pack it in ...

... let me begin by saying that this morning Sebastian threw a huge fit about the fact that I wouldn't let him take a (wrapped!) tampon to the playground. I held strong while I got dressed in normal clothes but forgot to take off my shoes from my walk/run before we all piled into the car (forgive me, Jenny!) and while I understand if you think athletic shoes + regular clothing might look a little something like this ...

... but when it comes to me it does NOT. No, I always end up looking like a tourist ...

minus the helmet and the chariot and I've never been a lover of the one strap backpacks but ... I've got my whole life ahead of me. I guess.

... but it didn't end up mattering because on the way to the park it started pouring rain ... torrential style. So we turned around and I decided to interstate it home to make it faster but then we hit the most stubborn traffic jam which ... why didn't I think of that? Snail speed traffic at 11:45 on a Monday morning. We lived. It's over.

But ... this weekend? This weekend was glorious. No traffic jams or anysing. It was all productive and doing stuff and very uncharacteristic of the Pattons. When Simon isn't working over the weekend we're usually getting the bleep out of town to see some familiar faces or recovering from a long week of long hours or just .. I don't know what we do but it's usually pretty forgettable - apparently.

I'm tempted to dedicate a five part series to the weekend but I don't hate you that much so settle in for a little siesta while I walk you through it all. All of it. Right now.

After almost three years of parenting Simon and I have finalllllllly figured out that it's really best to get the kids out of the house to do something .. ANYTHING during the day. Usually we just go on a walk to the elementary school playground but we upped our game big time on Friday night ...

"I guess I just don't understand them." - Simon on the harems

We hit up a park (?) full of climbable turtle/snake with egg monstrosities that the kids loved. Loved. There's a very rickety old school playground nearby that they also loved but the real hit was the pedestrian bridge that went over the interstate ... of course. 

... but Julia was quite taken with the snake egg garden even after she'd already seen it twice as well.

Next day? Nature reserve time!!

directly over the kids playgroundy area ... fair enough.

And that was actually documented quite thoroughly on the gram here, here, here, and here so I won't go into detail about that but I thought it was great. However! Simon noticed and commented that it was too bad you could still hear the highway traffic from the reserve but Simon also loves to read placards so .... different strokes. Also .. Simon you are the almond butter to my low sugar jelly and I love you ... all in the goodest fun.

And moving right along to Saturday night formerly known as live ...

Pizza Party!!

Maclaren sent us the mac daddy of all picnic baskets complete with accessories galore including a thermos, stroller blanket (not necessary QUITE yet although this cool August is making me VERY nervous for the fall/winter situation), tote bag that Julia has claimed as her own despite the fact that it comes up to her rib cage in the height department, and one of those awesome bags that keeps dishes warm - Julia also loves that to carry things like a single q-tip around town. Thanks Maclaren!!

Sorry Sime. Every single snap caught you mid chew. 

You know what game the kids love love love to play? Fetch.

And it's awesome. Very little effort for a huge return in the energy burning department.

this was mostly not staged as I had to throw Theo in but occasionally the older kids coexist in harmony for a few hot seconds and it's really really nice.

and for dessert we have one Theodore directly before he pulled the most shameless Janet Jackson I've ever seen which is saying nothing because I missed that blessed event due to the sad fact that I'm a sport unenthusiast mostly.

And I'm not even going to drone on about the fiesta we hosted on Sunday because after using no fewer than 999 baby wipes over the course of six hours to clean the casa we pulled a super lazy and threw out a hot dog bar and some Costco chocolate chip cookies and called it good. Hosts with the mostless. Or something.



Happy dappy Monday to you and yours.