A break from being sick

So today was a bit different. Everyone was feeling pretty peachy (except me). But I am still nervous about spreading the flu (or I just feel it coming on), so I felt like we should be home bound yet again.

We watched a little tv, served a little breakfast, spent time complaining that we didn't want to eat the breakfasts served to us, watched a little more tv, took baths, and generally fought, wrestled, teased our way into mid-morning.

Once our art work started to look like this, I decided it was time to change things up a bit:

And just as I was getting ready to make a run to the library to drop off some books, I discovered that it is FABULOUS out. So we all went outside and started collecting sticks to make nests and tee pees out of and drew with sidewalk chalk and ate Popsicles. Then I got the brilliant idea of raking the sparse leaves into piles for the kids to jump into.

It was a hit. It just felt so good to be out of our flu petri-dish...I mean house.

First the kids just enjoyed jumping and rolling around in the leaves.

Then Andrew started throwing them at Lily. I suggested throwing them into the air. And his attention was diverted for a few seconds.

Then Andrew wanted to bury Lily. She did not agree. So they decided that Andrew would be the one buried.

When Mommy had to clean up Lily (it was an underwear kind of day), Andrew grabbed the rake and took a turn. I only include this shot to show how few leaves we actually have as of now.

Then I had the brilliant idea of raking the pile to the base of the slide. Brilliant, I thought, until I called to tell my mother of my brilliance, and she basically said, "Well, duh." Apparently I have re-invented the wheel here.

No matter...my kids thought it was awesome.

Michael was slightly involved. He was smart and stayed away from the big kids...they were a little too rowdy for my flu-boy. But he did enjoy his Popsicle on the swing. Doesn't his face look great?

Oh, wait...here's the other angle.

So thank you Mother Nature for a much needed day out of the house...no contamination worries included.