This summer has been soooo easy because of the parks department in our city!!! I think I would have lost all semblence of sanity thise year without the park programs. We were lucky enough to live right by a park that started park supervision and free lunches. Last year we drove to several of the parks in the area that had this but with gas being an eye popping $4.20 a gallon (and no I do not want a reciept to remind me of the walleted whipping I just took for a full tank...thank you very much automated pay at the pump machine...rambling) it wasn't worth it to drive over for a free lunch. I was so super excited to learn this summer about the parks dept. starting a site right across the street! It has saved us soooo much money this summer because we don't feel like we have to go anywhere, and I don't have to serve lunch or snack. We basically play and lounge all morning (kids do at least... I slave over the laundry and dishes from last night) then walk over to the park for lunch and play until 3 when they serve snack, play some more and come home to lounge again (kids again...okay sometimes I slip in an epidsode of Cold Case on Tivo while the 3 year olds are napping...don't tell my hubby). The park has 3 full time staff members there who lead some fun games of dodge ball, parachute, wiffle ball, etc and they have a craft lady. Once a week a group of 20 volunteers come from the library to read with each of the kids individually and play some educational games. The girls scout leaders come out once a week and do a fun activity...this week unfortunatly it was making homemade silly puddy from glue and starch...it ended up in a massive heap in the carpet but the kids had fun. So if anyone wants to come over for a little free lunch and lazy parenting...I mean fun times for the kids...oh yeah and the awesome spray park...let me know!!!!
Here are the kids after lunch playing Dominos together. BJ is in the back relaxing before the impending Wiffle ball game.

This is Damon. Wubitu has him wrapped around her little finger. He will push her on the swing for as long as she wants.

Some sensory stimulation therapy for the 3 year olds...yes I let them play in the mud!