Child play

I just thought I'd share a few kid moments in the last week or two that I enjoyed enough to think to get the camera out.  Rin has a standing Thursday play date.  A week ago I was surprised to hear Catherine say, "Mom!  What food can we use for a picnic?"  I was about to mention how it was only 40 degrees outside and that they might want to rethink their plan, when I decided, you know, if it doesn't bother them, power to them.  So they filled a picnic basket (past birthday gift from Nana and Grandpa Clark) and headed out.  They were very content, even letting Thomas join them.  They followed drunch? linner? with a few rounds of croquet (which I appreciated even more

when they saw the need to pick up poo before hand and they were willing do to it in order to play).

You'll appreciate this next shot even more when you reallize how often Rin and Thomas DON'T play well together.  I mean, they try, and it usually last a few minutes, but invariably Rin's easily bruised heart (and body) and Thomas' energy collide and tears follow.  This day, however, they were best friends.  I suppose we're not breaking any child labor laws when they choose to do the labor?  They did generously take turns pulling the other about in the wagon.  We've had that wagon forever and I'm shocked the plastic

 wheels are still intact.  Knock on wood.

 Rin has never liked me touching her hair, but last Thursday when she went to Ana's, she saw her 'hair kit' and they spent their whole 2 hours together gussying up assorted dolls as well as each other.  She promptly came home  and made a 'kit' of her own.  When Mimi came on Friday they did each other up like twins and were, obviously, overjoyed with the results.

 This evening Sean said he had a project for us all to do.  He had laid out construction paper, scissors and glue and asked us each to make an animal completely out of hearts and then he and Thomas would judge them.  Here they are hard are work marking down their ratings.  I thought it was so sweet how Thomas followed right behind Sean, copying his every move.

The results.  Hard to see.  Milla made a buffed up bunny, me an alligator with overlapping heart scales (I won just because part of the score was based on how many hearts you used and mine came in at 36), Rin's was a sweet white wolf (which was darling but camouflages so effectively with the white paper that you can't see it), and Papa made the puppy dog.  Who wouldn't love that face?