I'm pretty sure I just started something with my kids.
More accurately, I continued something. A family tradition of sorts. Tonight I introduced my kids to the magic and joy and potential of...
...a wadded up ball of used tinfoil.
We took the kids out to dinner tonight to a Mexican restaurant. Worldly, sophisticated diners that they are, AJ and Sydney each ordered a hamburger and french fries. Their burgers arrived wrapped in tinfoil.
I couldn't resist. After helping Sydney unwrap her hamburger, I said to the kids, "When I was little, Grandma Elouise sometimes made potatoes wrapped in tinfoil." As I told the story, I slowly crumpled the tinfoil in a tight ball.
"Grandpa David would take the tinfoil and he'd wad it up tight."
The kids watched in fascination.
"And then do you know what he'd do with it?"
I had their full attention.
"He'd throw it at us!"
To make my point, I whipped the tinfoil ball across the table, nailing AJ in the forehead. For a split second, he stared in shock. Did mom really just do that to him? And then he quickly started unwrapping his own burger, intent on arming himself for battle.
Wisely, Jeff intervened, suggesting a restaurant wasn't the best place for this game.
We started to eat, but the gleam remained in AJ's eye. When it came time to leave, he not so subtly grabbed one of the tinfoil balls and stuck it in his pocket. I grabbed the other one. Jeff warned AJ better not throw it in the car.
Finally we made it in the house. Game on!
The giggles were priceless as the kids raced around the couch. Throwing the tinfoil balls and then running to retrieve them before someone else got them.
Eventually, we sent them downstairs to continue their battle. The kids stayed in the basement at least 20 minutes. At last they returned, smiling and out of breathe.
"Where did the tinfoil go?" I asked.
"It's still downstairs," AJ told me. "We used them to play baseball, and a toilet paper tube thing was our bat."
Why, oh why, do we spend money on fancy toys when the best ones are already here?
A TRADITION in our family???? Hunh? Can't imagine Grandma Elouise would let that continue, even IF Grandpa David started it. Maybe it happened once or twice? But certainly not throwing it at someone's face. Thank goodness Jeff has some common sense. Dad says, "It's YOUR tradition. Not ours."
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