What makes my garden grow

Today, the three of us went on a forced march, I mean, enjoyable excursion to the hardware store/nursery.

Since the weather has remained in the high forties most days, and a few trees are starting to bud, I have declared it spring. This will be the year that the yard looks pretty. Last year, I didn't bother because I was pregnant. The year before, I didn't bother because I had A Baby! Who could never go outside! Who required all of my attention all of the time! What a joke. I know now that it is possible to have an infant AND have a yard with "curb appeal." Or at least a yard that doesn't give the impression that the occupants skipped town months ago...

So, I put the kids in the car, and went to the nursery to buy a bunch of Violas. Then, since I bought the flowers at a roadside stand, I loaded the boys back in the car, drove to the hardware store, and purchased multiple bags of mulch.

All that sitting in the car and listening to the Wiggles worked up quite an appetite for Sir Owen. A stop at Starbucks was in order. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy that place. We bought a snack (cheese and apples), a juice, and a decaf coffee. I'll let you figure out who consumed what. We settled into the comfy chairs and just stopped moving for a bit. The music played, I made goo-goo faces at the baby, Owen "hid" behind the chair, and all was good. Owen took the time to tell me that "I just like saying no to say no." Color me surprised. It's cool, though---spending time just interacting with the boys gave me the fuel I needed to attack the next task: gardening with two boys.

Joel fell asleep on the way home, so I actually only worked outside with Owen. What a treat. While I planted the Violas, Owen dug in the dirt for worms, and joyfully placed each worm in the empty containers (which once held the flowers). He made this elaborate story of how each worm had a home. I told him that worms eat dirt, so he dumped a wee bit of dirt next to the worm to "give it a little snack."

I felt like this is what parents are supposed to do: introduce children to the world, and all its simple wonders, without rushing or making it a BIG EVENT.

It was, simply put, such a nice way to spend an hour.