A Chilly Day At The Big Green Park

We don't make it over to the park so much, these days. Its not that I don't like going, even though I am kind of a park grump, mostly because I can't stand to hear my daughter shout "I can't!" over and over again when it comes to climbing the swirly ladders- its just that our weather here in west central Texas isn't exactly favorable for climbing, sliding, and climbing again.

Its either too hot, or too cold. Rarely, do we get the happy in between. A lot of people call those seasons "spring", or "fall". But here, its either hot or cold. Stormy or windy. The ideal park weather days are few and far between.

Which means that on a sunny day, when the temperatures are at their best, with the comfort, come the bees. And with that, I hide behind pillows on my couch.

But even though its been freezing outside, we thought a trip to the Big Green Park on the other side of our street was in order. My daughter needed to get out of the house, stretch her legs, talk with someone other than me, and- well okay maybe we all needed a little bit of fresh air. Staying in this box all day can make us go a little crazy. Mama Bear especially.



Yep, theres my group. Okay, well the bike isn't ours, but- Daddy pushing Charlie on the swing, Eleanore and Evelyn squaring off the corners of the photo behind them.

It was too cold to pick Evelyn up and hold her, so she kind of had to sit back and watch all the action from her stroller, bundled in her Pooh Bear bunting, and vintage green blanket.





I must have missed how Charlie ended up on Daddy's shoulders, but- my kids have never done well with piggy back's or the like, so it was a nice surprise to look over and see him holding onto Christopher's hat, not crying.



I know he may have wanted to. The views were good, nobody was running into him or stepping on his feet, but-

There was swinging to be had.










So much swinging. If one of them was swinging, the other one wanted to be swinging.

For even more pictures of swinging (in case that wasn't enough), and to meet the other people in the pictures, they're good friends of ours, you can see more at my photography blog .

Now lets talk about these swirly ladders...



These things. They seem easy enough, right? You put one foot here, another there. You put one hand above the other. And up you go.



Eleanore just doesn't quite get it. She tries and tries. She stops trying, and screams for help. She tries again, after we've explained how it works just one more time. And then she gives up, and gets down. And the part that really gets me, is that- shes done it before.

Shes just scared.



Soon I announce that its time to go, because I can't feel my hands anymore, and hot chocolate has never sounded better.

Really though baby, hes just trying to love on you.

So we call in the troops, tighten our jackets and gloves, and race home so fast that I choke on my own breath, while trying to taste the hot chocolate before its even been made.

But before we leave...



Just one more toss into the air, with your Daddy. Because you won't always be so small, and he won't always be so strong. The love and joy- that lasts forever though.