You've Got Mail!

Joy did an art project with the kids this afternoon and the assignment was: mailboxes. Each one had to make their own personalized mailbox. So, using small cardboard boxes, colored paper, glue, and other accessories the kids got to work. Even Kiara helped by designing the cover for her mailbox. Of course there was also the usual competition of whose was nicer/cooler! But since each one made their mailbox how they wanted it there wasn't any problem.
They all got really excited by the whole thing and started talking about how they were going to send mail to each other, and hoping they would in turn receive goodies. Kiara, in customary toddler fasion, kept asking every five minutes if she had mail; or she would ask me to write her a letter. It was so cute to see her just as excited about it as the older ones.
Later after dinner we got together for a little "family time". Most of us were doing art, mainly painting, in the dinning room. Jed made popcorn for everyone, and then read Asterix and Obelix out loud to us while we painted.
Kiara got a few letters in her mailbox and she was so happy. She even wanted to write letters back right away. The kids kept writing notes back and forth to eachother and even to Joy and myself. It's rude not to reply to your mail, so I made little cards/notes for each one of the children and put it in their mailboxes. (they're all in bed so no chance of getting caught) Nothing fancy, just a note to say what I appreciate about them. I didn't forget to stick to important rules like: something boyish or manly for Jed, something feminine for Niki, and something cute(with BIG writing) for Kiara. I gave her stickers in her note and I can't wait to see her face when she gets it tomorrow morning.
It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside when you get this piece of paper, clumsily folded with loving little squiggles of writing inside. Maybe the grammar and spelling are terrible but the translation is simple: I love you is what it says.