3 hours at the parks today

Emma has a new "ism" that I simply do not like. Whenever we are in the car listening to her toddler sing along music and I start to sing along, she SCREAMS, "MOM, BE QUIET! I GOTTA SING IT, NOT YOU!!!" How dare she? How double dog dare she? I was 9 months pregnant with her recording vocals for my 3rd CD - she KNOWS I am am singer, she heard it from the womb. Cheeky little...

We have been spending a fair amount of time at a new park about a 15 minute drive from us. It is over near Target and FABULOUS so I try to plan my errands around spending at least an hour there. Yes, it is that good - MAMA can actually enjoy herself for an hour at this spot!! It has one of those play areas reminiscent of Lake Balboa - but on a much grander scale, and it has the rubber squishy ground. A huge plus in my book - Ben is not eating sand or wood chips! There is so much to do on this piece of equipment that the kids are occupied the whole time and not clamoring for my attention. I love my kids, I REALLY DO, but sometimes Mommy just wants to quietly follow behind and breathe the fresh air, you know? This place is SO GOOD for that! Here is a blurry cell phone pic of some of the fun:


I am thinking I may need to curb Emma's viewing of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in the morning before school. When she gets upset these days, she yells, "Aw, NUTS!" or she will say, "Hey, what's the big idea!" Both favored sentences from that wacky Donald the Duck...