Tuesday, March 25, 2008

the sun is shining, the birds are chirping

Not wanting to repeat the tough day we had yesterday, I had everyone dressed and out of the house before they were fully awake this morning. Just the me and the four kids walked to a local park with the dog.

We brought a picnic lunch.

Elizabeth's baby carriage.

Curious George.

Two bunnies.

Two baby dolls.

Three balls.

The princess purse.

The potty chair.

William's baby panda that he carries everywhere with him.

And our kite.

If the children had their way, they would have brought the entire contents of our garage, instead of just the right side of it.

It's only recently dawned on me that the purpose of taking the kids to the park is so that THEY can burn off steam. Yet, usually, I'm the one running around and pushing them on the swings, spotting them on the monkey bars, and helping them climb the rope ladders. When we go home, I'm exhausted and they are pumped.

This photo was taken while I was laying on the ground holding the string of the kite and the kids tried to jump up and grab the tail. They were so tired after spending an hour at the park they were begging me to go home and sleep.

Now, that's what I'm talking about.

In case you're interested, the single line parafoil is one of the best kites I've ever found for children. There are no hard parts that can be broken - or lost - it folds up compactly in to a small bag for transport and it requires little wind. In fact if it's a calm day, just eat a can of beans and you should be set to go.

Charlie came home from work tonight and told me that he printed out vegan menus that he would like to try for the next two weeks. Apparently, he's been listening to NPR on his commute and one of the founders for PETA was interviewed, today.

I was a strict vegetarian for years. It was only when I met Charlie and he couldn't cook anything except barbecued chicken that I began to eat meat. Now, my husband (who eats meat at least once a day, everyday) is really upset about animal cruelty and is interested in embracing a healthier lifestyle, so he wants to cut out any and all animal products from our meals.

When he came home, he had a snack of prunes and sunflower seeds and declared that he feels completely satisfied. Then he added that since beer is made without animal products, this should be an easy transition. I'm interested to see how he holds up when I have a big bowl of double fudge brownie ice cream while watching American Idol tonight.

Something tells me he is going to crack like wheat when I'm savoring Dryer's and he is chomping on a rice cake.

8 comments:

  1. That is precisely why I have a strict 5 minute swinging rule at the park...we used to leave and I was utterly exhausted and, needless to say, they were not!!! If they aren't moving constantly it is not a successful park trip in my opinion! Hope they took a nice long nap for you!!!

    Kelly(Houston)

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  2. I'm finally to the point where I bring a book and my ipod with me and the girls to the park. Just a few short years for you. :)

    My husband is on what we refer to as the caveman diet. He has a whole scientific theory going about how are bodies are not evolved to process grains and other stuff that they didn't have back in the caveman days. If you can't hunt it or gather it, it's out. So he's cooking himself all these meat and veggie meals, and has been keeping the calories down under 2000 without much effort. But I don't want to KNOW what he's doing to his cholesterol. It's a 90 day experiment, so we'll see....

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  3. Thanks for the kite info...I clicked and ordered one immediately :)

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  4. You are so good. Kites are fun for 4.2 seconds for my crew. Then it becomes a battle of winding the string in.

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  5. My hubbie brings home all kinds of interesting notions from listening to NPR podcasts, but I doubt he'll be attempting to go Vegan anytime soon. I'm definately going to check out those kites... what a great idea!

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  6. Great kite info! I'll be ordering one, too!
    I hope you are all feeling better. There's nothing worse than coming home from a vacation and getting sick.
    Enjoy the sun and warmth. Its still pretty cold here in the NE.

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  7. Tell Charlie I listened to the same PETA interview - and am also considering vegan!

    PS - we missed you guys today. Hope the kids are on the mend.

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  8. Lurker here, just chiming in to say that though I am not vegan, I lived in and cooked for a vegan co-op for almost a year, and you should let Charlie know that lots and lots of beers, in fact most, are not considered vegan (something to do with the way it is filtered involving the use of animal products of some kind- gelatins, bone charcoals, fish bits, etc.).
    Here's a link I found explaining why lots of beers and wines are not considered vegan: Vegan Connection.

    And here's a list of vegan beers produced in the US: Vegan Beers

    You know, so he can keep it real with his adventures in veganism!

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