PB&J Picnic

We were running late for Kindermusik class. {We're always running late. It seems as if there's a set time we have to be somewhere, then it's going to be full blown chaos around here no matter how much of head start I give myself. I've just learned to roll with it. Better late than never, right?}. 

I was flying around this house like a mad woman trying to get us out the door--find the shoes I laid out for him that have now mysteriously disappeared, search the closet for his jacket, grab a snack for the 35 minute drive, don't forget the sippy cup of milk, don't dare leave "Monkey" behind, shut off the television--all you momma's out there know the drill.

But just as I was powering the tv off & getting ready to make a mad dash to the car with Meatball & all our junk, something caught my attention & this momma laid on the brakes--a high temperature of 70 degrees?! When only yesterday it was snowing?! Whoa, Nelly. I battled with myself for a split second--There's no time to pack a picnic lunch. You're at least ten minutes late at this point. Oh c'mon, what kind of mom deprives her kid of a beautiful day like this? The most perfect park sits just a mile down the road from Kindermusik class & begs for a blanket to be sprawled out on the ground. Meatball will love this park. Meatball loves picnics. It didn't take much more convincing {or talking to myself} before I found myself slapping pb&j's together & hauling a quilt over my shoulder & out the door. 

We were off--to our Kindermusik class & to a picnic in the park. Late & all.

We scarfed our lunches down as quick as we could. There were more important things to do besides eat a well balanced lunch of pb &j, goldfish, raisins & fruit punch Gatorade.

Like swinging. This kid lives to swing. Yeah, I agree that he looks a little oversized to be gliding along in these baby bucket swings, but why don't you go ahead & tell him that. Or how 'bout this...why don't you try & pull him out before he's ready. I'll just sit back & watch the show. 

See that big tear up there in that photo? Well, that's because this child is a complete daredevil & insisted on going down the tallest, biggest, scariest tunnel slide in the whole park. I shouldn't have let him do it & I was so ticked at myself when he came barreling down that thing, head first, upside down, screaming his head off. Oh, you should've seen the looks I got from the other moms at the park. Let's just say, if looks could kill then I'd be a dead woman. I simply cradled my wailing baby in my arms, kissed & shushed him, waved to onlookers, gave my acceptance speech as Mother Of The Year & headed to our saving grace--those baby bucket swings. 

One of the things I love most about this kid is his fierce determination. Would you believe not even ten minutes after the horrific & traumatic ride down that tunnel slide, that he was begging to do it again? This kid. I convinced him that the small swirly slide was a much better choice.

We ended up spending our entire afternoon at the park--swinging, sliding, climbing, gathering rocks, filling our shoes with sand, making new friends-- it was a seventy degree day that was worth every bit of the crazy it took to throw together.

There were great big tears when it came time to bid farewell to our day at the park but I made Meatball a little promise. That the next time we have the chance to mad dash it out the door, throw food into a lunch sack, hurl a blanket in the back of the car & turn an ordinary day into our own little adventure--we are so gonna do it. 

Have a happy week! 

Pack up a pb&j & go have yourself a picnic!