Playing Hooky

My kids all have colds, and Sarah has a slight fever. Yesterday morning I was writing notes to their teachers so they could keep a baggy full of cough drops in their pockets. Anna said they had to bring cough drops to the nurse (even with a note), and then go to the nurse every time they wanted a cough drop. I started to suggest we just quietly put them in her pocket without letting the teacher know, but she was so horrified that I suggested breaking the rules that I backtracked and tried to undo my words. Of course that wasn't a good idea, I would never break a [stupid] rule. (Or use the word stupid.) It felt like a good day to keep my phlegmy, coughing kids home, but no one was that sick. So we went to the Russian Museum of Art (with free passes from the library). There are a lot of Russians in Minnesota, and it's the only Russian Museum in North America. Sarah fell asleep in her stroller, and we had a great time. There was a matriyoshka exhibit (nesting dolls), and an early color photography exhibit of the Silk Trail commissioned by Nicholas II, who was the last tsar of Russia. It was amazing. I don't know why I'm drawn to this language, culture, and art, but I am. We ate our home-packed lunch in the car, shared a chocolate croissant at a bakery called Artisan, then walked around Lake Calhoun because it was a balmy 36 and the sun was shining so brightly. The kids just frolicked in the sun, they were so happy. Until Michael's feet got cold because he wasn't wearing boots and his shoes have holes and he wouldn't stay out of the puddles. I think all kids need to play hooky with their moms every now and again.