The Hall Of Flame

One of the best things about being a stay at home Mom is the opportunity I have to attend field trips with my elementary school kids.  This past Wednesday I was able to attend the Hall Of Flame Firefighters Museum in Tempe.  Since this was Case's first field trip, he was excited and I have to say, so was I!  I love being able to see my kids and how they interact with friends. This was one of the most interesting field trips I have ever attended!  First off, the "tour guide" was one of a kind!!  He was about 80 years old and not the most positive man on Earth!  He would be talking to the kids and they would be listening and paying really close attention.  And in the middle of his "speech" he would yell out, "BOOM" or "BANG" or something like it SUPER loud.  The kids would all scream in fright and then he would carry on. Many times I would look over and see kids with tears in their eyes.  He would ask if anyone had a question and when they didn't ask a question and instead made a comment, he would say, "That's not a question." "I asked if anyone had a question." He was constantly telling the kids, "Noooo"when they didn't answer a question correctly.  It was unlike anything I had ever witnessed.  Halfway through the tour, we moved to a different guide who was equally as "Rough!" So this  guide takes us outside and is showing the Kindergartners how they used to put out fire's in the "old" days.  He has the kids stand in a looooong line and then proceeds to explain that the first firefighter would scoop up the water in a bucket (he is demonstrating by dipping a paint bucket in an enormous trough) and then they would pass the bucket down the line and the last man in line would throw the water on the fire.  So as he is explaining this, he goes up to MY CASE and THROWS the bucket of water in his face!!! Not over his head, not on his feet, right in his face.  He of course didn't see it coming and he is CHOKING on water.  The guide continues talking and proceeds to do the same thing to another boy who immediately starts crying when the unsuspecting water flies into his face.  The guide then says to the crying boy, "Well now don't cry.  Why are you crying?  It was just a joke!" I thought I was gonna die!  I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed!  It was so bizarre!  Case was a good sport about it but man, not his mama who was lucky enough to have witnessed the whole thing! It was quite the field trip!  

This was the little group I was responsible for. They were a great bunch of kids!

Case was one of the only kids who could climb to the top of the pole.  He is so strong and athletic!

Kindergarten Friends.

On the bus!

Firetrucks are so cool...

...but spraying a real fire hose is even better! That's the ding dong tour guide who drenched my unsuspecting son!

Case and Jefferson...too cute!!