My 'Hood

I want to give a big shout out to my neighborhood moms. Lately I have been feeling a little overwhelmed and very hectic on most days. But one of my primary times of relief is the late afternoon outdoor adventures we have almost every day. After we pick John up at preschool at about 3:00, we come home, have a quick snack, and then are back outside to find some friends and play. Sometimes we end up at the playground, sometimes at a neighbor's house, sometimes at just random places along the way and we pretty much always have fun. The kids have so many good friends in the neighborhood who play very well together. And the moms are fantastic too, which is a big help to me. I find myself looking forward to our afternoon visits almost as much as the kids. There's a good group of moms that all get along well and have fun together. I always feel better after I have a good vent session or can remind myself that I'm not the only one who is frustrated with the whining or can't figure out how to handle sibling battles or whatever the issue of the day/week has been. As a stay-at-home mom it's easy to feel very isolated and alone. At the playground, I'm reminded that I'm very much not alone.

Today, for example, I almost didn't go out after school. We were having a quick visit with Matt after he'd been gone for a day on a work trip (to Vegas, no less, ahem...), and it was almost 5:00. I was just starting to think that maybe it'd be easier to just stay indoors today. But then some friends came by and knocked on our door to see if we could play. That just made my day and the kids were thrilled to see their friends. John was so quick to get shoes on and get out the door. We were only out for an hour, but ended up seeing another family of friends too and had a great time. It was good for us all and my mood was much improved afterwards. It helps me gear up mentally to make the push to get through dinner and bedtime if I've had some time with friends late in the day. I only hope that we provide a similar reaction for our friends!

So, thank you to the Deepwood Moms - you're the best!