Outdoor Fun

This morning we found a big praying mantis on a chair by the play set.

I called the children over to look at the neat bug, but then admonished them not to get too close, don't let it touch them, don't touch it, and so forth. John asked if it bit or jumped and I had to answer that no, it wouldn't hurt them. So he wanted to know why he couldn't touch it. I'm so torn because I don't want to pass on an irrational, "girlie" fear of insects to the children, but they are simply so gross! If John touched a praying mantis and it crawled on him, I might just faint dead away, or more like I'd start shrieking "like a little girl" and jumping around.

Mary is already competent at climbing the metal ladder and the rope ladder up to the play set tower. Today she figured out the rock climbing wall. I took these awkward photos with my phone's camera before dashing over to be ready to catch her.

Here she is emerging on top. She also figured out how to stretch out from the rock climbing wall onto the platform. She climbed it over and over again.

Then we came inside and made hats, which was a craft request made yesterday.


Then we went back outside and John got entirely muddy riding this little wheeled garden caddy down the "big" grassy hill from our driveway toward our neighbor's house. This is wild fun for the boy!

Then John got out his tricycle and tried that going down the hill.

Baths were required at two thirty in the afternoon due to all the mud.