All Who Wander

After a week of snow, ice, and single digit mornings, our weekend begged us to play outside, and we did.

We wandered around Lay Lake and dreamed about buying a house out there. It would be close enough to spend regular weekends there; we wouldn't have to worry about leaving the dog with someone; we would have lots of outdoor time with the kids; we could get a pontoon boat. Even the kids loved the idea. Maybe one day.

We wandered around the college lake on the new (to us) Fit Trail and talked about how we've never taken Georgia there to swim. We watched some of a UM baseball game and entertained the people in front of us by calling the man out on his manners when he talked with his mouth full. Yes, we did. Thankfully, a three year old Batman is cute enough to get away with such a faux pas.

We wandered five miles around the town on the walking trail that we've been meaning to use for years. That's the longest we've ever walked the kids. Ella did every step of five miles. Luke walked a solid three before I had to piggy-back him most of the rest of the way. He did ride Dave's shoulders at the end when my arms felt like noodles, but generally all the baby wearing I've done has left me better conditioned to haul him on my back for miles. If I'd had a pouch big enough to carry his 40 pounds, he would have been in it. Though they were dragging at the end of it, I was reassured that, should we be stranded and need to trek for miles to get somewhere, they can handle it.

We stopped at the college lake again for a rest, and this time Georgia was with us so she got to swim. Luke went fishing with a piece of stick that he found early in the walk and carried all the way to the lake. We really have to buy some fishing poles and let the kids teach themselves how to put a worm on the hook.

Fishing with a Stick

When we finally made it home, we soaked them in the tub and then went to a princess birthday party. Cinderella was there. Ella was starstruck. When Cinderella announced that she was going to do everyone's makeup, she quietly got in line as Luke announced, "I don't want to have my make up done." He settled for a tattoo. He also did to Cinderella what he does to me: "Cinderella. Cinderella, can I have another coloring sheet? Cinderella, can I have another coloring sheet?" Over and over again.

Her first real makeup.

As Dave and I sat watching the interaction, he predicted that we would need to have a princess party. When we got in the truck to leave, I said that I thought it was a fun party, and Ella told me, "I think I might want to have Ariel come to my birthday party."

She also told me that she didn't think it was the real Cinderella; she was just someone dressed up who came from Disney World because she left in a regular car, not a carriage. And, she asked me how we could invite a princess all the way from Disney World.

Now, at 6:30 pm, despite the fact that they walked miles and miles and skipped nap, one is hanging on the arm of the chair asking what I'm typing while the other jumps off the same arm repeatedly, yelling, "To infinity and beyond!"