The Family Nobleman

For several weeks now Cap's 6th grade class has been studying the feudal system.  The teachers even assign everyone a class every Monday based on their grades the previous week - Cap never made it to being The King as a couple of his friends did but he was a noble almost every single week.  (Noble was second to royalty.) Okay, once he was a serf but got upgraded to a knight after he turned in one assignment that had been late.  If nothing else, the program provided a most excellent motivation for getting homework done and done well.

The culminating event of this eight week period was a feast.  A full-on medieval feast.  The teachers set up the gym with banquet tables and a stone-wall backdrop.  They played music featuring mandolins and the kids even learned a dance.  I took several videos of Cap dancing but because I love and respect him I will not be posting them here.  My sixth grade man would find that rather humiliating.  

After the dancing came the court jesters, otherwise known as a local improv duo who came and performed, playing interactive games with the kids and making everyone belly laugh for a good half hour.  Then the feast began.  Each of the kids had their own goblet, which they had made themselves.  I'm trying to not be biased but seriously Cap's was the best.  His was the only one with 3D claws coming off the sides.  From these fabulous creations the kids drank vast quantities of ginger ale.  The serving wenches poured drinks and brought platters of roasted chicken, bread, cheese and grapes. I was lucky enough to take on that most dignified role of serving wench, though I decided against wearing a corset and mob cap.  I went with jeans and an apron.  I was also lucky enough to be the gal who got to pick up the roasted chickens from the very medieval Costco.  One note - it can be slightly awkward to walk around Costco with a cart loaded with 14 roast chickens.  If you ever do this be prepared to field many witty comments from bystanders.  So witty.  

 It was really fun to watch the kids huzzah and eat with their hands and call for more mead.  But that wasn't what I loved the most.  What I loved the most was Cap. He was really excited for this event and talked a lot about it as the date was approaching.  He really really wanted a costume.  Kids were invited to dress up and he drew me a picture of what he wanted to wear and....I couldn't do it, didn't have anything like it....and....so I decided to just surprise him and rent a costume from the local costume shop.  

You know, I don't know if that's good or bad.  Am I spoiling him or treating him to a really special memory?  I'm going with the latter.  It was so fun.  It wasn't expensive, it was just a simple cloak and feathered cap but....he looked great.  And was so happy.  Well, I say it wasn't expensive but really it could become expensive after all because he adored that cloak and begged me to buy it or pay someone to make one just like it.  So far I haven't given in. But I might be thinking about it just a tiny little bit.  He pretty much wore it for every waking hour of the 24 it was in our care.  Gosh I love that boy of mine.