Thursday, January 29, 2009

Kid Day?


The weekend we finished most recently was spent involved with the kids. Traci had some time with her friends running around Phoenix planning a wedding and I had the privilege of spending the days with my two younger children. After running them all over on Saturday I planned a grand tour of one of the other mountain parks in the area. Saturday after the Komatke center tour and celebration we swam for a couple of hours then went to Usery mountain park where there was a star gazing event. Shane had to ask one of the astronomers how the sun's energy travelled to the earth.
Sunday I really wanted to hike around one of the mountain parks in the area. The children had been so good the day before I decided to let them decide how we spent the day. They were going to direct the activities all day, no questions. Just as long as I could do a little mental maneuvering to direct their activity into hiking Peralta Pass. When I asked what they would like to do all day they said "go to the park." I began a campaign to spin "park" into meaning one of the mountain parks where we could hike around and see some more of the rugged Arizona wilderness.
So I asked " do you mean the Peralta Pass park?"
To which they replied "What is that?"
I began my fanciful description of a park filled with adventure and amazing sights where you could run and play for miles.
They rebutted with " no thanks we want to go to our park."
My plans sank like a rock. Our "park" is the tiny, little, relatively minuscule patch of grass central to the apartment complex with an equally lackluster slide/jungle gym contraption situated under a shade tarp. There were no majestic 3000ft mountains, no saguaro cacti, no amazing knife like rock formations. There was 300 sq feet of grass and the aforementioned slide etc. My brain shifted gears beginning a new strategy to derail their amorous idolatry of this obviously less than exciting destination.
As I prepared my attack my heart whispered gently,"I thought we were going to do what the children really wanted to do?" This had to be either my heart or my wife's voice slipping into the conversation. I am going to insist it to by my heart. I don't want to give her too much credit in influencing my daily behavior when she is away.
We got out the bicycles and headed the .03 miles to our park. Just for reference sakes it took me thirty minutes to carry the two bikes and tag-a-long down the stairs and only ten seconds to ride to our park.
The kids simply had a great time. We played Ben 10 combined with pinkie princess and I was chosen to be the "bad guy". Which given the way I had tried to manipulate the day I should have been the terrible guy. I think Karma was working on me when I cracked my hand on the playground equipment nearly breaking the fifth digit of my left hand and then nearly fell out of a tree from 8 feet up. We had a great time at our park. It made me remember the kids really don't care too much about where their going as long as they can play out their adventures.
Savannah landed safely Monday. She's been missed by all of us here. She has been a delight ever since she came back. Tonight she had her first soccer practice since her tour of home. I think Pa
pa's bacon egg and fried potato breakfasts from home gave her extra energy on the field.

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