Dirt and Happiness

It's inevitable - kids love the outdoors. Now I as a mom, if they can't do things themselves, tend to sometimes NOT love the outdoors (especially parks, but that's another day). My ideal outdoor moments are spent with a Coke Zero in one hand, and a magazine or book in the other, while my feet are relaxing either on the grass or in another lawn chair. This is not what happens, however, when you are outside with a 3 year old and a 19 month old. This is what happens:

Austin: "sip, dink, dink..."

Ethan: "I want a drink of spicy, mommy."

Me: "what do you say?....you may have one drink each."

Austin: "mon...mon (more)"

Ethan: "I want more, too, mommy...please."

Me: "No, I told you ONE sip...this is mommy's. Now go blow bubbles."

Now Ethan blowing bubbles - no problem. Austin - it goes all over. Not only does it spill as he's leaning over to blow the bubbles, but it sprays as his arm swings where his body goes. You think, oh it's just soap, but then comes the dirt that sticks to the soap that is all over his body and clothing. To take it away would warrant cries sounding like those of a Velociraptor so I let him be. Then comes:

Austin: "up - down....hod you."

Me: "I don't want to hold you right now - go play please."

Ethan: "go play, Austin. PLAY!"

Me: "Let's not be too bossy Ethan, ok?"

Ethan: "will you play ball with me, mommy?"

Me: "I guess - if you go get the ball."

Austin: "UP DOWN - HOD youuuuu....aaaaaaaa"

So ended my 5 minutes of even THINKING about sitting down to enjoy a wonderful rest while drinking my Coke Zero and looking at my new Cooking Light magazine. Oh well. But Riva, I have to say - while I do agree with giving your kids a TASTE of the panini (to see if it warranted use in further lunches), you wouldn't have been able to rip that warm goodness from my grip if it was MY lunch. You are so generous! And to think I only gave them one sip from my measly Coke glass...

Bubble fun.

This is what I'm talking about - the dirt thing. Did we EAT the bubble soap? Just wondering...

I guess Ethan discovered a technique of holding the gun so the bubbles come out. Meanwhile, his brother is in the background stomping on all the ones that hit the ground. (Notice the precarious tilt of the bubble bottle in his hands. Now picture it if it was in one hand and had no lid. Ya - I had to get over that one.)