“Ezmooor” the kids repeated as I explained my favorite traditional American snack. The first group of kids in my classroom were not nearly excited enough until I began placing candles in front of them. Then their eyes grew wide. They watched in awe as I demonstrated, holding the marshmallow just above the tiny flame and letting it bubble and burn.
Two seconds after I let them start, every candle had been snuffed out by their excitement. As I relit each one, I realized that I was going to need a lot more matches. I passed the flame over and over again to each person, feeling like I was trapped in a scratched DVD of a Christmas eve church service. Over the course of ten minutes, the tiny candles blinked on and off like fireflies, their golden flecks of light twinkling in the dusky room. And like fireflies, though they flickered out repeatedly, they left a happy glow in the eyes of each child.
When the marshmallows were as black as night, a mess of crumbly ashes, they put them on their S’mores with a blob of chocolate syrup, and opened wide. Those first bites brought some of the biggest smiles I’ve ever seen. Kids watching through the window begged to come in and have a turn.
After everyone had tasted a S’more, it was time to leave. On the way home, five year old Luis looked like he was walking on air. His sticky chocolate lips bore the grin of a child on Christmas. “Luis!” I called, very amused by his angelically joyful face. “Fue el mejor dia de tu vida? (Was that the best day of your life?)” With an enthusiastic nod, his grin grew even wider (almost like the Joker but adorable instead of creepy), and he bounced away with the gusto of the Energize Bunny fueled by sugar.
Just fyi, the blue is icing. We let them decorate the grahm crackers too, so it would take up more time.
2 comments:
Josy!!!!!!!!! They will never forget you. Or replace you!
So cute!!! And fun! Love yah!
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