Friday, March 29, 2013

Outside

Last summer and fall I spent quite a few words expressing my frustration about trying to get my kids outside to play.  As it turns out, they didn't want to go out into the heat any more than I did.  As soon as it cooled off (not the born-and-raised Arizonan version of "cooled off," but the real kind), they started playing outside and I haven't seen them since.  When Brynn comes home from school, she comes in the front door, drops her back-pack, and goes right strait out the back door to swing and sing at the top of her lungs (and the other kids follow her).  In October, we completely re-landscaped the back yard.  There was so much wasted space on the sides of the yard where all the rocks were, so now we have wall to wall grass and the play-set on a big curbed off area of wood chips.  That's given Bryce a lot more room to run around like crazy and burn off his energy.  Gabe is in a wonderful phase and no longer makes {much} mischief back there.  He's getting better at exploring the great outdoors with his hands rather than his mouth and mostly throws balls or pulls grass or just follows the big kids around.
 
Recently he figured out the t-ball set. 
 
Step one:  set ball

Step two: lift bat ( this one requires much grunting and scowling)

Step three:  swing with all your might and hope to hit the ball and not your face!


I have this nightmare that continues to play out in my mind.  It goes something like this:  I bring home a new baby just as it gets too hot be outside all day.  This thought keeps me up at night sometimes.  What am I going to do with the kids while I am making lunch and dinner?  OH, and most of the time in between?  Right now, dinner has never been easier.  I begin to pull out a pan and it's like an automatic button to push and the kids head outside.  This summer, I will also not be able to just shoo the kids outside to the little swimming pool and watch from the window.  Gabe's too little for that.  This summer is going to be an adventure for our family for sure!  Good thing I'm spending a couple of weeks in Utah.  Hey fam, let's go up in the mountains!  That would feel AMAZING!

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