Almost Free Fun in Northern Virginia: Mini-Golf

A year ago, I only knew of local miniature golf courses that cost $7 (adults) or $6 (kids) for a single game. We used coupons from the summer reading program to reduce the cost a bit, but still paid a pretty penny for six of us to golf at Jefferson Falls Mini-Golf in Falls Church, Virginia.

Now I know better. I've discovered that the regional parks in Fairfax County have much cheaper mini-golf courses. Our family has enjoyed two of them in the past few months, so can compare and contrast them for you. One is Fountainhead Regional Park (in Fairfax Station) and the other is Pohick Bay Regional Park (in Lorton).

Fountainhead is a lovely park along the Occoquan River. It includes many amenities, including mountain bike trails, boat docks, and hiking. We were pleased to find that it also has a mini-golf course that only costs $2 per person! This price is for ball and club rental, and is good for as many games as you care to play during their hours of operation (the park closes at dusk). The course is right in the woods, so has the benefit of being shady. A potential drawback, though, is that tree debris falls onto the course, so if you care about perfectly clean greens, you might be annoyed.

If you care about aesthetics, you'll want to know that there aren't any cute structures built on the course and it is a bit run-down looking. The holes are still creative and fun, challenging us with their bridges and turns, and making us figure out proper angles for success. We cried out in frustration and squealed in glory, as one should in any good mini-golf course. We did not find the pine needles a hindrance in any way and the cheap cost was totally worth the lack of beauty. Another bonus is that a bathroom is close by. It will be my go-to place from now on!

Pohick Bay is a similar park in many regards. It also is on water, located at the bay where the Pohick Creek joins up with the Potomac River. It also has boat docks, hiking trails and additionally features a campground, frisbee golf course, and water park. Its miniature golf course is similar in price to Fountainhead's, but not quite as good: games cost $3 per person at Pohick Bay (again: play as much as you like during open hours, which are likewise 'til dusk).

The course at Pohick is better maintained and nicer looking. While still simple compared to commercial sites, it does have a few structures built on the course and has cleaner greens. The paths and holes are all in good repair, and my daughter especially appreciated the beauty of it. The bathroom is farther away, though, and is not obvious as one has to hike a short trail through woods to get to it. We had a great time playing at Pohick Bay, but I don't think the slightly better condition and looks were worth the extra money. To most people the extra $1 is not a big deal, but it adds up when you pay for many players.

So if you're looking for family fun in the D.C. suburbs, give these regional parks a try! I'm so glad we did. We love the memories we're making with our kids, the laughter we enjoy together, and even the improved skills the more we play! It's not quite free, but worth every dollar.

London Pics

Week at the Pool

Thanks to Fusion Lifestyle (an Oxford fitness center) and to a homeschooling yahoo group, the kids and I enjoyed a very wet half-term (school holiday) last week! In honor of "National Family Week" Fusion sponsored parents to swim for free at Oxford city pools if they went with their kids. (And in Oxford, kids can always go free.) I found out about it through my homeschooling group. What a blessing it was to us!!

I mentioned it to my neighbor Sarah at the beginning of the week, and we started making tentative plans to go together to the outdoor pool on Wednesday. The day arrived, though, and it was rainy, plus Sarah could not come as she'd hoped. I told her I'd like to go anyway, to an indoor pool, and that I could take her 7-year-old Jonathan with us. She was thrilled with the idea and offered to drive us all there.

We had a great time at the Ferry Sports Centre pool. In addition to the regular pool, there was a "learner's pool" which had very broad steps (the whole width of the pool) and only ranged from 0.8 to 1 meter deep. This meant that Jonathan, Naomi, and Josiah could all stand by themselves, and that Ethan had quite a big space to play in shallow water (on the steps).

Jonathan goes to a pool every week so is quite comfortable with water, unlike my own kids. I think he helped Naomi feel more confident. Also it was nice to have four kids so that I had two pairs: Ethan and Josiah played well together, and Naomi and Jonathan spent almost all their time together in the 1-meter deep area.

We had so much fun on Wednesday that we decided to do it again on Friday! This time it was sunny and warm, so we decided to try the outdoor pool (Hinksey Pool). Again I offered to take Jonathan, and again Sarah said she could drive us there. It was really a perfect day to be outside in the water.

Hinksey Pool is a zero-depth pool and Ethan enjoyed the large "beach" area, where he could push his car around and lie on his tummy to splash. Naomi, Jonathan, and Josiah were happy to see that our neighbor friend Anna was also at the pool. She had come separately, with her mom and brother.

The problem with Hinksey Pool was that there was no shade and unfortunately, I was not careful enough with our sun protection. When we got home, I found that Naomi and I had burned our backs and shoulders. All three kids had a touch of sunburn right under their eyes. I learned for the next time!

On Saturday, we went yet again to the Ferry Pool, this time with Steve so he could see it. Again we brought Jonathan, but this time we walked both there and back (an hour each way). We went in the afternoon, and while the pool was shut for 1 1/2 hours (due to a private party), we enjoyed a Burger King dinner on the grass outside. We stayed until the pool shut at 7:30 and still had plenty of light to walk home in.

Finally on Sunday -- the last day of the free deal -- we went to the Hinksey Pool straight from church. Learning from my mistakes, I brought umbrellas and T-shirts to wear in the water. We wore sun-visors and got out from the water after every hour to spend a half hour in the shade, re-applying sunscreen. Steve, ever the busy student, brought his book with him so he could study while we played. Naomi didn't like the feel of wearing a shirt in the water, so she chose to stay in the shade of our umbrella with Steve, coloring with crayons I'd brought. I enjoyed the few hours of focused time with my boys, playing "hide-and-seek" with bath toys I'd brought and watching Ethan push around his cars again.

So that was our week of holiday, at home =) Now we're recovering from our vacation, trying to get the neglected house back in order and get ourselves some much-needed rest.

Week at the Pool -- pics

Josiah and Naomi loved playing with our neighbor friends Jonathan and Anna! (Anna's family had come to the pool at the same time, unbeknownst to us.)

Ethan's favorite part was pushing his cars around in the water.

Puddle Jumping!

It's rained off and on for the past few days, and today the temperature finally rose a bit. I've had to go out by myself to run a couple errands yesterday and today, and each time, Ethan grabbed his shoes and sat by the door, ready to come with me. I hated to tell him that he wasn't coming! So today when I got back from an errand, I decided it was definitely a great day for a leisurely walk -- a puddle walk!

Ah, the joys of childhood.

The kids donned their wellies (rain-boots) and sweaters and we took off around the block. Naomi and Josiah took turns riding our one scooter and Ethan enjoyed every single puddle.

He was doing great at staying dry until we got to a mega-puddle (mini-pond!) near the end. This was so deep that stomping in it got his trousers completely wet above the wellies. Unbeknownst to me, his trousers and socks within the wellies were also soaked. (I only discovered this upon our arrival at home when I removed his boots.) This didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

Then he tripped and fell face-first into the pond puddle. I thought for sure that was the end of our fun, as he doesn't like to be dirty and now his hands were wet and cold. But he wiped them off, shed a few tears and then wanted to keep splashing! Naomi and Josiah both really liked scootering through the mega-puddle. They tried to get up enough speed that they could coast through the whole thing without putting their foot down in the water.

After a long, relaxed, fun walk we finally made it back home. We'd only gone down our street and the one parallel to ours, but the boys were dirty and wet. I stuck them in the bath tub where they merrily played and continued to splash -- this time on my bathroom floor.

London - Jan. 2009

It was so cold, but we wanted to show the kids the part of London we'd enjoyed while dating. So we dragged them to the Thames and made them see Tower Bridge (I used to live just a few blocks from TB). Naomi doesn't like having her photo taken, and Ethan was asleep in the stroller.

We rode the Docklands Light Railway because the kids were so excited about trains. The DLR uses a computer system to drive their trains, instead of actual people. The kids were thus able to stand right next to the front window of the entire train!

Meals were a little crazy with my family of 5 added to Becky's family of 4! For six days we were serving 4 adults and 5 kids who were 6 or under.

My friends Simon and Claire live around the corner from my hostess friend Becky. They'd come over with their 2 year old and newborn and then we'd have 7 kids aged 6 and under!

Playing with the kids while my friend Becky did some work at her church.

Anniversary Date

Last week Steve and I celebrated 9 years of marriage, in the same city where he proposed to me in May 1999. Nine years is a drop in the bucket compared to some, but a milestone compared to many. I'm grateful for Steve's constant patience, encouragement, and tender love. He is faithful and respectful and such a gift to me!

For our anniversary, he brought home a dozen roses, of mixed colors. I think they're the best flowers I've received in years!! I was thrilled! We also asked a friend to come stay with our kids so we could go out to dinner. We went to a Mexican cafe in city centre for our main course and to the Eagle and Child pub for dessert.


Mexican food is not easy to find here in England, but we were impressed with The Mission. Their prices were very reasonable, the quantity was fairly large by British standards, and the taste was delicious! Guacamole was a highlight.


The Eagle and Child is a pub that was frequently used as a meeting place for a group of writers known as the Inklings. C.S. Lewis and Tolkien were among them, and as we love these two authors, we enjoy eating where they ate. (We also first went there while engaged.) A friend had recommended the sticky toffee pudding and we thoroughly enjoyed it as our dessert!

Here's to my loving husband, Steve, and many more years of marriage yet to come...

From Home to City Centre

These are pictures from our weekly trek into city centre. We go on Wednesdays because that’s when there’s a farmer’s market in Gloucester Green. Walking with the kids takes about 45 minutes, if we don’t stop to watch the ducks in University Park. Then on the way back, we have more to carry because of our purchases at market. The kids usually take turns pulling our shopping trolley, while I pull another load and push the stroller with one hand.

The final picture, of a cab with the periodic table on it, is in honor of my Grandpa, previously a science teacher. I thought it might make him smile =)

Naomi: Looking for a Park

November '08
It was a sunny day and we were on a hunt to find a new playground. Mom had looked at a map which indicated there would be a playground at Angel and Greyhound Meadow, in the St. Clement’s area of Oxford. That wasn’t too far from home, so we set out on a Friday morning for an exploring adventure.

Even though it was a bit of a walk (25-30 min.) we each found a stick on the way and had fun pretending they were swords or walking sticks. When we got to the busier part of town, Mom had to keep reminding us not to play swords because so many people were walking by us. She also was a little worried we’d fall in front of a car or bus if we weren’t paying attention.

Mom guided us through an alley and a parking lot, over a little bridge, and we saw the meadow, just beyond a copse of trees. Yay! We love running and jumping in woods and grass. I was so excited!

I had not taken too many steps into the grass, however, when I realized this was very WET grass. And a few steps further indicated I was walking in MUD. Mom saw the mucky state of the ground and apologized to me, saying that this meadow must be a floodplain. (I know all about floodplains because we walk through one every time we take the footpath through University Parks into town. And I’ve seen light flooding there!)

My brothers, mom, and I own “wellies” (rain boots) but we hadn’t worn them on this adventure. We thought we’d just be playing in a playground. The rest of my family was wearing sneakers, but unfortunately for me, I was wearing socks and crocs. Yes, well, I can tell you now that mud squishes into crocs VERY quickly. My feet were immediately wet, cold, and dirty. Yuck!

Mom took pity on me during the worst bits and pushed me in the stroller (which Ethan had vacated for the obvious pleasure of squishing through mud!) We eventually made it to the other side and walked along the edge of the meadow, which was slightly less muddy than the middle. I thought our “adventure” was a failure until I saw the river.

Ah, flowing water. There are so many things one can do next to a river. Josiah and I used our sticks to stir muddy water by the banks, pretending we were making chocolate milk. Ethan tried to throw leaves into the water, but mostly the wind would blow them right back onto him! We threw pebbles in, comparing splashes and sounds. We even cheered Mommy on as she lugged a great big huge branch, and flopped it into the water. It didn’t move at first, but we nudged it with our sticks and then watched it slowly go downstream.

Mom told us about currents, wind and gravity. We learned that the water going down the middle of the river moves more quickly than the water on the banks of the river. We could see that clearly, since there were so many fallen leaves on the river’s surface. And remembering the bad effects of pollution, I was determined to get an empty beer can out of the water near the bank. Using two sticks, Mom and I managed to do it!

Now, remember how I said we were looking for a playground? Behind some trees, Mom spied a fence. And since playgrounds here are always fenced in, we happily ran through the trees, sure we’d found what we were looking for. Imagine our disappointment when we got close enough to realize that the playground had long ago been dismantled. All that remained was a fenced-in patch of grass and a lonely bench. Not a play-thing in sight.

Oh well. We had lots of fun by the water, and despite my wet feet, I knew the adventure had been worth it. In addition to the fun, I learned two important things: 1) it’s always wise to walk along the edge of a meadow, instead of through the center, and 2) I should always have my wellies with me!

Day Trip to the Museum

I do miss the mountains of rural Virginia, the scenic farms and gorgeous landscapes. But the kids and I are grateful for some aspects of living in a city. We knew there were free museums in town, but only just yesterday realized that the museum of natural history is relatively close to us! After the kids had walked an hour to the library with me, waited for me to do my internet stuff and find my “grown-up” book, then walked to the farmer’s market, then lugged the heavy groceries another 20 minutes, how nice it was to enjoy a museum of their favorite things: animals!

We saw huge dinosaur skeletons (including T. Rex) as well as skeletons of many other animals. We admired beautiful butterflies and a huge variety of birds (including one called an umbrella bird because it has a tuft of feathers that act as an umbrella for its head!) We got to touch a Shetland pony (so soft!), a cheetah, snakeskin, fox and hare. I told the kids at dinner that they’d surely never get to touch a cheetah again!

We only just scratched the surface today, and the kids are thrilled with the prospect of returning on a regular basis. It definitely helped them appreciate size, as they stood staring straight up at the huge skeleton of an African elephant (which they were sure was a dinosaur at first!) I have vivid memories of going to a similar museum with them in Scotland, but Naomi and Josiah don’t. To them, this was all new stuff. They were in awe and their joy made me smile. =)

Halloween 2007

Steve and I have slightly disagreed about celebrating Halloween over the years. I've been more eager to dress up, trick-or-treat, and carve jack-o-lanterns than he has. This year I thought we'd avoid the norms since we live out in the sticks. But the kids' friends asked what they were dressing up as, and the moms asked me if I was taking the kids to the downtown trick-or-treating (to the shops during daylight).

So I let the kids use their costumes from last year and we made papier-mache pumpkin buckets again. We went into town in mid-afternoon and waited in a long line for a free horse-drawn carriage ride. Then we walked around with a few friends from church and received candy from local businesses, which just thrilled the kids.

The highlight, though, was going to a church's "autumn fest" in the evening. I left Ethan at home with Steve, and took Naomi and Josiah. The church had a bunch of games set up that were simple and perfect for little ones. Both kids had fun playing the games (Naomi's favorite was throwing balls through a hanging hula hoop, and Josiah's was knocking down a pyramid of cans using a ball) and were tickled to get tickets (especially when I said they'd be worth a prize later).

Naomi especially agreed that getting her prizes was even better than getting candy. She picked out a make-up kit and a pink purse. Josiah picked cars, frogs and snakes. They've been playing with them all day today!

I'm thankful for a local church that endeavors to give kids a safe place to have fun on Halloween. And I'm thankful for a fun day with my kids! In Naomi's words, "Mom, at the beginning of this day, I did not know we were going to do all this fun stuff!"

Pumpkin Patch – October 27

I picked pumpkins from a pumpkin farm for the first time today! We’d heard of “Hay’s Maze” from friends of ours and went together as a family this afternoon. It had rained for the past two days, but today was bright, sunny and even warm. We went through the corn maze first and then picked out a bunch of pumpkins in various colors, shapes and sizes.

The kids enjoyed finding the scary figurines in the maze (we made it like a treasure hunt instead of something frightening). They liked seeing corn still on the stalk and learning how it grows. I enjoyed seeing the different kinds of pumpkins and learning their names (“fairy tale pumpkin,” “Cinderella pumpkin,” “Turkish hat pumpkin”). Josiah liked getting dirty in the mud, while Naomi complained since she was wearing white sandals. Ethan liked being part of the group.

It was a really fun thing to do together. Now we just need to find time to carve the big ones and cook the small ones!

Fun Camping!!

We had our first family camping trip on Friday night. Yay! The kids have been wanting to camp for months. We’ve “camped” inside, on the porch, in the yard, in Aunt Beth’s yard, but now we’ve actually spent a night in a nearby campground and hiked and eaten by a campfire!

On Friday, October 12, we drove 30 minutes away to Lake Robertson, just south of Lexington, VA. We got there just in time to get our two tents set up as the last daylight faded. Naomi and Josiah had their own child-sized tent, and Steve, Ethan (in his pak’n’play), and I were in a small dome tent. The kids were thrilled to be outside, looking for sticks, using flashlights, and eating rocks (Ethan!).

Our Indian summer had just ended a day or two before, so we were a little surprised by the cold. But we got a good fire going, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, and made yummy s’mores. Naomi and Josiah were excited about every aspect – the “real fire,” the sparks, putting hot dogs on a stick. I loved their child-like enthusiasm.

Unfortunately Steve burned his lip and chin on some boiling water, and that made his evening a disappointment. Ice and medicine helped it feel better by the time we went to bed. The kids took a long time to fall asleep because they heard so many noises, but except for Ethan’s coughing, they slept pretty well.

The next morning dawned dark, early and cold, with Ethan’s waking up at 6:00 and Josiah shouting “potty!” soon after. With another campfire we warmed up and were ready to enjoy a lovely autumn day outside!

We decided to hike around the lake, which we think was 1.6 miles, but took us a few hours! The kids watched a few people fishing, and got to see their worms up close. The children’s highlight, though, was holding their own cat-tails for the first time. We enjoyed the sunshine, the changing colors, the shaded path, seeing little holes and wondering what animal lived in them, finding good walking sticks, singing and talking while we walked.

After lunch back at our campsite, Naomi and Josiah played on a playground, Ethan rolled a ball around, I read, and Steve rested on the grass. Naomi was mad to find out that we weren’t spending another night there, but were going home. It had definitely been a nice break from our normal routine, and I especially appreciated being outside, smelling the pines and campfire smoke. At dinner on Saturday (back at home), Naomi turned to me and said, “Thank you, Mom, for taking us camping!” Music to a mother’s ears…

Simply Romantic Nights

One of the best purchases I ever made was a few years ago at a Christian bookstore. It was a boxed set of date ideas for married couples called Simply Romantic Nights, produced by Family Life. Steve and I have enjoyed using the ideas for a few years now, though we didn’t go on many dates when we lived in Scotland.

Family Life divided their ideas into ones that wives do to meet their husband’s needs, and ones that husbands do for their wife’s needs. The goal is to do one date every other week, and alternate who’s planning each one. The set (done that way) lasts a year, and has a special anniversary date as an extra feature. We have not been so regular with our dates, so we still haven’t finished the complete set.

Steve had invited me on a date last night, and asked me to dress up for it. I was surprised when we pulled up to a local river. His dad arrived a few minutes later with his canoe, and I realized our dinner was to be on the water! We carefully got into the boat and just before we began rowing, Steve turned on some Scottish bagpipe music! (Yes, he’d brought a boombox with us in the canoe!)

We paddled for 20 minutes, enjoying the beauty of the trees, mountains and water. When we stopped to eat, I found that Steve had brought some of my favorite foods! We feasted on pita bread and hummus, crackers and Brie cheese, sparkling white grape juice (in goblets!), root beer, fried chicken, and finished with Irish crème Cadbury chocolate. And this was all by candlelight. Wow!

It was quiet on the river and I relished the chance to talk with Steve. He had read an article on Mother Teresa (from TIME magazine) in order to discuss it with me (I’d read it earlier). We talked about books I’m reading, and the class he’s teaching at church. In some ways, it was easier to talk because we weren’t facing each other. We saw a turtle, the beautiful moon, and trees growing right out of the rock cliff. When we returned to shore, we had a few minutes to pray and then his dad arrived to retrieve the canoe.

This was only one of many terrific dates Steve has planned for me. And mine have been fun to do for him (but not as publishable). I’ll hopefully write about a few more in days to come. I recommend this set for any married couple – it’s awesome!

Farmer's Market – August 1, 2007

God ministered to us in a sweet way today at the Lexington Farmer’s Market.

My kids love the experience of walking by all the tables displaying bread, honey, vegetables, flowers, and fruit. When we went in early summer, Naomi’s favorite thing was the flowers. For a few weeks, we didn’t make it to farmer’s market because I wasn’t in the habit of driving to town on a Wednesday. This week I made it a priority and we were blessed.

There was an abundance of vegetables and fruit, which was nice for me so I don’t have to buy my produce at Wal-Mart this week! There was a soft puppy for the kids to pet, and a choir friend of mine to greet. A lady selling bouquets of flowers saw my kids and came after us, telling Naomi and Josiah that they could each pick their own flower from her collection. Such a small gesture meant a lot to my preschoolers who love flowers. Naomi’s flower had a slightly prickly stem, so the lady even wrapped it in green tissue paper and tied it with a string.

We bought a few tomatoes and a cucumber at one family’s stand. They were also selling honey and offered to give us a taste. The kids enjoyed two mouthfuls of sweetness and were delighted by the “bear” bottles of honey for sale. The owner told me all the prices, and right away offered me a “two for one” deal. But I hesitated because I only had a few dollars left in my wallet. He said he was so taken with my kids – that they were well-behaved and sweet – that he’d give them a bear bottle of honey for free.

I couldn’t believe it! I was truly impressed by his generosity, and grateful for the encouragement he gave me by complimenting my kids. But it got even better…

We returned to the market two hours later and were sitting in the shade, near the same stall. The friendly vendor remembered that we’d previously bought tomatoes and cucumber, packaged up some more for us and brought them to the kids as yet another gift. Naomi and Josiah dove right in and each ate a tomato and half a cucumber. That they would eat raw vegetables so cheerfully added to his high opinion of them!

It was now near the market’s closing time and the same man came to me one more time and told me we could have any squash or cucumber for no charge because he was going to pack up and go home. We gave him the last of our money and picked out a few more cucumbers (my kids think they’re delicious!). Tonight we enjoyed sweet, ripe tomatoes in our taco salad, thanks to this family at the farmer’s market.

On the way home from town, I asked the kids what their favorite part of the day had been (we’d also been to a story time at the library and done a craft). Naomi’s favorite was the farmer’s market, though she didn’t specify why. I said that my favorite had been the market, too, but because it was so special to be given gifts by complete strangers … flowers, honey, cucumbers, tomatoes and kind words. Thank you, God, for an encouraging day.

Boxerwood Gardens

We discovered a fun place just outside the Lexington city limits called Boxerwood Gardens. They officially opened a new preschool play section on Mother's Day and we were there to check it out! What a delight...

Almost everything was natural, using raw wood or recycled items. There was a "Mud Kitchen" where children could make mud food and serve it on child-sized table and chairs. There was even a sink for them to wash their hands in when they were done. There was a "Willow Tunnel" which will eventually be completely covered with vines and a small grassy mountain with a tunnel going through it. Josiah enjoyed the sand area, where there were rakes and shovels to play with.

The highlight for both kids was a re-circulating creek. There were little plastic frogs, snakes and lizards hidden in the water or under rocks. Josiah loved finding them, throwing them back in the creek and then retrieving them again. Steve spotted a REAL frog and Naomi was occupied with that for the next 45 minutes. She and another little boy played together, catching the frog, touching the frog, chasing the frog, laughing at its antics. I even held it for a few minutes -- my first time ever!

We had such a good time that we went back yesterday, bringing Mimi and cousin Owen with us. This time we also explored some wooded trails in the preschool section, where the kids gathered shells in baskets, got to feel antlers and bones, and made towers from sanded bits of wood. We also watered flowers with watering cans that were provided.

I enjoyed letting the kids play outside in a 'natural' environment where they could explore, but within bounds. I only had to watch a small section of water to make sure they didn't get hurt in the creek. I knew the woods were fenced in. But Naomi and Josiah got to use their imaginations and play in a different way than they do at a playground. Plus I reveled in the gentle breeze, the cool shade, and the lovely sound of babbling water. Almost everything there was shaded since the trees have been growing on this property for a long time.

We still have more to explore in the general gardens. It should be a fun place to visit all summer, and maybe we'll even see that frog again!

"Camping" with pre-schoolers

It began one Friday when I told the kids we'd go camping in our living room because it was cold outside, and I had fond memories of making pretend tents as a kid. Steve bought stuff for s'mores, and little flashlights for the kids. They were so excited! We used a few chairs in our living room, and a couple sheets spread over them. I made popcorn and hot chocolate, and lit some candles to roast our marshmallows over (which didn't work all that well!) We gradually turned off all the lights in the house, and the kids LOVED using their flashlights. We put sleeping bags under the 'tent' and all crammed in there together.

Steve and I told some stories from our childhood, as well as a made-up one, and then I played some folk songs on the guitar. The s'mores were yummy, even though the marshmallows weren't quite cooked enough. We spent a good hour 'camping' in the warmth of our house and then turned the lights back on and went to bed in our beds.

Ever since then, the kids have been hooked on making tents. These pictures are of the first tent they made on our porch. They've made many since then, some more successful then others. All have been tiny, especially when they try to fit all their stuffed animals in with them!

Today was a warm day so they spent pretty much every waking moment outside. They spread a blanket on the grassy hill outside our house, and 'slept' there with their animals (Josiah says 'attimals'). They gathered pinecones. They found quite a big stick -- long and thick -- and Naomi tried to walk the length of it, like a tightrope. They helped me take down my laundry from the clothesline. Only right before dinner did they come inside to watch a video (Josiah says 'wiwo'), and that was because Josiah had gotten a splinter in his finger and needed cheering up. (He got a splinter yesterday, too!)

I love having a big yard for the kids to safely play in. Naomi still calls it a 'garden,' as they call yards in Scotland. And I love Spring!