Making Arizona

Every year at the boys school, the fourth graders have to research one of the fifty states. They are required to complete a written report and design a float to go with it. There is even a parade during school hours where they drag their floats through the halls. Since Justin's in fourth grade this year, it's his turn to be a part of this experience. Justin wanted to do California, Florida, or Hawaii, but those were taken. He wound up with Arizona.

For those of you that think this float looks good, I thank you. I personally don't like it, but that's because of all the stress it caused Justin and me. Justin's teacher sent home directions for the project which I read several times. After the completion and having to ask a neighbor for help with this thing, I can tell you that her directions were crap! It took me a while to get the right size box from work, so even though we had more than enough time to work on this, we just started last weekend. I figured once it was started we'd get it done pretty quickly (at least I was right about one thing).

Justin is imaginative when he's writing, but not a very good designer. I came up with a plan for his project after looking at pictures of Arizona online. I found a pretty picture of a sunset desert. Since we were told we needed a box that couldn't be a shoe box, I figured we were making a large diorama that could be seen by the parade spectators (even though it's called a "float"). When someone tells me I need a box, I automatically assume stuff is going IN the box, not ON it!

Late Sunday morning, Justin and I had everything prepared for the project - he painted all the scenery and I made the cacti. I told him we'd break for lunch while our things were drying and then we'd assemble it afterwards. That's when he tells me he thinks we're supposed to turn the box upside down and put our display on it. I won't type the words that went through my mind at that moment. Here I am thinking this thing is coming along great and we're almost done! He was aware of my plan the whole time! Weeks ago, long before we started, I told him what I had in mind for this! Poor Justin began crying at the kitchen table while I'm running around FREAKING OUT!!! I didn't even mention that had to go out and buy $20 worth of supplies for this thing, which I think is wrong, but anyway...

Thankfully, Justin is good friends with a boy down the street who is also in fourth grade. Better yet, his sister was in fourth grade last year. I often talk to their mom, so I got her on the phone to find out the truth about the float. Yes, our display was to be on top of the box. She came over to look at what we had done and helped me adjust it so we could still use everything we had already made. I couldn't thank her enough!

This is the finished product. Justin seems to like it. The parade is on Friday afternoon. Jason will be attending, but I'll be at work. After all the hatred I've felt for this project, I've decided it's probably better that I won't be able to go.