I Heart My Kids
Well, due to the bizarre torrential storm that blew through here yesterday, creating about 1,000 new lakes and streams and completely washing out whole roads, our conference with Dusty�s teacher was cancelled. Bummer. I was really looking forward to it, never mind taking time off from work to haul my ass out there. Now, I�ll just have the pleasure of doing it all over again. I�m sure there will be a snow storm then.
So, we all piled back in the car and arrived home to a blue sky and a weak fall sun. Red spied a puddle in the driveway. She gave me this mischievous look, gauging my reaction to her discovering this puddle. She tapped her foot in the water, watched it ripple, and giggled.
�Go ahead,� I said.
She slapped her foot in a bit harder. Water splashed. Red laughed.
Then Dusty showed her how it�s really done. Dusty's written the book on post-rain fun, "How To Make The Most Out of Puddles" by Dusty Trails.
She jumped with both feet, full force, into the puddle sending an arc of water splashing all over both of them. Red laughed so hard she had to catch her breath. One of those laughs that end up silent because you�ve run out of air to make a sound.
They both went to town stomping and jumping in the puddle until they were both completely soaked in muddy water, having such a great, spontaneous time. It was great to watch. I love watching them create their own fun. Especially from something as simple as a puddle leftover from a storm. They had a great time and then I had them come in and strip down. Washed them with a wet, hot washcloth and reclothed them.
The fun continued. I received a package from Violetfilled with things from her desk drawer (if I�m remembering correctly. I could go back and check but, sadly, I�m too lazy this morning). I let Dusty open it with me and she thrilled to all the new nail polishes inside. I let her paint her toenails and she used two colors � both containing glitter � on one foot (in a pattern, natch!) and two darker colors on the other foot. I took a picture and I�ll post it if it comes out.
She also tried out one of the lip glosses and deemed it satisfactory.
And now I have a happy box of stuff (two packs of tarot cards!!) at work to play with when I�m bored. Yipee!
Later, after dinner, Dusty and Red created a hidey hole in Red�s sad excuse for a closet. Said closet is about 18� wide � a small pantry space � more like a niche with shelves than a real �closet.� But Dusty laid down a blanket, piled up stuffed animals for pillows and Red brought in load after load of her books from the family room. Dusty has a book light, turned out the overhead, and read �Just A Nap� to me.
Good times. It�s days like these that make me so grateful to have kids.
