...on a bus..
..to downtown Denver.
A crowded, smelly, 35-kid and 7 adult-packed bus...
The teacher said cheerily "Remember, 3 to a seat! :-) "
Yeaaah..my bumm counts for 2 third graders, right??
Luckily for us, it was sunny but no too hot of a day.
But first, I needed training..yep..me and about 4 other parent-like-people were to meet the day prior to the trip to discuss the logistics...like "no bathrooms on the walk - only in the train station"
"There'll be trains??"
"No - just the station..where they can go potty..with adult supervision..of the same gender.."
"But, what if I have a....boy?? Can I choose who I get to take with me?? And how many will I have to have, I mean, how many do I get??
"Any other questions? Anyone? Anyone? Buhler? Buhler??"
"But, I want all girls..do I get to pick??"
"Mrs. Blake. you WILL get Emily.."
"But how many do I get??"
"Oh, and keep them out of the water.."
"They'll be water?? Where? In the train station? What water??"
"The creek..don't let them fall in the creek..or get wet.."
"Wait, what..they may fall into the creek?? Aren't they 3rd. graders? Don't they know better??"
"Any one ELSE have questions? No? Then here's your homework - read the materials so you'll be able to answer their questions.."
"Wait - there'll be .....questions?? About Denver?? But I don't live in Den......."
"Just read your homework and you'll be okay"
"No one said there'd be homework...."
"Oh, and there will be NO SHOPPING.."
"WHAT??!"
"Yes, you'll be passing a lot of stores, but no shopping. And you must bring a lunch - completely disposable lunch - no stopping by Starbucks for coffee.."
"Starbucks is NOT shopping - it's...it's......nutritional first aid.."
"Oh yes, and there'll be checkpoints..you must check-in at the checkpoints..and do you all have bandages??"
" There'll be injuries?? To be bandaged?? And no shopping? And no Starbucks?? And checkpoints?? Who's big idea was this anyway...??"
So it goes...and I got my 3 girls, Jada, Kathryn and Emily (Sparkle, Rose and Pearl - their "model" names) I was "Miss Palm".. an ode to the cute twin-sweater set I was wearing....oh la la..
While all the others were learning about architecture and history (booooring..) we were modeling for the paparazzi (me) and talking to tourists (one from Germany) and "window shopping"
..hey, no one said we couldn't LOOK...and being all kinds of sweet and polite and friendly (the model's credo...along with.. "Stop to smell the flowers!"...) and being examples of perfect posture..."We're walking..we're walking.."
Is it time for our "bag-lady-lunch" yet?? Okay, find a spot in the park..Jada..leave the poor man alone..he's sleeping (I hope)..
"Don't worry about the pigeons - it's been said if a bird poops on you, it's LUCKY!"
"No, you can't go find a bird to poop on you...just sit down and eat - let's go look at the statues..DO NOT CLIMB ON THE STA...okay, okay, yes everyone else IS climbing..go ahead.."
"No one wants to eat with me..no one likes me..they're all mean to me...she's rude...I don't wanna play..leave me alone...I don't like the bus..I wanna go home..I'm hot...I'm starting to be sweaty..I need to go potty.."
"Grammie, you have to take the bus, you came with us..OKAY??!!?"
"Okay, Emily. But next time, you'll take PaPa, right??"
"Youbetcha.."
Just wait, you too will be a victim {I mean a volunteer-grandparent} one of these days..
-me
14 comments:
hahaha!!! I remember those field trip days with my kids. We went to some fun places but....those skinny-butt bus seats are the pits!
Thank God my field trip days are over! How many times can you visit an apple orchard!? Very funny, brings back memories!
Looks like you had three little models with you!
Cute!
Carrie
Halarious!!! (can't spell) That was the best post ever!! Where were you when I was a kid? Fun,fun,fun. Come visit my blog is working. Thank goodness I was getting so depressed :)
Ah C'mon you really enjoyed it! Hey now you know what it has been like for me over the last 30 years of teaching. I'm surprised you are allowed to put the kids faces on the internet, we're not unless we have parent permission. You look like you scored 3 angels, don't they love posing at that age. It is my favourite age for teaching.
Ahh, the good ole' days!! Yes, I have 2 now grown, semi adults. I remember well. Those 3 looked pretty tame (and cute). I bet they were really very thrilled to have a trained volunteer that, with camera, showed them a very good time! Thanks for your vision of making the best out of a field trip!
Oh no! I know better. :D
Thanks for the fun post...I just knew it'd be something like that. (The last school trip I went on was to a one-room working schoolhouse where the boys...God love'em...tossed the girls' lunches down the outhouse. Awww, great, fun times.)
Well what can I say. You're one brave woman! It was never my favorite thing to do. Especially in school busses. Can you imagine an all day trip in them? Valium, please.
Not for me; but, it's obvious you and the 'models' had a wonderful time! I'm sure they were thrilled to have an adult with a sense of humor with them. Made the trip really fun, I'll bet! Cute pictures. I want to go to the 'doggie boutique'!
oh my word. so many rules and possible situations, lol! i totally would have gone AWOL!
yeah Granny and you enjoyed every minute of it...right!!?
I can't even begin to imagine what Denver looks like today...it's been almost 30 years since we lived there, I've always missed the high country.
Glad you're home safe and sound(?) with your fuzzies, bet they missed Mum!
sharon
Oh Field trips! Some of them were more like torture trips! Why would anyone think 4th graders would like 17th century houses?
What FUN!
Oh my !! It looks like you had your camera ready at all times! :)
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