Park Play Date

Thursday is a free day for Cutie Pie and me.  No Zumba.  No preschool.  No commitments.

A friend asked us to join her play group for a park day last Thursday morning.  We happily agreed since the weather was gorgeous and Cutie Pie loves to be outdoors.  The park we met at is really awesome.  It’s located right on the river with lots of picnic tables, a huge pavilion, pathways and an awesome pier.

I’ve taken my boys to this park many times over the years and have learned one thing: go during the morning or afternoon.  Once late afternoon or early evening hits, sketchy people start hanging out there.  I made the mistake of stopping by this park late one afternoon.  There’s nothing like being leered at by vagrants to make you stay away from a park…

Lucky for us, last Thursday morning was weirdo-free.  The children had a wonderful time playing on the playground and running out onto the pier.  Cutie Pie made quick work of his snacks and juice.  When he asked for more snacks to fuel his play, I told him that he had already finished everything that I brought.  That was enough for him to request to go home 🙂  After 2 hours, it seemed about that time anyway.

Here he is in the car so excited to be going home for more food and a swimming play date with Cousin B in our pool.

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Park Playdate with a Surprise!

Just when we moms thought the weather was finally cooling off enough for a park play date…  Mother Nature laughed at us.  I’m so over 90-degree weather.

Last Friday, some of my mom friends and I got together and took 7 children to the park for lunch and a play date.  Luckily there was some shade to be had thanks to a bunch of mature trees but it was still pretty stifling outside.  I should be used to Florida’s one-season-climate but some relief every once in a while would be nice.

The kids didn’t seem to mind the heat.  They raced around shouting and chasing one another.  It was a nice afternoon.  Until one of the boys found a used condom in the gazebo!  I was the first one to see him dangling it in his little hand and immediately gasped in horror.  Probably not the best reaction but GROSS!!!!  Visions of nastiness came to my mind.  I shuddered.

The boy’s mom was so calm about it.  She told him to put down the dirty balloon.  Then she told him that it was used for medical purposed and that he needed to used hand sanitizer ASAP.  I was two steps ahead of her and immediately produced the “magic soap” (what the preschool calls hand sanitizer).   We made every single child wash their hands.

Needless to say, it was time to pack it in after that…  I doubt we’ll be going back to that park any time soon.

Running Wild

Today we met some friends at a local beach park for lunch.  It was one of those days were the sun was shining brightly in a clear blue sky and the March wind was whipping fiercely.  Our plan was to let the kids play and picnic down at the ocean’s edge instead of staying up in the park like we did last time.  But we changed our minds when we saw what the wind was doing to the beach.  The thought of getting sandblasted while eating a sandwich made us think better of heading down to the shore.

Luckily, the wind was not too bad at the park.  Several buildings and trees blocked much of the wind’s intensity.  The boys were able to get the mischief out of their system in the sand volleyball court.  They came up with a game where they would take turns soaking themselves in the freezing public shower and then rolling in the powdery white volleyball sand.  They looked like sand monsters.

It was so nice to sit on the edge of the volleyball court and chat with a fellow mom while our boys ran wild and free at the park.  The sun felt incredible on my skin and the breeze made it just the right temperature.  The children ran as fast as they could around and through the various pavilions.  The farthest one from us they deemed “Flo’s V8 Cafe”.  Flo’s delivered some of the best sea grass french fries I’ve ever tasted.  I hear the mulch hot dogs are to die for.

When Cutie Pie got so tired that he kept tripping and falling, I decided to pack it in and head for home.  Both Wildman and Cutie Pie are still napping.  I’m enjoying the peace that comes when my sons take a long nap.  That’s what plenty of fresh air, excitement and exercise will do to two little boys.