outdoor fun

now that all that sick business was behind us, the kids and i played outside during nap time!  madelyn had school in the morning and i took mason and maddux to the library to return our books and get some new ones.  it was a gorgeous day!  it was going to be near 80 (a record breaking temperature for march in ohio) - actually got to 83/84 - and it was not going to be wasted inside!

it is actually a little embarrassing how excited i am to have some warmer weather.  i think it comes from living in an apartment last year.  we were inside so much or at a 'destination' of some sort for outside play that it seems like a luxury to just relax and play in the yard.

first the kids played 'soccer' in the backyard (mason hit a few balls off his baseball tee, but he wanted to run and kick with madelyn).

then they got the sandbox toys out (our sandbox is yet to be filled with sand since the move) and went to the empty lot next door to dig for rocks.

and then we took them into the driveway to wash them off in their bucket and set them out to dry.  the plan is to paint faces on them later in the week.  we actually talked about making some of them like easter eggs.

and since maddux was taking a monster nap (from 1:30 - 5:15) we colored and read library books on the back deck.  madelyn and mason were playing school story time with the books and lined them up all the way across the railing so that we could see all of the titles at once and took turns asking which book we should read next.

when maddux woke up he came out to join them while i fixed dinner.

i can't tell you how much i am looking forward to this summer!  i just love the fresh air and sunshine.  the warmer temperatures don't hurt much either.  love.