Pretty Much Playing

It seems like lately I am so weak about writing. Maybe because its summer, maybe not I don't know. However, it is not because I am not doing stuff. I was talking to my Grandpa tonight and he asked me what I was up to. I replied, "Playing mostly." He said, "Well you do have like the two perfect playmates." You know what he is so right. I do have the perfect playmates and what makes it even better is that those two are getting better and better at playing with each other too. Like this afternoon they actually stayed outside and played in the water while I made dinner. It was great.I love playing with my kids and this week has been no exception.

This past weekend we had Aunt Kitt and her roommate Tabitha come visit. It was kind of interesting having another person who wasn't family around, but it was fun. Also, I did get a chance to really chat with Kitt when Tabitha went to bed around 9:30 and Kitt and I stayed up until midnight. I love having sister chats. I don't know if my sisters love them as much as I do, but man I love them. I honestly don't know what I would do if I couldn't talk to my family. Anyway, Saturday we played a lot. Gaupo, Kitt, and Tabitha took the girls over to the baseball field parking lot to ride bikes while I made bread. When the bread finished cooking, we quickly changed and headed to Sunset Pool. We found out the slides  didn't open for like another hour, but we had fun anyway. Kylee is quite the shallow water fish. She loves swimming and diving, and retrieving her shark. Tia loves monkey climbing, jumping in, and begging to go on slides and off the diving board. She couldn't do those last two because you have to be able to swim independently, but boy did she want to. We did stay long enough that the slides opened and Kitt and Tabitha had a great time on those, and because there were plenty of adults to help me watch my kids I got to enjoy the slides and diving boards too. It is so nice not be solely responsible all the time. I honestly don't know how single mothers do it. After swimming we went home and had lunch and naps. During naps we went shopping for some things Tabitha and Kitt needed and then we came back and talked till the girls woke up. Played a tiny bit and then had to send them home. It was such a short weekend. It was way too short and so it was really hard to say good-bye, but boy howdy was it a good time.

Yesterday I took my girls to Union Reservoir for the first time. I was suppose to get there at 10, but man after running, having breakfast, packing a lunch and getting together 'beach' supplies it was like 10:15 or so. I was late, but we got there and we did have the Stewarts waiting for us, but they were good sports about it. Anyway, Kylee got right to work swimming around and playing. Tia was a little bit more hesitant about the muddy water, but eventually warmed up to it and had a good time too. We had some other friends come as the day wore on and it was so great to be there. Our friends had some cool water toys like a giant alligator the girls could ride. They both really liked that. Kylee got to try a puddle jumper for the first time and thought it was so cool that she could float so easily. Tia loved a life jacket she tried out. Those two are so funny, but I guess its good they get to try those things out. I haven't ever let Kylee have anything like that for fear she would never swim without it, and consequently haven't had it around for Tia. Lucky for me I only have two kids and one of them is cautious, so no water safety gear works most of the time. It was a wonderful warm day and we had a great time playing in the sand and water. The girls love the picnic lunch and sharing foods with our friends. It really was fun to do things with people. I mean sometimes it is nice to do things by yourself, but sometimes it really is nice to have other people there too. After playing there until about 1:30 my girls were done, so we came home and had baths and they took naps. Boy they were so tired they didn't even last the 5 minute drive home. I felt bad having to wake them up, but that sand and water needed to come off before they climbed into bed.

Today was yet another great day. We usually have speech therapy on Thursday, but today it was cancelled, so we had nothing going on. Knowing this, when we were on our run yesterday and passed a really fun park, I told the girls we could run there tomorrow and have breakfast and play. So, today that is what we did. I packed us some milk, muffins, and cottage cheese and we headed out. Don't worry the milk and cottage cheese was with ice. Anyway, we ran to the park and got out and had breakfast. They thought it was pretty fun, except that I chose the one 'cold' morning this summer to do it. However, we ate some and then played hide in the tunnel from the wind and snacked on breakfast till the food was gone and played and played.

Here is the three of us eating.

Kylee and Tia enjoying muffins and milk.

Eventually Kylee had to go to the bathroom, and when we came out our friends were at the park. We didn't know they were going to be there it just happened so of course we just had to stay longer and play. We did and about the time the kids were winding down from that the people running free lunch said we could color. So, the kids went and colored with markers and decorated with stickers. Then the book-cycle came. The book-cycle is a bicycle that the library has that they take around to different places. So, today it was at the park we were at because they do free lunch there. My kids were all about the books and then of course the free lunch. Then they played some more and I talked to a few more of the mom's that were there. It really was a great morning, but I really was ready to home when we finally got here. Kylee was so tuckered out she slept until almost 4:00. Because she slept good and Tia was playing the Ipad, (I know giving a device to babysit, but sometimes you just gotta) I got to have a really good talk with mom. I love that she isn't working. She probably is like I don't know why you think that you don't call me all the time and I know I don't I just like knowing I can. Plus, today it was great. Anyway, after Kylee work up I sprayed out the little pool and let the girls swim in there until dinner. It was really nice to have such a low key day. I kind of feel like it has been awhile since we have just done whatever, so it was really nice.

Playing with toys in the little pool.

I love being a stay-at-home-mom. True sometimes I wish I could hand my kids off, but most times we have a great time and I wouldn't trade the moments, play, and fun that we have together for all the career satisfaction in the world. I love my kids and I am so blessed to their mom. Us girls are so blessed to have a dad who works and provides so we can play together. I feel so blessed to be able to do this because it is hard to make it work, but have be blessed to be able to and I am so glad. Growing up I always thought I wanted to work part-time, but now I love being just a mom. And true I have worked off and on and I am going to start watching two kids here in a couple of weeks, but I have been able to stay home and that means a lot to me. I feel so blessed to be a mom, have a great husband and the two best playmates--Kylee and Tia.