My son’s creative wheels are spinning this week. Once again, he piped in with the idea for today’s make something project, which called for the use of rubber bands.

I found a bag of thick, brown rubber bands in my desk drawer, and during dinner the kids and I pondered how to use them. Isaac suggested I somehow contort them into the word “stretch”—and then write about how yesterday’s iceskating injury is stretching my patience. (I may have been exhibiting visible signs of pain and tension this evening.)

We’ve seen strings wrapped around nails in a board to spell words and make intricate designs. How could we re-invent that concept in a smaller, simpler, speedier way? We considered the Lite Brite. But Emma said the little plastic pegs pop out of their holes too easily. So Isaac proposed thumb tacks. That made me think of the magnet boards behind my desk—and the tack-like magnets I use to trap notes and lists.

Confined by space and a short supply of magnets, I configured each letter separately, snapped photos, then edited them together to form the final image.

I’m going to stop there. Could I write about how yesterday’s injury is testing me? Of course. But what good would that do? Better just to appreciate the conversation and creativity that gave rise to this project.