Back in January the girls brought home TIME for kids forms. Little booklets with postcards they were to fill out with family and friends addresses. Each child was encouraged to fill out 7 cards, so the school could receive their free subscription to TIME for kids - a really cool little 11x17 folded "magazine" talking about current events, authors and other educational stuff. Additionally, those who filled out 7 cards, would get a prize ... a small pig LED flashlight that oinks.
I am typically strongly opposed to this form of marketing and manipulation, but when I read the fine print, I eased up and strategically picked readers of my blog for the girls to send post cards too ... and today, my mother, one of the lucky 14, informed me that her postcard had arrived, so I can only assume that 12 others of you also have gotten one, and that number 13 is in my mailbox too.
So if you are one of the lucky other 12 people who were strategically selected because of your devoted association to this blog ... when you get the postcard in the mail, instead of rolling your eyes and seriously questioning the nature of our relationship ... I can hear you all asking ... "Are you serious? She didn't even send us a Christmas card this year!" (we didn't send anyone a Christmas card - yet.) here's the fine print ...
Ordering a subscription has no baring on whether or not the school qualifies for the free subscription to TIME FOR KIDS. The simple act of the children filling out postcards, qualified them for the free subscriptions (for every 7 postcards the school earns 2 TFK subscriptions). "Those contacted may help if they wish, without obligation, by renewing any of their current magazines or ordering new subscriptions from over 200 of the most popular titles, at up to 75% savings. What makes this program unique is we receive our TIME for kids subscriptions even if no one contacted chooses to buy a magazine."
So as I told my mother, if this doesn't save you money, 
chuck it. If it does, great. But don't go and order a magazine subscription because you think it might help the girls school, cause from what I understand by simply having it mailed to your home, you've helped them accomplish their goal ... they get their TIME for kids subscriptions for classroom use, and their pink pig LED, oinking key chain.
One other thing I know my FIL will be concerned about "Names and addresses will only be used for this one-time mailing for our school and will NEVER become part of a mailing list. This is guaranteed by the Great American and TIME, Inc."
Friday after school we went on a field trip with Grandma and Grandpa to the Moon Marble Company in Kansas City. They were having their open house that evening and the following day, with demonstrations and a dozen or so glass/marble artist from around the country showing and selling their work. I heard about the shop a few months ago when, Kelly posted about their visit with Jenny and boys a few months ago, and have been wanting to take the kids ever since.
We had such a great time watching these glass artist make marbles from long tubes of glass. It was amazing to see them start with 5-6 different sticks of different widths and colors and carefully and artfully transform them into beautiful marbles! Sam and I could have sat and watched the entire process start to finish and not gotten bored for a second.
We also watched a demonstration of how they make the thing colored glass canes glass (bottom picture in the collage below) artists use to create all sorts of designs and shapes and embellishments within and on their glass work.
After watching all the demonstrations and marveling at the variety and beauty of the glass artists work ... beautiful, intricate 2" marbles for $95. We headed for the front of the store to let the kids choose their own marbles ... two tubes of small 5/8" marbles equaled out to 13 marbles a piece (for Rebecca, Emily and Sam), and 1 tube of 9 - 1" marbles for GR and me to choose. They did a great job picking their favorite marbles to take home.
Grandpa ended up taking Alex outside ... I think he got tired of having to sort the marbles ... Alex loved the feel of the marbles in his hands and would move from bin to bin reaching in and running a handful through his hands.
Bob's been telling the kids about how he played marbles as a kid, explaining the rules and different ways you can play. Saturday as a reward to enduring organizing the garage, we went over to their house to play marbles. Bob found a fairly level spot of dirt behind the shed, cleared it, stamped it down, and drew the circle. The kids loved it! And from what we witnessed, Grandpa is still as good as he was as a kid ... good thing he gave the kids back the marbles he won!
Since we don't have any real dirt spots (and it's been too cold since to play outside) the kids have been playing on the carpet using a length of rope for the circle. It's been really fun to see them take to this fantastic "vintage" game. The other "vintage" game they are loving right now ... jacks!
I think the kids and I may spend one of our Spring Break days at the Moon Marble Co. when it's not quite so crowded ... and because we need to replace a few marbles that have gotten lost and few that have broken ... one variety of 5/8" marbles we purchased, all three have broken ... very weird.
chuck it. If it does, great. But don't go and order a magazine subscription because you think it might help the girls school, cause from what I understand by simply having it mailed to your home, you've helped them accomplish their goal ... they get their TIME for kids subscriptions for classroom use, and their pink pig LED, oinking key chain.