This slow, wet day

It’s raining outside, my eyes are still burning holes in my head and now my nose is running faster than Idon’tknowwhat, but the good news is (or maybe the bad?) that I discovered we can watch instant videos on Netflix. So after a morning of rock reading, map studying, geography game playing, piano practicing, keyboarding, quiche-making, and chores, the kids and I huddled around the computer and watched a National Geographic movie on tornado chasers. It was so tension-inducing (at least for my tender children) that my oldest trembled rather violently.

It is woefully misleading of me to count the rain as one of the day’s downer. I’m actually quite happy it’s raining. After last summer’s drought, I still feel a little thrill whenever we get a good soaker (pleasepleaseplease let there be leisurely rains sprinkled throughout this upcoming summer), and I welcome the cozy warmth of my house when the clouds duck low and dark. All I mean by listing rain along with my other physical ailments is that it’s a day to hunker down and take easy. So I am.

How about I take advantage of this slow, wet day and show you some pictures of some recent sunniness?

First, an update on the fort. A deck/porch/addition is in the works.

Two ladders are now needed in order for the builder to get to the top of his wood slab mountain.

The other week we had severe winds and rain storms (I kept jars of water on the counter for days in case the power went out) and one morning after a particularly rough night, my kids called me down to the fort to take a tour. They ordered me to take off my soggy boots at the door, and stocking-footed, I walked over dry carpet.

Despite its plush indoor facilities, my kids don’t hang out in the fort that often. They’d rather work on the fort than play in it.

Second, the kids and I went on a walk.

We walked about two-tenths of a mile down the road and then turned around and walked home. It was a complete non-event.

Third, my grandmother gave my kids (via my mom) a Christmas table decoration—a sled filled with wrapped packages—made completely out of candy.

My daughter rigged up a string harness for it, attached it to a dinosaur, and stuck a Santa on back.

Then we ate the candy over the course of the next few days. One of the packages was a pack of bubble gum.

I joined in the bubble-blowing fun and my daughter documented it for you.

Fourth, yesterday afternoon my kids played with the wheelbarrows.

They raced around the yard, pushing and dumping each other.

I used to do this when I was a kid. Once I filled a wheelbarrow with old blankets and pillows, arranged an umbrella above it to keep out the sun, and then plunked my baby brother in it and pushed him around the block. He fell asleep.

Fifth, my daughter is still in love with hats.

Sixth, all my children are in love with sticks.

One of my old beater rocking chairs fell apart and they immediately stripped it down for parts—the rungs. They bind the ends with masking tape (not sure why), fashion belts for the holders (or else push the sticks through the loops on their jeans), and walk around fully armed.

Sticks aren’t allowed in the house, so I confiscate them as soon as they walk in the door. Right now there are four up on top of the fridge, my you-may-not-touch-the-stuff-up-there place.

This same time, years previous: in which I post an excessive amount of pictures and homemade Parmesan cheese