tree houses

Today was the last day of spring break. It was the first day that actually felt like spring all week and we had beautiful weather. My good friend called me and said she was heading to the local botanical gardens with her three girls in an hour. We live a lot closer now and it was do-able, so I decided to join her for the last minute adventure. So did the rest of our city. I pulled in to the usually empty parking lot an hour after the garden opened and was directed to the area usually reserved for the big events (i.e the egg hunt, Halloween, the special nights you can walk through the lights at Christmas). We get a little closer and I see a massive crowd of people right were we need to be. I almost panic. All of these people are going to be in this small area. I am going to be running a pretty thin zone defense on three small children. While trying to keep an eye on Drew in a massive double stroller, and the diaper bag containing my wallet that's sitting there practically with a bulls eye on it. These are the days I wish I was that Octopus mother from the commercials on TV. Thankfully the crowd thinned out a little once we got inside the park. I did find Jason's soccer whistle in the stroller and I told the girls in the event of an emergency if they heard that whistle, they were to come running. We ran into several people from our church too. I should also point out that we live in a pretty safe city but I look at everyone that talks to my child as if they are a potential danger to my child if I don't know them. And I still view everywhere as if I'm walking home in some back alley, at a ridiculous hour, about to get mugged for the very last ten dollars I have to my name. I guess I watch too much Dateline and 20/20.

The kids absolutely loved the tree houses. They were pretty amazing if I do say so my self. You could climb them, swing on them, slide down them, etc. Some were made of tin, wood, one was completely round, a Wizard of Oz theme (complete with ruby slippers) it was very cool and the girls are super excited to go back again. And again. Good thing they will be here for several more months.