Summer park lunches

Today was the last summer park lunch.  I think I am going to cry! 
There is no better schedule in my mind than that of leaving the house around 11 (ish) returning home around 1ish (some times even 2ish).  Kids have eaten their fill of good food, run around outside, played with neighborhood kids ridden bikes, scooters, or skates (or strollers) and are now tired and ready for down time!   Oh summer why must you end?


I have enjoyed walking to our neighborhood park greeting some amazing women who are sitting behind a table filled with box lunches. Always smiles on their faces. Always happily greeting my girls by name. Mercy especially had them charmed this summer. She started the summer out barely able to walk. By the end she was running around concurring the playground. She would also light up as we walked up to the Park Ladies with the lunches and she would babble away until she got her little box lunch, juice and milk. By the last week she even learned how to say "Thank You."

Morgan and Maya would race most of the time the last little bit. Morgan had days where she even made it to the park, got her lunch, found a bench and was eating by the time the rest of us made it there. Maya would talk about the chocolate milk the whole way there about how she is going to get one, finish it, play and wait for seconds so she could have another. Maybe even bring one home for later. (which we did quite often!)

For me park lunches meant freedom! It was freedom from lunch decision making, clean up and complaining. I also was able to get to know many neighbors better and get out of the house after a miserable winter. This summer I have to say has been one of my favorites as far as the park goes. I watch Morgan grow in her independence. Maya explore and concur her fear of dirt and bugs... (OK, she still has a long way to go.) And Mercy learned to walk, climb, play, eat real food, throw a ball...well at her age the list seems endless.

I am going to miss my summer days! They never last long enough for me. Maybe one day I will be that mom counting down for school to start but not just yet. For now, on to a new adventure as fall approaches, Morgan gets ready for 1st grade and we all adjust to a new routine. May God grant me patients to get through another school year.