Picnic Day

Today is a beautiful spring day in Los Angeles. The sun is out, the sky is robin's egg blue with no clouds or wind, and it's nice and warm.

The girls and I took advantage of the weather by spending most of the morning outside. I got some yard work done in my constantly on-going effort to create an oasis like backyard and make the front yard look more planned and less weedy. They were pretty cooperative and even a little helpful, picking up some of the weeds I pulled yesterday and throwing them in the green bin.

Around noon, we came inside and I was able to stall lunch a little while the girls played in their room (o.k. they made a mess in their room). I really hate the time after lunch but before nap because all the girls want to do is watch television. I don't mind one show, but no more. They always whine and argue when they have to figure out something to do before t.v. time.

Since it was such a beautiful day, and I didn't have the rugrats under foot cramming food in their mouths faster than I can make it, I decided to have a picnic. I made all three of us lunches (usually I have to eat during t.v. time by myself), set out the picnic blanket under the shade of my neighbors trees on the top tier of our yard, and brought the girls out.

We ate together. They fed the dog. They told each other jokes, laughing with wide food filled mouths, and rolling on the ground at their own hilarity. (Example joke: "Don't touch my nose!" We just returned the book, "Don't Touch My Hat" to the library. Apparently substituting anything for hat is hilarious.) Penny lay on the blanket, kicking her legs and flailing her arms, looking at the trees and her sisters.

It was a lovely, relaxing lunch with my three girls. We'll definitely have to have more picnics soon.