The Setup

It’s Spring Break in Nova Scotia this week. Ironically, it’s not feeling like much of a break for Mommy! With preschool classes cancelled, we are sticking pretty close to home for the next few days. We are taking a rain check on our weekly public skating and trips to the library. The rink is ridiculously crowded on days the schools are closed. The fast-paced, borderline chaotic atmosphere is a tad intimidating for my two little guys.

The sunny weather is certainly helping our situation and we are spending as much time outdoors as possible. After our yummy lunch, we usually head out to spend the bulk of the afternoon digging, exploring, feeding birds, sweeping the garage, woodworking, baking mud pies, gardening, running and puddle jumping. There never seems to be a shortage of activities in our own backyard to keep Chi-Chi and Muffy captivated and happy.

The mornings are still rather chilly so we’ve also been spending time indoors. I’ve been investing a little time and effort in the evening hours to help make the mornings a little more peaceful and enjoyable for all of us. With the wee ones in dreamland, I’ve been pulling out the toys and indulging a bit in my own desire to relive my childhood! Last night I dug out the farm play set and set up a fun and interesting scene with our collection of props. My intention was to spark a little interest and imagination inside Chi-Chi and Muffy. Henny and Penny were tucked safely and snuggly in the chicken coop with Mr. Fox slinking around outside. I added a shampoo bottles to our plain wooden trucks and created a fleet of tanker trucks, pulling up to the farmyard to collect the fresh morning milk. The family of ducks was swimming happily in the pond. Mr. and Mrs. Owl were nestled in the hayloft, waiting to be brought to life by eager little hands and voices.

My plan worked perfectly. As soon as my little guys set sight on the magical scene before them, they became immediately engrossed in a world of make-believe. They were most pleased with the shampoo bottle tanker trucks! Somehow I wasn't surprised as I knew they would be a huge hit. I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and morning tea while perusing the newspaper. The children took breaks for breakfast and a diaper change, but played happily for well over an hour. They continued to go back to the scene periodically throughout the day.

As I start chopping veggies for supper, I overhear that Rudolph just arrived on the scene to celebrate Christmas with the farm animals…. Pretty soon the requests will start pouring in for those dreaded Christmas tunes. Ah, the peace and quiet was certainly lovely while it lasted!! (;