We always love to see the kids working on construction projects in the morning!
Alice was very proud to tie some leaves of grass to this plastic stick.
I took the kids to Jack Smith Park for the day while Zac worked on more of the backyard playground installation. I always find it funny when I pack for the park and set up camp to spend 5 hours there, while other families come and go, sometimes spending as little as 15 minutes there. It reminds me of people who take their kids to the library and they check out two books. When I go to the library I bring saddle bags and come home with about 40 books.
For this particular excursion, I brought picnic lunches, kites, Simon's bike, Alice's scooter, plus a folding chair and book for myself.
Simon wiped out in the muddy field running with his kite in the first five minutes. I had packed a change of clothes, thinking that was great foresight, but now I was thinking just one change of clothes wouldn't be enough for the whole day.
Simon spent most of his time riding his bike and trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to fly his kite. Simon was frustrated because he couldn't fly his kite and Alice was frustrated because she couldn't get up the rock wall, and I was unable to help her. Both kids were pretty whiny and annoyed with me that I wouldn't do everything they demanded. I thought feeding them would help, but it only slightly reduced the complaining.
Alice strongly dislikes sandwiches, so she requested leftover spaghetti in a thermos. Weird picnicker! (Also notice the sandal drink holder.)
Simon ate his sandwich in style.
Later, I was sitting there reading twitter on my phone when Alice grabbed it from me and declared, "I want to take a picture!"
I asked her, jokingly, "Of me? Your beautiful mom?"
She replied, "No! Of a sheep." Of course.
She also took a picture of this beautiful mud puddle. How can I compete with that?
Later, when I was talking on the phone with my parents and not paying attention, she somehow got to the top of the climbing rock (I think she got a bit of assistance from someone).
The problem, of course, was that now she was scared to get down. Luckily, Random Park Dad stepped in to help coach her down. I think it was one of his kids that helped Alice get up there in the first place, so he must have felt obligated to help rescue her.
Finally, around 3 pm it started raining and we headed home.
