I think I have figured out the big game I play with my children on a regular basis, I don't think we even realized we were playing but it is all clear to me now! It is the game of who can wear whom out first. Can I keep them occupied enough to wear them out before they catch me off guard and knock me flat by 5 p.m. It is a daily game, with much skill and planning involved. We are fortunate to live a few blocks from school, definite walking distance except in the rain, so I use this as an opportunity for Reagan to stretch her little legs, I try and get her up from her nap in time to walk over to the school and meet up with Broderick and Addison. We try and leave early as this walk usually includes picking up flowers, leaves and sticks, looking at all the dogs en route, walking on the grass then sidewalk, then grass, then sidewalk and trying to fight off an occasional "Mommy, please hold you!" that I hear. We race with her "run faster" where her arms go twice as fast as her legs, and I try to not end up as the pack horse with various back packs and children on me.. I don't always win.

What I was getting at was, in the attempt to keep my children occupied without the help of Disney or Nickelodeon, we traded in our tired splintered swing set for a trampoline. We did this last June and it has been a great tool in my corner!! The older kids love it, and with the net around it we have, keep our fingers crossed, been accident free!! It wears them and and I love it. Now I started a play group for Reagan, there are 3 2 year olds.. (really its just selfish, I want a few hours a week to run errands without toting a toddler) and we take turns hosting and having time off.. its a great social time for them and they do quite well together. Last week was my turn and I thought.. lets try this trampoline thing and see what happens.. well, they LOVED it! I have never seen anything so cute as 3 little girls jumping to their hearts content. It was great, and because they are all little their jumps were perfect for each other, they would fall over, land on their bottoms, and jump, jump, jump for over 30 min..those girls moved and moved!! One win for mommy!