Warm Weather Memories

Last night I got a sweet email from someone in Germany that said, in more detail, that they enjoyed my blogs.  I appreciate your kind words, and thank you for reading!!! It made me realize that I have not written in over a week. It had been a busy week and work and by the time I get home I am busy with two crazy little men.  This past week or so I have kind of felt ‘blah.’  Weather doesn’t usually affect me too much but this winter has been extremely looooong and very cold.

I am ready for Spring!!! Please come soon, warm weather!  If my two little boys have to stay inside to play much longer they are going to tear my house down!  On days that it is nice out, as soon as we get home from work and school we are outside. I make them dinner and let them eat outside and we do not go in until it is bath time (or the temperature drop to low and it cold…yet again). We pile in the house on the warm days I unload the items from school and work and quickly drop everything on the counter to open the sliding glass door to the back yard for them to go play.  The boys race out of the house like caged wild animals.  

The few days last week when it was warm I would open the back door and Jake raced to the swing set to climb the rock wall, and then would go down the slid, doing this over and over and over.  He then switched to “practicing soccer” and he sprinted and kicked the ball back and forth all over the yard. I felt as though his little soul was saying “I’m free!” as he raced and ran and climbed in the beautiful 70 degree day.

Jimmy got outside and this is the first ‘real’ time that he has been able to play, last year he was still pretty little.  So it was funny to see his reaction to getting to play outside.  As Jake raced past him to the rock wall, Jimmy went into the grass and just started to run in circles around the little tykes’ slide we have.  He ran for several minutes around and around and around while yelling “yay, yay, yay, yay!” He only stopped because I asked “Jimmy, are you having fun?” and he flashed one of his ear- to-ear grins. He then saw what Jake was doing and wanted to play along.

I’ve written previously about the chaos of having two little ones so close together, but in moments like that night, when it was just me and the two boys and they were happily playing with each other makes me realize all the chaos from the night time feedings and the double diaper changes and the mixed up sip cups comes this.  A buddy, a friend that can always play, and that is worth it!

Last year Jake would play by himself sometimes as I would hold jimmy or sit on the blanket by him.  I would juggle pushing Jake on the swings while making sure Jimmy wasn’t finding dog poop and eating it.   But this year, this year when I hear Jake say “come on Jimmy! Let’s get in our fort!” I forgot about the troubles that two-under-two brought last year and smiled at the bond of brotherhood that has formed.

I am so ready for warm weather.  To be outside, with the opportunity to abandon the heavy jackets for t-shirts, the space to race and run, the freedom to be loud and wild, and the ability to strengthen their fundamentals of baseball, football, basketball, soccer , golf and all the other sports that they love. But mainly I am excited to build the memories that happen in the warm weather.

Most of my memories from when I was younger are being outside with friends and cousins, when it was summer or spring. Playing in the sprinklers, riding bikes, drawing with chalk on the sidewalk, and duck-duck-goose in the tickly grass. Playing at the park and picnic’s that my mom would create.

 I love these moments, I like to look back on the pure joy of being able to be that little girl with no worries. I think that is why when it is so cold and dreary for so long I start to feel “blah,” because a part of me is still that little girl. The one that wants to go outside to play and be in the sunshine almost as much as my little boys.  I want to instill in my kids that playing outside with your brother and cousins and buddies beats sitting inside with an xbox any day.

I am so ready for Spring. I am ready for the squeals and giggles of little kids in my yard. I am ready for the sticky hands from melting popsicles, for the tanned little toes, and sun screened noses. I am ready for blue skies and green grass and windows open to let the fresh air pass. I am ready for cook-outs and camp-outs and getting together with friends and family. I am ready for little kids tuckered out from a busy day of sunshine and laughing and outside play.

 I am ready to build these warm weather memories!   


Thank you again for all who read each post and have continued to tell me that they can relate and enjoy my blog. It means a lot! For the individuals who do not have Facebook (and even those that do) I have a link now on the blog to sign up to receive the blog in an email each time I post or to subscribe to the blog through 'Bloglovin'. Again thank you to everyone for reading and sharing and passing along to friends! Life with kids is entertaining!