Girls Club/Boys Club Day

Today it was my turn to host the girls at our house and my Lambs went to another house with all the boys. I made sugar cookie dough last night and today we made cut out heart cookies. We made frosting and they insisted on coloring some pink and some purple. They decorated the cookies with frosting and sprinkles. It took a long time to make, bake, and decorate the cookies. I couldn't get over their conversation while they were working. I heard comments that my boys would never make. "Your cookie is so pretty. Will you show me how to make one like that? Would you mind if I copied your idea?" The only "fighting" was everyone wanted a turn to cut out cookies at once. I would roll out the dough and all 4 girls would crowd around and cut out as many cookies as possible from that batch before there was no space to cut out any more. They didn't believe me that everyone could have some time to cut out cookies. After a couple of pans I called them over individually to cut out cookies while the others decorated cookies.

Then they gave themselves "recess" and ran around my backyard for a little while. I apologized for not having a trampoline or swing set. They didn't seem to mind, just wanted to be outside after making cookies. I have no idea what my neighbors thought of girls running around my backyard without my boys home.

Next I had a small craft ready for them. I did this when I was teaching and found I had plenty of leftovers already cut out and ready for them to make. It was a heart with a clothespin with a magnet on the back to hang papers on the refrigerator.

Then I gave them lots of art supplies-construction paper (pink and purple), markers, stampers, fancy cutting scissors, stickers, etc. and let them make homemade Valentine cards. All 4 girls were very creative and I couldn't get over how much they wrote in their cards. My boys write "Happy Valentine's Day! Love, Lamb 1" and are done. The girls wrote whole paragraphs and covered every space on their hearts. I left them in our schoolroom to be creative and tackled some of the cookie mess dishes while they worked.

They had all eaten way too many cookies as they decorated them so our snack time was light. Bagels with peanut butter, oranges, and a few scones for dessert. I pulled the scones from the freezer.

I asked them what they wanted to do next time they come to my house. They all answered something without so much sugar next time. Some suggested cooking or baking something not so sugary, some suggested more craft time, and some suggested more game time like last time when we played board games. I'm not sure what we will do, but I have several months to figure it out.

I enjoyed the day and the change of routine for a few hours. I enjoyed having girls in my kitchen. I enjoyed seeing pink and purple cookies. I enjoyed leaving them to be creative in the schoolroom. I loved hearing kind comments to one another. I enjoyed the afternoon without so much competition as our house usually has.

The mom that had the boys said the boys play with more focus on Boys Club Day. She loves having the boys because she only has one boy of her own. This is a win for all three families involved in Girls Club and Boys Club. I'm so glad we came up with this plan and have a fun afternoon once a month.