I’m afraid to look into their backpacks, for fear of what I’ll find is due the next morning. It’s that time of the school year — project time. And when it’s project time, it means, running to stores that are out of my range for “supplies.” All four have huge, ginormous projects due before the end of school. The second grader is studying the Great Blue Heron, the high schooler is writing a paper and a big video project on, of all things, video game addiction. The 7th grader is working on the egg drop. The fourth grader is studying a famous candy company — the one who makes Dum Dums.
“Mom, do you have that Styrofoam ball yet? My 3-d model is due tomorrow.”
Styrofoam balls are not something you can just throw into your cart when you’re dashing out to buy milk at the grocery store. This ball required a trip to a far-off distant land in shopping center meccas where you might find the right store that has EVERYTHING you need — the Styrofoam ball, the apron (which he needs for his costume), the spray paint, the tri-fold board, the wooden dowel and the Plaster of Paris — it took no less than 90 minutes to find it all.
Making the giant Dum Dum, including spray paint and Plaster of Paris Set-up time, took less time to make than the entire trip to the store.
We would add more suckers, but the entire Dum Dum already weighs 10 pounds… it’s really, really heavy and wobbly! But, just perfect.