The Great Escape...

As I sit here typing, it is another gorgeous day. This weekend has been perfect; blue skies, warm but not hot 70's-80's, big billowy white clouds and a gentle breeze. We have had all the windows open and let the breeze blow through the house. It reminds me so much of true RI mid summer weather that I have to be reminded that it is only May. The pool in our complex opened this weekend. We are hoping to give it a try this week (we are waiting on our 'secret code') in order to get in. :)They have a big pool and a kiddie pool, lots of tables with umbrellas and a covered patio area too. It is right next to the playground-another bonus! The best part, we can walk there. I will be sure to pack up the stroller and head over as soon as we know the access code (secret code to Jack). In the meantime, we have been filling up the kiddie pool or playing in the wacky sprinkler or using the splash mat to keep cool. We usually set up after 3pm each day because it is still really hot then and the backyard has a little more shade. It is so crazy how long the sun stays up here. It really doesn't get dark until 9pm. Thankfully, Jack has been so tired out at the end of everyday from running around outside that he doesn't put up too much of a fight about "going to bed when the sun is up." We are trying to take full advantage of the current weather (warm to hot with little humidity) knowing that the humidity is coming soon and we won't be able to be outside as much as we are now. I have put off my daily chores to spend more time outside and just play catch up on the weekends. It drives me crazy somedays to see the extra crumbs on the floor, but I just can't pull Jack and Will in for me to vacuum. :) They both truly love being outside and free to run around. Will is walking and running so well now, that he can toddle around the backyard, play in the sandbox, push the play lawnmower and have a great time!

SPLASH MAT!

We were playing "swords" with sticks for these shots.

Wacky Sprinkler

I'm ready for the pool!

Telling Jack what to do...

This one is from my phone using Instagram

Popsicle time!

Our week, as usual, was full of adventure.

Bunnies!

We have a family of bunnies that live in the bushes at the back of our yard. We first saw them when they were little, tiny babies (about the size of an orange) as they lay in a little nest huddled together at the side of our house. They moved (on Easter weekend) to the bushes and we hadn't seen much of them until recently. Every morning and evening we have spotted, up to 4 at a time (there are 5 total), coming out of their nest and eating the numerous clovers that grow as our 'grass'. They hop through the sandbox, they chase each other, they eat, they watch, they scurry away as soon as I grab my camera. They are getting bigger and bigger each week and we love getting to watch them. Will calls "Hi!" (sounds like this: Hiii-EEe) enthusiastically to them from the playroom windows. Jack named three of them one night and knowingly points out who is who each time he seems them. They are-Booney, Piranha, & Inker. Where he got those names, I have no idea. I definitely thought it was going to be "bunny, bunny and bunny". Piranha is his "favorite" and always seems to be getting into trouble by Jack's accounts. It is hysterical-"Oh there is that Piranha again, in the sandbox," he will tell me. "He can run SO fast, Mommy." "Booney isn't a very fast runner." Booney is supposedly mine for some reason. "There is Booney, he is YOUR bunny, Mommy." We talk about their nest, what they eat, why they run away when we go out to see them, how we should be quiet in the morning and dinner time, so they can eat too. It is a fun little project.

Radish-Eezs

Jack and I have been honing our green thumbs as well. We bought some radish seeds (pronounced "Radish-eezs" by Jack) and planted them in a big pot on our deck. Our neighbor had told me that they sprout really fast, so they are kind of fun for kids to grow because there is little down time waiting to see something happen. She was right on. In 2 days we had a little sprout that has grown and grown. We now have a pot full of sprouts, but no radish-eezs yet to pick. We are wondering if the bunnies will be adventurous enough to come up on the deck to eat them.  We also bought some more pots and made some arrangements for the front steps and planted the extra flowers in the front garden. Hopefully they will give us a nice pop of color to see each day as we pull into the driveway. Jack picked up 2 American flags at Lowe's and we added those to the potted flowers too.

The first radish-eez sprouts!

And a few days later....

And on to the great escape....

Mr. Will, aka Mr. Mischief, is getting to be quite a handful. He is so mischievous and has this devilish little look that he gives when he knows he is doing something he shouldn't. It is usually followed with lots of giggles too. He is into EVERYTHING. I know he and Jack are 2 different kids, but I do still compare them. Jack was never "into stuff" like Will. We had the cabinet under the sink locked and gates at the stairs and a few outlets plugged. He never touched any of that stuff really. He never went near the toilet or tried to open things he shouldn't. Will is another story. He loves playing in the toilet. If he sees the bathroom door has been left open, he looks to me and then literally makes a run for it. As soon as I see him heading there and call "No", he runs faster and laughs. We have lost a few toys already to the deep waters of the toilet. He unrolled half a roll of toilet paper while I was helping Jack wash his hands the other day. He escapes up the stairs anytime the gate is down. HE IS CRAZY. So the other day Jack was playing outside with the kids next door. They usually play in the back where I can see him from the playroom. He disappeared around the front of the house (I don't like him in the front alone) so I opened the garage door to tell him to go back to the backyard. I talked to him for about a minute, MAX. I turned around and Will was missing. I started calling his name. I couldn't see him, I couldn't hear him. Where was he hiding? I noticed the screen slider was wide open. My heart jumped. I ran to the deck and there he was, one foot hanging out over the top step, ready to take the plunge down to the ground (it is 3 wooden steps down to the ground). He saw me, I reached out to grab him and he started wiggling and giggling, knowing he had been caught. It took me a while to get my heart to stop racing. I can't believe he opened the screen, step out and made it to the stairs. That little bugger. About 15 minutes later, Jack was at one of the playroom windows talking to Will through the screen. The window is very low to the ground on the inside of the house, but almost 3 feet off the ground on the outside. Jack was on his tippy toes and his little eyes were just seeing in the house. I was watching them "chat" as I made dinner. Next thing I knew, I saw that chubby little leg get a knee up on the window sill. I dropped what I was doing, hurdled the tornado path of toys while calling "NO" to Will. He turned to me, and quickly scooted himself up on the window sill and sat with his back LEANING on the screen-LAUGHING! This kid is going to give me a heart attack. When he is quiet, there is no doubt it is because he is getting into something he shouldn't. His most frequent offense is pulling all of the diapers out of the changing table, wearing them on his head and throwing them like confetti up into the air and all corners of the downstairs. He next attacks the wipes. If the box has been left open it is all over, he empties that thing in seconds. As soon as he is caught he takes the wipe in his hand and SHOVES it into his mouth as he starts laughing! NUTS!

Let me just move this screen out of the way.

I'm OUT!

Lastly, Tom has joined a softball team with a few guys from work. They have one game a week on Tuesday nights. Most of the games have been after 8pm, so too late to bring the boys to. This past week, the game was at 6:30. Tom met us at the house and after a quick dinner we headed to the field. There is a big playground (actually 2, but we only made it to the first one) right next to the fields. There is also a big tank that you can look at and get up close too. Jack thought that was really cool. The playground was perfect for both boys with enough for each of them to do. Plenty for Will to climb on and enjoy and even more for Jack too. Will loved going up and down the slide and even tried climbing up it just like his big brother. Once the game started we headed over to the field. There was a small paved area that separated the 2 fields. We set up a picnic blanket and the stroller and watched. Actually, Jack and Will ran and walked back and forth, back and forth and up and down the paved and grass area between the fields. We watched little of the actual game, but were sure to cheer Daddy on as he played out in the outfield. It was a fun night. The boys were sweaty and tired when we settled them into the car-jammies on and ready for bed. Tom's team won 27-6 and deemed us good luck. We are hoping to get to another game soon. Jack asks everyday if it is Tuesday yet so we can go back.

Have a great week!