Watermelon

We eat a lot of watermelon in this house. I cut it into thin, skinny slices and leave the peel on for the kids to hold on to (and then throw randomly into the garden). The kids are always bugging me to cut the slices a bit thicker but the thought of the extra juice and mess always stops me. Then one time I thought I would make them as difficult as possible to actually eat, just to try and stop them requesting bigger slices.
It didn't work. They loved them this big. Even Sophie.

Bethany turns 10

Today of course was Bethany's birthday. She told everyone who asked that she was 10. I think she had a good day. Her teacher is very good at making the birthday child feel special. They sang happy birthday of course, she got a special birthday card, and got to be teacher of the day, which means she got to call the roll, make key decisions in the day (what book to read at story time) and identify and reward good behaviour in other students. We had a few meltdown/freakouts but they are pretty much usual these days from the Artist formerly known as Bethany. The present booty was very well-received, including the Baby Born from mum (see photo below of her trying to recreate her own birth), a pink scooter from dad, a laptop! from nanna and papa, and a Dora doll from Ella and co. Our long inane conversation to Adam and Eva in Scotland was lots of fun too.
Bethany went to bed amazed that nana and papa had bought her such grown-up presents, and she is only 6.


Check out the tats on this bruiser.

Author: Bethany Feuerherdt

Bethany found a bundle of papers in the scrap paper box that were already stapled together and then I think felt compelled to fill up each page with a story. She laboured away at it diligently for a very long time. I have scanned in the first page here, and typed in the rest of the story correcting spelling mistakes but leaving grammar as it is. We had some discussions on the appropriateness of some of the plot developments, but she reminded me 'it's a narrative! anything can happen in a narrative, it's all made up'.
And here is the story.
"Once upon a time there was a girl. Her name was Sally She was very polite. When she saw a fat lady, she said even though you are fat, you are pretty. the fat lady said thank-you so much. then she went not far and she saw the fat lady's sister she was fat as well.
She said to the other fat lady I just saw your sister she said was she fat I said yes but she is pretty. Then Sally said you are pretty even though you are fat. She said wow that's very nice. Thank-you so much. then she went not far and she saw the fat lady's brother. I just saw your sister. He said was she fat. I said yes but she is pretty. Really asked the fat man. I said yes. Well, hmmm, even though you are fat you are cool. He was really pleased that [so] he gave me a lollipop. She was very pleased too, that [so] she gave him a newspaper. You're very nice said the fat man. I think you are nicer. Then she went not far and she came to the fat man's brother. He said was he fat because he listened to all this news I thought that was funny. I said why did you say that straight away he said because I listened to all the news. I didn't care because he was fat but cool so I had to say you are very cool. He said I'm not cool I'm fat but he said it sadly so Sally said even though you are fat you are cool. Then at last he said I didn't know what to say I'm too pleased. So all what he said [was] [our address] is where I live and said please go there so I can give you a bike.
So the next day I went there. He gave me a bratz bike it was very pretty that [so] I gave him a scooter not one like the ones like this when you stand up and keep one [foot] still and move the other. The ones where you sit down and use it like a tractor [ie a gopher]. Them ones. When I said that to him when we finished it was late. I went home and put my pjs on. Then I gave mummy a hug and went to bed.
In the morning she got all ready and rode her new bike from the man and ate the lollipop from the man. Then her mum and her went shopping She went home with her mum after and unloaded the shopping after that her mum said you are so helpful that you can watch tv till 9:00 When it was 9:00 they went to the playground. At the playground Sally asked mum is she could go on the swing Her mum said yes so mum went on it Sally pushed the swing her mum said wee very loud. Her mum thinks that it is fun. When she finished, her mum said thank-you. After they went home dad was home too.
Sally gave dad a hug then got ready for bed and went to bed She dreamed about that she was a naughty girl she got smacked on the bum lots her dream was not finished when she woke up. She went to mum and dad's bed and they lived happily ever after. The end."