M is for Movie

This year, I am truly discovering why I am a primary teacher, LOL.  These "themes" are so much fun.  I wish the curriculum gave us more time for this kind of fun in class.  I remember, when I started teaching, when we used to have so much fun with themes.  I understand all the reasons behind the changes but truly, there are days that I feel as if most of the fun has been taken out of school.

That's another topic.  For today, let's stick with fun with letter M.  To begin, we made maple syrup muffins.  These are seriously good.  I found the recipe here.  It's the brushing the tops with maple syrup that made these so seriously good.  I'm thinking I'd like to try that with a few other muffin recipes I have that are a little better for you than this recipe.  LB in particular was very fond of these.  Pk thought the brushing of the syrup was the best part.  Food was a big part of M - macaroni, meatballs, mangos and milk all played a part in our week.

Our "big idea" for M was a movie.  The original plan was for daddy to take Pk to see "The Muppet Movie" at the theatre.  Uncle J tried to take her in December but she "got scared that mummy and daddy would be scared without me".  We thought we would try again and that it might be more successful with daddy.  Sadly, these movies don't stay around long.  We even checked the listings for the local multiplex (we usually go to a wonderful, inexpensive little retro theatre in a nearby small town) but we were too late.   Plan B was to take her to busy a movie.  Dh and I discussed it and decided that, while we are not big Disney fans,  we would cave a little bit and let her buy "Beauty and the Beast" since character is more of an emphasis in that one.  She was so excited.  Of course, the store at which we planned to make our purchase was out but we did manage to find it and, as you can see, Pk was very excited.

 M is for magazine.  Each year, the school (both mine and Pk's) do a big magazine fundraiser.  The prices really aren't especially great but at least we don't have to sell chocolate bars.  This year, I decided to buy National Geographics "Little Kids".  It's terrific.  A friend also gave Pk a subscription to Chickadee and that's o.k. but a bit busy and above her yet.  We've been taking the National Wildlife Federation's Wild Animal Baby out of the library and enjoying that one, too.

 And, of course, we couldn't resist.  I debated whether to do this but it's not as if my kids never get it and, frankly, everybody needs some junk food some of the time.  The moms I know who never allow anything always seem to be so joyless.  Yes, I try to keep things healthy and to be as natural as we can, but there are limits.

We actually had a lot of other M's this week but most were photos of people in our lives and I haven't asked to post their photos so I had better not.

It's so funny, N started out as being so hard but now, I can't wait!