Spring is here

The weather has gotten warmer, and I have a feeling that we're going to spend a lot more time outside.

Jeff had a couple of basketball press conferences today and wasn't going to be home for dinner, so I decided that Biscuit and I would have a picnic on the back deck. I don't think we've eaten outside since last year, so when I suggested it, Biscuit looked at me like I had grown a second head.

But once we got outside, he loved it. He was chowing down on cheese pizza, watching cars, trucks and motorcycles go down the road, pointing out the airplanes overhead and tracking every bird and squirrel he could find. Every time he saw something of interest, he would gasp and his eyes would get big. And of course, that meant I had to gasp and make my eyes big, too.

After we ate, we went out into the yard to play. Then Mama came up with a really fun game! We could pick up sticks and throw them over the back fence!

"Yeah, Mom. Pick up sticks. Throw sticks!" The boy was excited. I think it was mainly because we were playing outside. Or maybe it was because I was actually allowing him to throw something other than a ball.

Either way, our game got the back yard ready for the first mowing of the season.

Biscuit and I sat in the swing for a while, and as the sun started to set, I told him we had to come inside. That did not go over well at all!

I hate to admit it, but I just really didn't want to deal with whining or a tantrum, so I said, "I bet you can't catch me," and started running toward the back door. He was in the house before he even realized it.

"Want go back outside, Mom?"

"No, we have to go read a book," I said to him. "Would you like to pick it out?"

Books and outside and his two favorite things, so I guess if he couldn't have one, the other would be okay.