outside.

Mommy, can we go outside now? 

We spend hours each day "outside."  What do we do? 

Cade will mow the lawn with his mower, Cami's stroller or something else with wheels.  Cade will trim the bushes with his "delimber" aka trimmer aka golf club.  Sometimes he uses scissors to cut the grass that the mower guys missed or to cut long branches on our bushes. 

Cami loves to do up buckles, then ask me to undo it, then do it up again.  Cami loves to grab a toy--stroller, car etc. and say "walk walk."  As we walk around the cul-de-sac she will look back and say "coming?" She will randomly stop in the middle of the sidewalk, sit down and say "break" and will continue to sit there until she feels like getting up. 

They both love to push things and walk.  I'm not sure why this is such a draw for little walkers.  It can be a stroller, a mower, a golf bag or another little push cart we have.  Today I started with the cart because Cami insisted I push it.  Cade had the stroller and Cami had the mower.  Pretty soon Cade wanted to trade me and then a few minutes later Cami wanted to trade me.  I don't think they care what they push, as long as it is something. 

Cade loves to take his mower and a bucket or grocery sack to the grassy park across the street.  We have to pick up leaves and pinecones, pull the weeds the mowers missed and go on adventures climbing under the trees and running by the fence.

Often we will stop and talk to a neighbor as they check the mail or bring the garbage can in.  They all know Cade and Cami's names.  We have one neighbor who has a dog who loves us!

One afternoon we helped a stranded 18 year old jump his car.

One morning we ran through the sprinklers--which are almost never on at that time of day.

Sometimes we will go around the whole loop!  (our small block)  Cade will usually ride his bike for this and Cami will either walk or go in the stroller.  She loves stroller rides. 

We play with sidewalk chalk, eat breakfast and play in the sand in the back patio.  Mostly we just try to keep Cami from throwing sand everywhere.  Sometimes we sweep up sand too. 

On the side of the house is the "big grass."  Cade will do somersaults and silly tricks.  Cami loves to run back and forth holding hands with someone.  Cade sings songs to the world while standing on the sprinkler box.  We hit golf balls and of course, mow, blow and trim. 

We give lots of hugs when knees get scratched, hands smashed or toes bumped. 

It is a big world out there.  We have taken lots of time to explore our little corner of it.  Most days Cade would rather just play "outside" than go to a park or play with friends.  They are both super happy out there and just kind of wander around doing their thing and telling me how to play too.  Some days I wonder how we can spend so much time doing the same things outside, but it's fun and it is great to see them happy.  I'm sure I will look back and wish I had these days again with my 1 1/2 year old girl and my 3-year old boy.