We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow, one that will undoubtedly involve a big blog post, but I am just so proud of both of the kids today I could not let this go unwritten.

Both of them spent much of the day at Béla’s friend Max’s house (Claude plays some with the boys, and also helps some with Max’s younger sister). By the time they got home, our friend Sarah was here, getting a knitting lesson. Sarah helps run the LARPing group that the kids go to most Saturdays. Claudia read and did her nails, and Béla got out his (long-abandoned) knitting and everyone just sat and chatted.

We were talking about weapon-making workshops for LARPing and I was asking about flails, which we had not seen used on Saturday battles. Sarah explained that all types of weapons that had “chain” elements to them or anything that could create a strangulation hazard had made the folks who ran the group uncomfortable (they are a very safe group). Without hesitation, Béla came up with a perfectly feasible-sounding — and apparently never-attempted — way to make a breakaway flail.

Since we have plans to get some lessons in weapon making (which will only increase our ability to make great masks and costumes for Parade of Spirits as well), we think we can attempt to prototype this breakaway flail that my eight-year-old has thought up. I must say… I was a proud mama.

Later, Claudia was talking about wanting to have a Baba Yaga hut, with legs, at Parade of Spirits. None of us have the experience with (nor do we want the liability of) creating a structure that people actually enter (she wanted it to be a place you could go inside of and find a gift — I am sure she is thinking about the infamous West Philly Krampus Lair that had us all so enchanted), and we said there was no way to have a little structure that was stable on the ground without the chicken legs, and what was a Baba Yaga hut without the chicken legs?

Within minutes, Claudia had found, in a book, a drawing of a Baba Yaga hut, essentially sitting on its “butt”, with it’s legs akimbo.

I am proud that they are becoming such problem solvers. That when they hear “No, we can’t do that, it’s not safe/possible/feasible,” that they LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS. I am SO proud.

Also, I’m proud of their father for giving them gag teeth as a Hanukkah gift tonight.