Prairie Primer: Laura’s Lunch

I cannot believe how quickly it seems we are flying through these lovely Little House novels.

I’m pretty much in love with that part of every school day.

The illustrations by Garth Williams are classic and perfectly simple.  They fit my image of Laura Ingalls somehow.

I love the sky blue books themselves, the very same copies my momma and daddy read at night to us at our house in Gloucester, sitting on that wooden This End Up style furniture with its hard edges and scrunchy but practical striped sofa cushions.

My heart about bursts as the kids draw in their breaths wondering if Pa will make it home through the long days of the blizzard.  Their affection for the family’s dog Jack is tender and their bursts of laughter at Laura and Mary are contagious.

Knowing how much I loved working through these books with Riley, I had been keeping them at arm’s length from the kids until I felt they were at the right ages.  It was a delicate balance.  I didn’t want London to think she was too old but I didn’t want to start them too early for Bergen.  (I’ll probably officially re-read them again with Piper and Otto even though they listen to the stories now.)  This year and their reactions are proving that my timing for the grades third, fourth and fifth was pretty spot-on.

I’m especially infatuated with their desire to do all things Laura-like.

(It makes some small part of me get all giddy – you know, hands clasped together giddy with a kind of bounce in my step.)

We recently read about Laura and Mary’s first experience with the one-room schoolhouse and their home-brought lunches.

So when the kids asked if they could carry their lunches to our next co-op in tin pails – you know I said an enthusiastic yes!

I scurried around the house, gathering little pails.  (I like pails so it wasn’t a difficult task.)

No worries, friends – I won’t judge you if you’re laughing at me right now.

I know this idea is a little old-fashioned.  We might be a little dorky at ye olde Wildwood.

I’ve accepted it.

Shoot – I’ve embraced it.

Anyway – the funnier part of the story is this:

I quickly found four tin pails.  I was looking for a fifth when London spotted a cute basket and asked, “Mom, can I put my lunch in this?”

“Don’t you want a tin pail London?” I asked.

She paused.  She grinned a unique-to-her grin and said, “No, Mom.  I want a basket.  I think you want me to want a tin pail though.”