Thursday - Mowing Day

Yesterday was Thursday, which meant we were outside mowing the grass! Normally, I would complain of this task and dread it wholeheartedly, but everyone (dogs and baby) really seems to enjoy being outside with me! The pups lay in the sun and roast themselves, while the Little Bean plays all over the yard. The funniest part is that when we are all finished and come inside, the dogs and the baby crash and take exhausted naps. One would think that they were out there pushing the mower all over the yard and dragging around bags of cut grass. I think today, we will weed the flower beds, since it is supposed to rain this weekend.

When I mow, and the Little Bean is not napping, I usually fill up a bucket of water, and give her the garden tools that her Gran got her and a few cups. This can keep the child busy for well over an hour. If you throw a second bucket into the mix, you can add on another 30 minutes or so. Of course, i have to set her up where I can see her at all times,and I keep a very very close eye on her. She spent most of her time pouring water onto various things, the driveway, the flowers, herself, the dogs, etc. THEN, she decided that she could scoop up dirt and pour it into the water, just to see what would happen. The only problem was that she was scooping up mulch rather than dirt, so her water was full of all sorts of twigs and bits of wood. Then she got into the bag where I was putting the grass and put grass clipping into her bucket. She had quite a mess by the time we were finished. And she was drenched with muddy, grassy, water. She loved it!

I don't have photos of it, but about a zillion years ago, Auntie K and Uncle Giant gave the Little Bean and pair of little red shoes that squeak whenever she takes a step. She has finally grown large enough to be able to wear them and she is thrilled. She insisted on wearing them yesterday when we were outside even though it was over 80 degrees and her feet were so sweaty the shoes kept slipping off. I had to turn off the lawn mower about 50 times so that I could put her shoe back on. When the shoes stayed on, she would stomp around the yard and the driveway just to listen to the squeak. If one of the shoes didn't squeak when she stepped down, she would stomp that foot until she illicited a squeak. She even had to model them for her father when he got home last night. She stomped around the dining room, just walking in circles, enjoying the sound of her squeaks!