Spring challenges, brave children

Each winter, when the snows fall and the temps drop, we review with the kids various winter weather rules for playing outside.  So too, each spring.  We have to make sure the youngest set of kids remembers the nice weather rules.  Suddenly the walls of snow surrounding our yard are gone and the world opens up again.  And that big wide world is begins to call to the kids in new and exciting ways.

I have Alyssa N.'s twins here today to play with Inge.  So there are two four year olds and Inge is five.  They have spend most of the morning outside.

But when they first went out, little did I think to warn them all about "the rules."  I assumed they'd go out to the sandbox, or the playground down at church.  Or to out detached garage.

But no, when I went to find them a few minutes later, to tell them that I was leaving to exercise but that Clara and Sophie were here with them, they were not to be found.

I looked around back, and at the playground, and down along the back side of the church yard.  Clara came out to check the other garage.

I wasn't too worried, since I knew they were around somewhere.  And that Clara would find them and care for them.  But since I wasn't sure where they were, I backed the car out very slowly.  A little foot or so at a time.  I always get extra nervous backing out if I don't know where the kids are for sure.

So I was backing.  And looking all around.  Stopping and looking some more.

By this time Sophie was out, too. 

And we all three, Clara, Sophie, and I saw the kids at almost the same moment.

This one is zoomed in. 

If you enlarge this enough, you can see the kids by the arrow.  Waaaaaay out there.

I remembered then that as the kids were looking out the window, just before they went outside, they were talking about the cat and how she was going out into the field to look for food.

When I later told the kids the rules and explained that they couldn't go out of the yard, little Ellie asked "How come the cat can go in the field?"

And Eli added, "She even goes on the road."

And so I added the extra precaution, "And remember, don't go on the road, either.  Just the yard.  The playground.  The sandbox." 

Agreement all around.  I hope.