Bucket List

My children and I were sitting at home, looking at a raised relief map of Colorado.  My son, who is 4, asked, "Are those the Andes Mountains?" I explained to him that they were called the Rocky Mountains, and showed him on the globe where the Andes Mountains were.  "Can we Climb the Rocky Mountains?"

"Yes!  Of course we can," I replied, "But it might be a while before we do."

 Later, we were putting together a jumbo United States puzzle.  Each state was a piece of the puzzle, and many of the states had pictures on them, showing what might be found in that state.  It was then my son informed me that he would like to go canoeing in Oregon, hug a cactus in Arizona, and visit some hay in Montana.

At 4 years old, my son is a little young to have a "Bucket List," but I guess he is getting an early start.  It is such a pleasure to see his sense of adventure, and his eagerness to explore the world.  And who knows, maybe our next vacation will be to Arizona, and we can all hug a cactus.

Relax, and Have Fun!

The other day I was at Sam's Club with my family, doing some shopping.  Well, my wife was doing some shopping.  The kids and I were chasing a bouncy ball up and down the aisles.  Occasionally, the ball would get lost under a pallet of juice boxes, or make an unexpected turn into the next aisle, leaving us searching frantically until its locati

on was determined.  After nearly losing the ball for good, the kids decided we should find something else to do.

Well, they sell mattresses at Sam's, and there are a few that out and available to try.  We tried each mattress at least once, and then settled on the one we found most comfortable.  We lay back, and watch imaginary clouds roll by.  "That one looks like a dragon!" my oldest daughter said.  My son answered back with, "That one looks like a balloon!"

We spent over an hour in the store, running around, watching television, and trying out the massage chair (Which doubled as a rocket ship).  It is amazing what mundane normal activities can become fantastic adventures when you relax, let your kids lead, and don't worry what other people will think about you.

Trash Can Band

There are few things more fun than a makeshift drum set.  The kids had a blast banging, smashing, and tapping.  It was a little too loud for my four year old son, so he opted for a smaller, quieter setup in another room.  The entertainment value is huge compared to the cost (which is ZERO!) and the time to prepare (Which is virtually zero!)

The possibilities are endless:  Pots, pans, boxes, totes, floors, cups, table tops, trash cans, buckets, and stools.

This kept them busy for hours, and they even let me take a shot at it!  We will definitely be trying this again.

The Setup