January 16

It was sunshiny and nearly fifty degrees out today. 

Even better, we had planned a playdate with Amber and her kiddos, and they happen to live just a few blocks from the garden. You know, the garden that Daisy has been begging to visit for the past few weeks. Amber is always up for outdoor activity with the little ones, so she and her five children (!) walked (!) to meet us at the garden. 

When we arrived it was still a bit chilly - not quite forty degrees yet - but we quickly found some sunshiny spots to warm us up. Then we found some wooded spots with secret paths that are only obvious in the winter, when there are no tree leaves to obscure them. The kids were captivated and took off running along the stone paths, across a creek, through the woods, laughing and shouting with delight. I'm not sure what made me happier: the sunshine, or seeing how happy the children were. 

Daisy isn't quite big enough to really keep up with the big kids (Amber's kids are older, and her whole family is known for their athletic dominance), but she tried her best. Lily surprised me, though, by insisting that she wanted to get down and explore, too!

The girl grabbed her snack cup, took off walking, and didn't look back! She is definitely a child who knows what she wants.

I mean, seriously. Look at this girl. She is just ridiculous. That hair, those glasses, that gap-toothed smile, the snack in each hand... I just want to gobble her up!

The stepping stones were uneven, which is challenging for a little one, and she was wearing those darling hand-me-down Pumas for the first time, but Lily did her best to follow after the big kids on the stone path. She tripped and fell pretty often, but she never complained!

Eventually we had to leave the secret woodland paths, but we passed the trusty old sheep on our way out. 

After I took this picture, Amber and I realized that we now have more children than there are sheep. If Caleb had been here, we would have had one rider without a sheep. And once Amber's little Edie is big enough to ride, and once Yoey comes... Well, the sheep-riding pictures may be a thing of the past, because I can imagine some epic battles over who gets to ride the sheep. I suppose the big kids can double up with the little ones, though. Maybe this fall the babies will be big enough to be in the sheep-riding pictures. Definitely by next spring.