Eight Years of My World: Effie Yeaw Nature Center

I considered myself a homebody parent once Mazzy was born. I preferred staying at home with her for the most part during the week while Josh was at work. We'd do our weekly reading hour at the local bookstore but besides that and trips to the grocery store, we stayed home. I liked being home just me and her. We'd read books, do laundry, color, paint, garden, weed.....sleep. I'd see other parents running themselves ragged going from here to there with kids in tow, and I'd say, "Those people are crazy, SLOW DOWN!" What's all the scurrying about for? Well, now, after my second kid was born and he hit the two year mark, I FINALLY get it. Kids are CRAZY! I mean the house is not safe with them in it. My sanity will not hold together if I'm in the house for more than 3 hours at a time. I get it now, boy do I ever.

I'm a slow learner, apparently, I didn't really find the missing piece to my sanity puzzle until our family made our way up to Northern Oregon to visit family friends. My friend Shawna kept the kids busy with lots of outings that required getting their bodies moving. Now, I'm all for physical exercise, especially for children, but I'd have them in the backyard with our blow-up pool, have them do their imaginary play, schedule playdates OR occasionally I'd take 'em to the park, occasionally. I'm not the meet-the-nice-fellow-mom-at-the-park-and-chat-it-up kinda gal. I'm the stare-at-my-kids-the-whole-entire-time-as-to-not-make-eye-contact kinda gal.

Aaannnyway, The trip up north was just the loveliest and the kiddos were entertained as were us parents watching them enjoy themselves and then they were good tired at the end of the day. I don't know why I didn't realize Mazzy at age 4 needed more than Mazzy at age 3, but I didn't. Or I did and I ignored that need. So that's great.

I have since vowed to push my social anxiety aside and get the kids out and about.... run 'em to the ground I say! :) You know what? I'm happy. The kids are happy, and I feel like the "real parent" in me is back and in full swing. Solely relying on cooking, baking, gardening, and crafts while Josh is at work doesn't cut it anymore in my house; lesson learned.

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Today I packed up the kids to visit Effie Yeaw Nature Center. Here are some photos from our time there...