My Everyday Life

When we have a slow morning I take the kids to the playground to have a breakfast picnic.  We usually hit up the drive-through Dunkin Donuts on Route 10 for bagels and donuts and an iced decaf caramel latte for Mama.  And can we just take a moment to rewind and notice I said a DRIVE THROUGH DUNKIN DONUTS.  Perhaps one of the greatest ideas EV-ER.  I actually pass 3 Dunkin Donuts just to hit the drive-through one so I don’t have to deal with the hassle of car seats, controlling wild children in busy parking lots and the inevitable public melt-downs in the check-out line that follow after I say “you can have your donut AFTER breakfast IF you eat all of your breakfast.”   So we hit the drive through and then head over to the park which is perfect b/c it is still nice and cool and the playground is somewhat shaded at that hour so the slides have not yet reached the too-hot-to-touch scorching temperatures they can reach mid-summer AND everyone is in a great mood because we are outside and Mama didn’t have to cook or do any dishes!!  A win for all.

The other great thing about friends who visit, is that they like to bring toys for your kids!!  The marble maze was a hot attraction this morning.

Last year neither of my boys were a big fan of the beach.  They were afraid of the ocean because it was cold and the waves were too strong and they didn’t like the texture of the sand on their feet or hands.  Made for a rough vacation.  So Oma and Opa had the bright idea of getting them accustomed to the beach by starting out at the lake where the water is warm and calm.  It was a genius idea.  J didn’t love the sand but was much more willing to play in it than last year.  R still hated the sand BUT since the water was so accessible he was able to play there and just hang out on the blanket when we needed a lunch break or an icee break and then head right back to the water (with me carrying him of course so his feet didn’t touch the sand) when we were through.  I’m not a huge lake person (read = it was stinky!) but since the kids were happy, I was happy.

Today we had some old friends over with their kids for a dinner playdate.  Their daughter, E, had a blast in the police car and their son, C, pretty much just chilled on his Dad’s lap the entire time while our boys ran around half-naked in the sprinkler.  Eat.  Drink.  Be merry.

We had a pizza playdate with some of our favorite neighbors.  They have a lovely fenced yard, lots of outdoor toys, a splash table, a great swingset and a fun sprinkler.  And the kids get along really well.  It’s particularly fun for Dada and I b/c we can actually kick back and enjoy some beers while the kids play.  We like to refer to it as “independent parenting.”   It’s basically the opposite of the “attachment” style of parenting.

(yup, iPhone pics)

Determination is only half the battle.

(sorry, iPhone pic!)

J was missing Oma and Opa so we invited them over for some afternoon playtime and dinner.  I told J they were coming over after his nap so of course, when he woke up, he immediately asked if they were here yet.  I said no and they would be here in an hour.  As children, they have zero understanding of time, so every time it sounded like a car was pulling into our driveway they ran over to the fence exclaiming “they’re here!  they’re here!”  Next time I think we’ll have to invite them over an hour earlier.

Today we went on a nature walk at the Great Swamp.  The guides had hidden stuffed animals and toy bugs along our path for the kids to find and match up to the pictures on the bulletin board the guide was carrying.  J and R loved it!