Exploring Warner Park Nature Center

Last Friday, Sawyer and I headed to Warner Park Nature Center to check out the new play area and wade in the creek. Just the two of us.

The new natural play area includes a big dirt hill - perfect for climbing, digging and throwing dirt around. There's also a little kid-sized log cabin and a few other nature-y things.

Sawyer climbed the hill, but he mostly loved throwing dirt.

Then we checked out the creek by the nature center. It's perfect for wading.

We did some light hiking.

Sawyer threw lots of big rocks into the creek.

What a great way to spend the afternoon - just walking, wading and wandering around together at this great park. We'll be coming back here a lot this summer.

Saturday was busy with a pancake breakfast to benefit Parker's school (the teachers and principal served the food), followed by a tee ball game. Here are Parker and his friend Connor in the dugout before their turns at bat.

Sunday was packed full, too. I ran 11.5 miles, finished staining our fence, played with the boys and did the usual stuff around the house to get ready for Monday.

I hope you had a great weekend, too!

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Soaking Up Spring

Spring is my favorite time of year, and we've been basking in these perfect days. Here's a rundown of some stuff we've been up to:

Tee ball is in full swing. Here's my view Parker's tee-ball practice when Sawyer comes along..

Sometimes he'll stay in one place and watch the big kids.

The tree in front of our house is amazing for just a week or so at the very beginning of spring.

Sawyer and I visited Parker's school this week to help with the spring egg hunt. It was a gorgeous day.

Then we went into the class and hung out with the kids during the party. The big kids are all so great with Sawyer.

Random photo: We're making some progress with the vegetables. Sawyer will eat corn if it's on the cob.

We've spent a LOT of time just hanging in the backyard - blowing bubbles, sifting sand, lying in the grass.

Parker and I painted spring pictures Friday while Sawyer napped.

My sister Susie and her boyfriend Terry sent a big box of gifts as a surprise: new jammies for Parker, bristle blocks for Sawyer, a gorgeous apron for me and a lavender sachet that has my whole living room smelling like spring. My family rocks.

Today we dyed eggs with our neighbor friends, Ethan and Amanda.

Parker didn't need that little wire egg holder. His hands were much more convenient.

Sawyer spent the day running around barefoot in the grass. We'll be doing plenty more of that.

"If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall." ~Nadine Stair

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Chunk o' Love

I'm just experiencing a little late-night nostalgia about how fast my kids are growing. Looking through some old photos, I came across my all-time favorite shot of Sawyer. He was about three months old here. A chunk o' love, proudly displayed by his big brother.



Just a little something to make you smile.

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One kid is a Metallica fan ...

the other, not so much.

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Lying Low

It's been a sickly kind of week in the Denton household. Parker has had the flu since last Sunday. Fever went away Wednesday, and he went back to school yesterday - only to run a fever again last night. So we are lying low this weekend, skipping Parker's ice-skating lesson and a birthday party at the zoo.

Parker stayed home with me all week, and we worked together in the bed - me on my laptop, him drawing pictures and watching cartoons. It was actually nice and kind of cozy, hanging out together as the rain drizzled outside.


We decided to send some of his drawings to family members, and - taking a cue from my homeschooling friends - he learned how to address envelopes. The stamp had the Liberty Bell on it, which led to a mini-lesson about the Liberty Bell - where it is, why it is cracked, why it's called the Liberty Bell. (Mom and Dad, Uncle C.P., Nonnie - your drawings are in the mail!)

I only wish Sawyer could have stayed home, too. (Work schedule is unrelenting these days but should slow down soon.) Sawyer is not sick at the moment, and I'm hoping, hoping this passes him by. I've been Lysol-ing like crazy.

A Sawyer update: He knows his colors! He won't really say them, but he can point to them. He is crazy about books, and his favorite is Good Night, Gorilla. But he also loves Happy Baby Colors and many others. He's very particular and likes to read new books every night. (Except Good Night, Gorilla, which is pretty much a mainstay.) This sweet munchkin is a bit of a hellion these days (early terrible twos??) He says "no" a lot and has started hitting when things don't go his way. But he's also so sweet and affectionate, doling out kisses to us, his big brother, his stuffed animals - and his books.

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Our Weekend: A Mixed Bag

One thing I like about blogging is that it helps put things in perspective. I needed that this weekend, although it started out great.

We headed to the home of our friends Amy and Ted on Saturday to hang out - but mostly so Amy and I could hide away and watch Twilight while the guys watched the kids. But before we started, this amazing milestone happened... No training wheels! Parker saw Brayden do it, so he had to try. Sometimes peer pressure can be a good thing.




The kids played and took a break for popsicles...



Sawyer found a friend ...

Amy made some awesome Sangria (she gave me the recipe - will post later) and we slipped away to watch the movie ...


Then we all headed to the Corner Pub for dinner ... after 7 p.m.! Amazingly, there were no meltdowns...

One reason I love that restaurant - they have a place for kids to run around and throw beanbags.

The next morning, we decided to take the kids shopping - and that was a BAD IDEA. Now I remember why we don't take the kids on extended shopping trips. Sawyer and I had to leave a restaurant and sit in the car. We were that family. **Sigh**

So we regrouped on Monday and made it a don't-leave-the-house-play-in-the-backyard-no-stress day. Everyone was much happier.



Hope your holiday weekend was a great one!

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Easy Like Sunday Morning

Jerod bought some Rollerblades a couple weeks ago, and he's been getting up at 5:30 a.m. to practice. Yesterday we all went to the trail together in the morning to get some exercise - and to see Jerod on his skates for the first time. He did an awesome job - even making it down a pretty steep hill several times with no spills. Parker practiced his biking, and Sawyer hung out in the jogger and did some walking on the trail. I pushed the jogger but didn't run much because of my bum toe. It wasn't too hot on the shady parts of the trail, and it was a great way to spend a laid-back Sunday morning.

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Weekend Water Play

We have had so much fun this weekend in the sprinkler. Sometimes it's just too hot to go to the pool, so we set up the sprinkler in our shady backyard and turn the boys loose. Easy, free - and when it's naptime, we just head inside. Sawyer especially loves playing in the sprinkler. Here are some shots from our weekend water play.

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A Father's Day Note

A belated Father's Day note ... to Jerod, who works so hard for us.

Remember when Parker was this little...

And then Sawyer, so tiny ...

And now, so big...

Thank you for all you do, and for working so hard to make each fleeting moment count. Happy Father's Day. We all love you so much!

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Weekend in Alabama

About a week ago, we spent the weekend in Alabama visiting Jerod's Aunt Janice and Uncle Jimmy. They were celebrating 50 years of marriage - a huge accomplishment, and definitely worth a big family gathering. It was not a smooth trip for us, though. I dislocated my toe (tripped over a suitcase), and Sawyer woke several times during the night crying - not sure where he was, and also getting a cold. I finally connected to streaming white noise online (what did we do without Wi-Fi?), and we all got a few hours of sleep. Parker spent the night for the first time ever with his Nonnie in her room, and he did great. They had a blast sneaking around the hotel pretending to be secret agents. When we got home, Sawyer spiked a fever and threw up. Poor little guy. It seems to happen almost every time we travel.

Oh, my toe? I took some Advil, drank a beer, and Jerod popped it back in place. Yeouch.

Nonnie and Sawyer

My crooked toe (next to big toe, if you can't tell)

Nonnie and Parker

Sawyer at the cookout

Me and Sawyer (Shawn, Jerod's brother, in the background)

On the tractor

With Great-Aunt Janice

Parker on the trampoline

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