The Great Outdoors, Sandbox Stink Eye and Teacher Love

I don’t think we’ve ever spent more time outside than we have this summer. For one thing, Ellie is no fragile toddler anymore and I don’t have to watch anyone every single second (well, I do, but you know what I mean). It's just a lot more relaxing (OK maybe relaxing is a tad of an exaggeration but there's definitely less hovering over the kids) now that everyone can kind of do their own thing, whether it's Stomp Rockets or water tables or chalk drawings or bikes (to name a few).

Granted it’s been hot as, well, you know, but we’ve been having some great fun. I never thought I'd say this but I feel like I'm getting used to being uncomfortable and sweaty. It just is. And Popsicles and baby pools and lemonade and sprinklers and white wine also help.

Erin bought more sand for the sand box and that occupied Ellie for most of Sunday afternoon. No really, I’m serious. It’s so funny--you just never know what kids are going to latch onto. Ellie spent a good two hours pouring sand into little cups and making piles and narrated the whole endeavor. There was plenty of "Mommy do you want to see this?"


Only Ellie would make herself a little chair in sandbox (she’s a delicate flower who could not deign to sit in sand). I actually thought that little set-up was pretty ingenious and she totally came up with it on her own.

Perfecting the stink eye. Can't you just hear the irritated preschooler/teenager in training: "Mommy don’t take my picture." This picture is so Ellie.

The fire pit. I’m very excited about this purchase. I realize no one wants to build a fire right now, but autumn will come (soon!) and with it, a chill in the air that will simply require toasted marshmellows, s’mores, and fleece jackets. Yesssss.

Admittedly, the hot, dry summer has some perks. I’ve had to mow the lawn maybe three times (not kidding) and our local garden shop had a crazy blow out sale last weekend. They were practically giving perennials away (40 percent off the whole store). I’d pretty much given up on a garden (I’m looking at you Dog Who Likes To Dig) but I figured, hey, at forty percent off, I’m willing to take the chance.

Also note the heavy use of undiggable containers.

Switching gears, Leo’s teacher sent me a few photos of his birthday celebration at school. I love these little windows into his “other” world. We had been wondering where he learned to hold up the right number of fingers and we got our answer in these pictures.



Can I just pause here to say again how much I love Leo's teacher? Not only does she take the time to do things like email me pictures of my kid (on the weekend, I might add) but on Saturday she actually came to the house to drop off Beloved Dog, who had accidentally been left at school on the last day of school. I know. I wasn't sure how we'd get out of that one but Mrs. L saved the day.

And switching gears again, back outside in our little oasis:

I'm titling this one "Happy Boy Outside with his Mama."