very limited knowledge, critiquing the women's clothes for their period accuracy.  Good times.

And finally, some enthusiasms I am less enthusiastic about, My Little Pony and Skylanders.  I'm not sure who introduced Katrina to it, but she started watching My Little Pony.  Now all my kids are spending inordinate amounts of time glued to the TV learning about friendship from the ponies.  I have to say that it is not my favorite show.  I don't think there's any harm in it, but I really dislike most of the ponies, the plots are predicable, and the dialogue makes me want to gag.  But, they are loving it.

Caleb is the one whose enthusiasm is the Skylanders video game.  His cousins got the game for Christmas, and he has become enamored of it.  He's got a game piece that he can play with on their game, but it's not nearly enough.  He's made out a Christmas list with only Skylanders on it.  "Now Santa will have to get me the game."  Then he found out that McDonald's was going to feature Skylanders toys in their Happy Meals.  He and his Grandma set out on a quest to get all of the toys from the series.  Amazingly, with help from various family members, they got all of them except Furno.  Will it stop there?  Here's hoping; 'cause Santa is pretty sure that he's not getting Skylanders for Christmas.

What's next?  Who knows--disco dancing, beading, skateboards?  There's never a dull moment.