Recess

I love sending the kids out to the backyard for "recess". I also love that we don't have an automated bell that tells them time is up. In fact, I control our "bell" which isn't a bell at all. The more sunshine they can soak up now the better. The cold months are not too far off.

This is what started as a recess project. Aidan gave up making the pile when I reminded them that Emma can't jump in the leaves. Last year they played and played and played in the leaves and then Emma broke out in hives from top to bottom. Itchy, raised, awful hives. I didn't think about it until I was giving her Benedryl and putting lotion all over her sweet little body that we have several squirrels who like to stand in our yard and eat their peanuts. I'm not sure where they get these peanuts, but we see shells all over. Not a good thing for a peanut-allergic kid. Poor thing.

I would like to think that Aidan stopped raking out of love for his sister. He didn't want to be enjoying leaf-pile-jumping without her. I'm sure that it had nothing to do with the homeschooled kids down the street who came over to have a "joint" recess.