Playing at the Park

Yesterday at the park while Jason was playing catch with Brennen I was teaching Kiara and Delma how to roll down the hill on the grass. Kiara suddenly started screaming and pointing to a spot on the grass. When I walked over to see what it was she said "look mom, it's a smokerette"! (meaning a cigarette) She didn't know what to do because she knew she wasn't supposed to touch one if she found one on the ground. The funny thing was it was actually a band aid, still glad she didn't touch it!!

Now I have to get on my soap box for a minute. Why is it every time we are at the park there are some little kids playing by themselves while there moms sit on their butts off to the side or in their cars! Every time we are there I end up with little kids following us around because they want someone to play with. Usually I don't mind except when the kids are mean and are not being nice to my kids. Anyway, yesterday we took some dinner to the park and spent a few hours playing. Jason and I were taking turns playing catch with Brennen and throwing balls for him to practice hitting while the other one of us played with the girls on the playground or the grass. This little boy about Kiara's age started playing with us and he wanted to run out and round up all the balls after Brennen hit them. I put Brennen's helmet on him and pitched to him for awhile so he could hit. He was so excited! There were a lot of people at the park and nobody seemed to paying attention to him. I asked him about his mom and he said she was sitting in the car. There is no way from the parking lot she would have been able to have her eye on him at all times. It would be so easy for someone to swoop this little boy up and drag him off, even for a few minutes. It would bother me to be sitting in a car watching some other adult teaching my kid how to hit the baseball. We played with him for probably an hour before a mom finally appeared and yelled at him that it was time to go and to get in the car. He was sitting next to me on the grass watching Brennen hit the balls and he started to throw a fit and she yelled at him again so he just got up and followed his mom. The mom said nothing to me. So I called after him, and told him goodbye and thank you for playing with us, she turned around and glared at me....whatever! Don't people realize if they don't spend time with their kids then someone else will and who knows who that someone else will be. :-(
This seems to happen every time we are at the park. I see Little kids begging their parents to push them on the swings or come play with them only to be ignored. Once a little girl followed me and my girls around the playground for a few minutes then she slipped her hand in mine and whispered "will you play with me like you are with your kids?" I know I am far from being a perfect mom but really it's not a chore to play with your kids, it's a joy! It makes me sad that some parents won't take the time.

Here are a few fun pictures to lighten the mood.

B and K having fun in Home Depot!

My new awesome ride for baseball games! A collapsible wagon to haul all of our chairs and snacks and kids!

Love this picture!