a walk in our temporary sun

as previously noted, the sun was out today- finally.  i didn't want to let the change in weather go to waste, so i planned on taking the little ones out on a walk.  sounds like a simple plan, but it isn't always so simple.

Mason has been working on forgoing her morning nap.  this thrills me less and less.  but it is nice to have the 2 of them take a afternoon nap together.  that's a side note.  i wanted to take them out in the morning so that Mason would be more pleasant to be around, then her usual fussy self.

anyways.  here i am, some 9 months pregnant (i think i can officially say 9 months, because you are pregnant for 10 months, and i still have one month to go- math 10-1=9) trying to get my 2 kids ready for our walk.  last week Sam replaced the frame on our broken stroller.  i didn't quite understand how to get it out of the folded lock position.  here i am, with the stroller outside, trying so hard to just get it to be upright, and i have little Mason, standing in the doorway screaming, tears down her little face (she is so dramatic- nothing was wrong, she was just mad).

after almost breaking into tears myself, i figured out how to get the stroller upright (however, at this time, i didn't realize that the front wheel was completely locked, so as i was pushing the kids up hills, downtown it felt like i was trying to make lead move)

so we leave.  and after the trauma of getting ready to go, i decided we'd just go to the park/playground that's literally on yards away from our house (but first i have to go up a very steep hill).

so we leave- 11am.  go up and down the hill to the park.  Campbell get's all excited to see the playground.  and its locked.  have you ever tried to explain to a very excited 2 1/2 year old that the park that is inches away from him, he can't really access? it doesn't go over well. he was in tears.

so we left. and walked to the bank.  he got over the playground being closed.  we went to the bank, where he asked the teller for money ( i had just told him that we go to the bank because the bank is where our money is).

so we left, and Campbell kept asking about Sam.  so i thought, hmmm why don't we just walk to Starbucks.  it was less than 2 miles away, and the kids were having a nice time, and Sam was almost off work.

so we had a wonderful little walk.  Campbell and i sung his favorite songs.  and then arrived at Starbucks, had some yummy scones, and waited for Sam.

i figured we would just wait while Sam drove home to get the van, then he'd come back for us.

Nope! Sam wanted to walk us all home (he had a some to vent about from work)

so we did.  so i walked about 4 miles (full of hills) today.  i'm tired, but its a good tired.

i love taking the kids outside.  i hate being outside. i am not an outdoors person at all.  i do enjoy camping with Sam, but i don't have an itch for it.

but watching my children experience the outdoors brings me so much joy.  Mason takes in everything, and Campbell points out everything he sees.  to see their happiness, such innocence, it makes me want to spend all my time outside.  even if the walks start out stressful, i know that it is worth it in the end.