Busy Bag

Some of our favorite small friends watched the baseball games too.

We managed to stay entertained during tournament season with the help of a busy bag filled with snacks (especially apples, bananas, & any version of cheese flavored "crunchy"), small toys, books & art supplies filled the bag and the passing hours. 

 *** Pirates Field***

Rye likes things organized

*** Fighting Christians Field ***

(Fighting Christians?!)

Riley Wren

Sunny Rye!

Tippy Toe Smiles

Having a 'picnic' under the shade tree

Sunshine and Bananas

The BigKids were forced to exit the pool when the rain grew heavy and annoying and cold. We took our little sunshine with us.

On the way back to The Dry, we spotted bananas growing over the community fountain. I have since charged Clay to fetch them for me. We recently watched The Princess Bride again and my head is still full of Buttercup and Farm Boy I suppose- Clay said "I'll get right on it" to which I reminded him he is supposed to say "As you wish." I am happy to report he quickly amended his reply. However, I am still waiting on the bananas. 

Rainbow Sprinkles

 Rye's art & snack session was set up like this. 

Look closely at those pencil leads, it will be important later. 

Sugar is brainfood...it was a perfectly nutritious snack...stop judgin' me :)

 Sprinkles make ya sweet...

...and Sprinkles are inspiring! 

Yes...just a shirt & training pants... it's what works for us... 

~Sugar Lips~

Okay, time for the story. 

I bought a container of sprinkles in hopes of convincing Riley to broaden her culinary horizons. Currently, she and Buddy the Elf share a similar palate. 

Yes, sprinkles are made of sugar too, but if you shake them over, say, Mashed Potatoes or Chicken Nuggets then sugar becomes a lesser ingredient. Especially when compared with most of her current preferred favorites, like "Big Chocolate Cupcake Cookies" (a.k.a. Reese Cups) and Pink Ice Cream. 

 It isn't an exact science, but it has met with some success. 

So, Riley had a little bowl of sprinkles during her art and snack session and needless to say, when she was finished I had a living room full of rainbow colored sprinkles and some artwork to add to Riley's portfolio.

BUT... I didn't clean the mess up.. I had to run to a baseball game for Chandler.  I left the chaos to be dealt with upon our return. 

The thing is, by the time we returned- it was dark. Riley had fallen asleep in the car. I tucked her in and went quietly to the living room to clean up her 'creative explosion' from earlier. I left the lights off and vacuuming til morning, opting for the quieter method of sweeping sprinkles from the coffee table into my hand. 

Who can resist sprinkles, I ask you?

Not me, that's for sure. 

Absentmindedly, I licked a few clingy sprinkles from my fingers  as I walked the lot of them to the wastebasket.

"These taste like PLASTIC!' I thought to myself.

and 

"That's what I get for buying sprinkles from the Dollar Tree."

I had brushed the remaining sprinkles into the bin and returned for the pencils when it dawned on me:

"OH! I bet I just ate colored pencil leads..."

I opened the little container of sprinkles to taste-test my hypothesis: 

If they tasted like plastic, I knew my menu expansion plan would need to be adjusted- a more expensive brand of sprinkles sought and bought before we could proceed with sprinkling the scrambled eggs in the morning. 

However, if they were sweet, as sprinkles should be, I would know I had just tasted the rainbow... quite literally. 

Well...

If they had been sprinkles, I wouldn't be telling you this story.

 I'd simply say "Don't buy dollar store sprinkles"

As it were, I say "Learn from my folly" 

Colored pencil leads or  rainbow sprinkles? It doesn't matter- toss 'em out!

Pink Paintings

Riley paints with PINK. 

And more PINK. 

Occasionally Purple or Teal.

 But mostly, PINK. 

This is what we do not care for: watercolors

Here is what we prefer: Glitter & Acrylics

Little Shadow Dancer

Everyone had gone to the truck, except Riley and myself. We seem to always be the last two in the car. There are a host of reasons, from finding a lost shoe to re-packing an understocked diaper bag. We've recently added "Load Rye's purse" to that list. That was one of the reasons we were lagging on this day.

We took the elevator down one whole flight...18 steps worth of space... to the parking lot ; not because it is faster, rather because it is a safer means of travel for those of us with both hands and a foot full.
As we exited the elevator, Riley spied her shadow in a shaft of sunlight. She and her newfound friend commenced a dance promptly.

Puddle Splashing

As Clay was leaving for work, Rye decided to walk him down... we are in the midst of potty training, which should help explain to all who know, why she's just in a tee shirt. For the uninitiated, the less layers, the more success we seem to have.

 I thought, "No worries- it  is early morning, we will just walk him to the truck and be right back in the house" And we were right on schedule too, until she spotted the puddles. The neighbors came out to watch and cheer her on 

(She loves Mr. Jim & Mrs. Peggy and asked them to join her in the splashing fun) 

Eventually, I had to force her to slosh on in to the house... but not before Mr. Jim spoiled her with a bag of M&M's from his 'robot' (automatic candy dispense) 

Swinging In The Park on Sunday