Tales from VBS

This week is Vacation Bible School at church, and my kids are all revved up to go each morning.  It's not because of the songs, or the games, or the awards, although they do enjoy those things.  It's mainly because of the cafeteria food.  I know, I know, I can't believe it either.  But it's true!  You see, my kiddos are home schooled, so they have never experienced having cafeteria style lunches before.  You and I probably have dreaded memories of the cafeteria, after eating in them for 12 years, but to a kid who gets lunches hot and ready at home every day, the cafeteria is a novel experience.

Chips come in a little bag, not a pile on the plate, and milk comes in a little carton, not a boring old cup like it does at home.  Even the ketchup, and mayo comes in little packets.  The kids are LOVING it!  Their breakfast bagels and cereal come in plastic packaging too.  Who cares if the stuff tastes like rubber tires... evidently it's just cool to open all the packages.

When I grew up, the cafeteria was a place to scarf food down at rocket speed, so you could spend as much time as possible playing on the playground.  Not for home schooled kids.  They take their time, talk to their buddies, and enjoy the whole experience.  They're in no hurry at all to finish lunch.

Especially not this one.  She's savoring every morsel of her barbecued potato chips from the bag.  She also tried to put other people's unused milk cartons in her backpack to take home for later.  She thinks they're cool!

I try so hard to make delicious homemade lunches with fresh bread, warm cookies, and cold fruit, but in the end, all my kids really want is the stuff with cool packaging.  Go figure.