On Boy's Day in early May, it is traditional to fly a carp streamer for each male child in the house. (Girls have their own day in March, I believe.) We set up our streamers every year. This year, there was some kind of color-your-own-streamer event in the park. Hundreds of these colorful carp were then hung all around the river mall. Calvin colored the one indicated by the yellow arrow at right. After being displayed for a few days, they were returned to their colorers. Next year, we'll hang that one, too.
Calvin wanted a birthday party last year. Anticipating what a bunch of 6-year-olds could do with a traditional cake, forks, and plates, I decided to make cupcakes and ice cream cones. I iced the cupcakes in different colors, put each chid's name on at least two cupcakes and the numeral '6 ' on the rest. The kids loved them! And we didn't have any washing up to do. Note the tent in the lower left corner of the picture below. I set up the tent and filled it with balloons, figuring that would keep them occupied for awhile. It did, but then Calvin and Brian decided that they wanted to sleep in the tent that night. Well, they did, and so did Steve and Yoko. For 3 nights running. That's Brian and Yoko in the bottom picture. Since then, every once in awhile, Calvin and Brian will want the tent set up so that they can 'camp out'. I wonder what the people in the neighboring building must think when they look our way and see a tent in the living room.