backyardigans

Just trying to squeeze in backyard time before winter hits.

It really is a calming place for me and the boys.

Inside can get intense at times, lots of wrestling and loudness.

Whenever things aren't calming down, I casually go outside, and the boys follow me.

I hope someday, they can do this on their own- be able to find a peaceful place to recharge. 

Mostly the boys just say, "Watch this mom!" and show me all their tricks.

I love to check the garden and give the stink eye to the weeds.

(Sometimes I'll even dig them out.)

The fall has the best flowerbeds because all my flowers have bloomed and have spread out. 

So beautiful.

Franky likes to pick and taste tomato plant leaves and watch his brothers run around.

Linc has been learning to pump the swings higher and higher, and climb to the top of our tall rope ladder. 

Ollie shows me one million tricks on the trampoline and parkour moves on the grass,  like jumps, rolls, handstands, jumping off things, etc.

Elliott sticks close to my side, likes to hold Franky and tells me stories and lots of "what-ifs".

He also wrestles with his little brothers until they cry, but only if they want to.

We have handstand contests out there too- Elliott usually wins and I usually take 2nd.

One time for FHE, we played tag and I suddenly felt so slow.

We laughed so hard though, I forgot how fun tag is.

Then the boys wanted me to swing them by their arms like I did when they were little, even tall Elliott.

It was hard, but I could still swing him.

Adam came home at the very end from a late night at work.

He took a turn swinging the boys and every one of them screamed for him to stop because he was too fast. Then they all asked me to swing them again. 

These are just a few pictures I took. 

I don't use my big camera enough. 

Franky has just started blowing raspberries (read: spitting) so here is some documentation of that.