Our little game

The girls and I like to play a game we call Villains and Princesses. It helps to pass the time, especially in the car and while we're preparing meals, and it saves me when I can't come up with a clever idea for a story. It's just a guessing game where we take turns giving each other clues about a character, usually from a Disney movie. It goes something like this:

Mom: Who is going to be first?

Kennedy and Macy: I am! Me! My turn!

Macy: I'm thinking of a billain... (sometimes she also remembers to say, he's from Monsters Inc.)

Kennedy, crying: But I thought it was my turn to go first!

Macy: It's Randall!

Kennedy and Mom: Is it Randall?

Macy: Yes!

Kennedy: I'm thinking of a villain, he has a machine like a spider, and he tries to get Mr. Incredible.

Mom: Is it Syndrome?

Kennedy: Yes! Now it's your turn, mom.

Mom: I'm thinking of a villain, she likes to play croquet and when she gets mad she shouts off with her head!

Kennedy: Hey, I thought I was going to do the Queen of Hearts!

Mom: Sorry, I didn't know.

And then we go around again. Macy typically sticks to four villains: Randall and Mr. Waternoose from Monsters Inc., Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, and Zurg from Toy Story. Kennedy is quite good at remembering characters and thinking of ways to describe them without giving away her pick. Right now she likes to make sure we go through ALL the villains before we move on to the princesses. The other day she also added a new category: superheroes!

We still tell a lot of Shubilee and Marshall stories, too. I think that Kennedy has figured out that she's Shubilee and Macy is Marshall. These made up sisters have all kinds of fun adventures, usually things that we've done or are planning to do. Sometimes I tell tales about what I wish our lives were like...if I were a more creative mom with endless energy, time, and money. Sometimes I try to work lessons into the story (like the one that was Kennedy's favorite for a while where Shubilee jumps off her dresser and breaks her leg - even though Marshall tries to tell her it's a bad idea!), or help them see ways to be better "sisters and also best friends", use good manners, and help out around the house.

One time I told a story in the parking lot of Target, while Jake was in filling a prescription, about a field of sunflowers. One day a new plant starts to grow. It's purple, and it's different! I was trying to make the not so subtle point about being kind, making new friends, and not excluding people because they aren't like you. I suspect Macy liked it because the purple flower told some really corny jokes to win over the sunflowers. Like how do the sunflowers like their eggs? Sunny-side up! What is the sunflower's favorite day of the week? Sunday! What did the sunflower say to the bee? Buzz off! (there were some bees who also came to the field to hear the purple flower's comedy routine). Both girls were laughing at this silliness, but I think they also learned something important. I must say, it was a pretty good one. Macy has asked for a retelling of "the flower story" several times, and that's always a good sign!

I might not be the mom that does amazing art projects, sends fancy lunches to school, or organizes lots of play dates and parties, but I hope that Kennedy and Macy remember me as a great storyteller. That seems to be "my thing" and, at least for now, they seem to love it!