Dear Naptime, Please come back.

Dear naptime,

Please come back.

We miss you dearly.

We have a great deal of fun without you, and we sometimes think we can handle ourselves when you're gone. However, given the recent weekend afternoons in your absence, we know better.

Please don't tell me you think you have better things to do, or other kids to take care of. Don't tell me that Jaxon no longer needs you.

He does. Very much so.

And Kiley. She actually needs you twice a day, though she is sneaky and will try to convince you that she doesn't.

So. Get yourself together and get back to my house. I'll expect you around 10 and 1 next Saturday.

Thanks,
Brenna

P.S. Even though you didn't stop by on Saturday, we did enjoy ourselves until the crabbypants showed up....

We went to one of the city's secret jems- the Jackson Street Roundhouse. We waited for the caboose to get ready so we could go for a ride.

Kiley thought she might go stowaway, but I convinced her not to. These trains were old so there weren't any working concessions on them, ergo no food, ergo Kiley could not survive.

There seemed to be a slow progression here... Kiley has the dazed 'I haven't had my morning nap' look, while hanging on to our train tickets for dear life.

Jaxon, the big brother, is doing a nice job being nice and giving her a hug.

 And then he sees the tickets...

...and he must have them...

 ...and she must have them... and there you have the cutest sibling rivalry ever.

... and you also have two kids who will later keep each other up half the afternoon when they should be sleeping, because they just can't stop playing, giggling, and laughing with one another.

And while that may seem like a small problem to you, it is an exhausting problem for us. So, naptime- heed my warning and come back soon!

yesterday, today, last week... whatever!

Tonight I asked Jaxon what his favorite part of today was...

'I really liked going on those big trucks!'

'That was yesterday though Jaxon.'

'I know, but it was really fun!'

Fun indeed. Doesn't matter what day it was. 

 The City of Oakdale proved it's awesomeness this week (aside from their lame Lions Club cookout with expensive hot dogs and brats that seemed slightly undercooked).

They had a Truck Day at the park.

Essentially, they had all their public service and county workers park their rigs in the parking lot at City Hall and they just had a free-for-all. The kids, young and old, got to climb aboard, honk the horns, flash the lights, and feel what it would be like to drive a big rig.

Or in this case, a big lawn mower.

Now, if only Bob the Builder were there! That would have been a treat! Kiley thinks so too...

I called this one a zamboni. Little did I know it was a street sweeper. Now Jaxon is going to grow up thinking zambonis are for sweeping streets. Maybe it will keep him away from the hockey rinks though, so my random acts of talking could be a good thing... (FYI, I do not want to become a hockey mom! Too cold, too expensive, too much fighting and a little too boring! Who can see the puck from so far away??)

But I digress (typical).

Kiley had to be wondering... what on earth are we doing in the parking lot, and why are all these trucks here? And why do my parents keep putting me in them to take pictures?

Must be funny to be a kid sometimes, huh?

Jaxon wants to go back next week. It's sort of nice that he doesn't understand the concept of time. I can tell him we'll go back next year, and he thinks that sounds okay, as long as it has a future date. Just like we'll have free ice cream again next Tuesday, play in the sprinkler in 'a couple weeks', fly our kite again when it's windy next year, go to the movies with Jenny yesterday, have lunch after dinner and before breakfast, and after I set the timer to come into his room after three minutes....

What's time anyway when you're three feet tall, have no job, and get to go on fun adventures to the city lot with your parents on a random Tuesday night? 

teddy bear park

Saturday was a lovely day for meeting friends at Teddy Bear Park.

 Jaxon and Abby were content to hang out in the shade of Teddy.

 While Kiley and Gretchen were getting to know each other while rowing their boat.

 Later, jaxon pretented he was a spider and climbed the web.

And though I don't think he knew I was watching, he helped Madeline up the stairs like a gentleman.

Jaxon had the girls running circles, chasing him, like the ladies man that he is.

It was a fun day, and if I was less tired today, I might find something more creative to say about it.

But I've got potato-leek soup simmering and I need another taste.