We've got some SPRING in our steps!

We're so glad that it's springtime in Georgia! It's a little ironic, though. For the majority of the winter, we had very little precipitation and MANY days with weather in the high sixties and seventies. I took walks with the kids all the time and we played outside a lot. Now that springtime has arrived, so has the rain! We've had some cool snaps too. I started to get the kids ready for a walk this morning and realized that it was 36 degrees outside. I opted to postpone until later in the morning when it got a little warmer. This past week, we had torrential downpours. It rained pretty steady from Wednesday until late Saturday. As you might imagine, things were a little soggy around here. By Saturday, we had the beginning of a lake in our backyard and Maura was very interested. I was gone for most of the afternoon, but Brent got her all dressed up in her raincoat and umbrella and she went outside to explore. If that doesn't bring a smile to your face on a rainy day, I don't know what would! My girl loves her umbrella!

My girl thoroughly enjoyed her puddle stomp. I'm going to have to get her some rain boots! Maura went splashing through the puddles singing, "The Elephant March," from The Jungle Book.

Wipeout!!

On the very first day of spring(March 22nd?) we headed out for a morning walk. We love our walks, but I wanted to do something a little different. Some friends from church live up the street and have said that we could use their swing set, so we went in for a little swing. It was Tristan's first time in a swing and he loved it! I never could get a photo of him with his eyes all the way open because he was SO relaxed in the swing. Little chubbo! I took them back today and he actually fell asleep while he was swinging. It made me wish that I hadn't already taken the swing back to Kentucky!

I had to include this photo because this swing makes me nostalgic. I don't even know what it's called(a teeter totter?), but I have so many happy childhood memories of riding on one of these! Maura loved their roller coaster. It has two gentle hills, but the kids fly down them!

Pointing to where she's going maybe?? I don't know! It had rained the night before, so I promised her that at the end of the walk I'd let her jump in mud puddles. I dressed her in her oldest/most mud colored clothing in anticipation of a real mudfest. I should have known better. She is, after all, my child. She wasn't really interested in getting dirty.

Stepping in mud was about the dirtiest she got. I hate to think that my clean fetish might take away some of the joys of childhood! Lots of rocks and sticks were thrown, but not a muddy splash was made by her little feet. How disappointing!!
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That afternoon, we decided to plant some flowers. We've been admiring some pretty posies on our walks, and Maura decided that we needed some of our own. I took her to Wal-mart and let her pick out all the blossoms she wanted and we planted them the next day. Here she is, ready to get some gardening on! Digging the hole for the posies. My girl was really into the potting soil. I had to hold her way back, or she would have dumped the whole bag in each hole. She loved planting the flowers and every time we're in the front yard now she checks their progress. What a great little helper!
Where was Tristan during our gardening extravaganza? He was just chillin' with a bottle. What a big boy. He's not interested in having anyone else hold it these days. I'm putting you to work NEXT year in the garden little buddy! Happy Spring everyone!