When Life Gives You Rain... Play in the Mud

Here in Southern California we see rain maybe six times a year, so when it does rain we take advantage of the situation! The weekend was hot. I was happy when the temperature dropped and the sweaters could be taken out again and garnished with a scarf and cardigan. Then came the gray skies and the rain began. It is so rare that it actually rains in our area. The children were enamored! Slickers were found, dust was wiped off coat shoulders, and children barreled out the front door.

My interesting children, who pretend to be meer cats and gophers, spent time being a bull frog watching over a brood (brood?) of tadpoles. 

The short one, still in pajamas, had a fantastic time splashing and running through and throwing mud. The unfortunate fact of the matter is his rain boots were only an inch higher than the mud puddle. While walking up the stairs he tripped slightly making his boot fall parallel to the step and you should have seen all the brown water that poured forth. Then hearing him literally slosh his way to the front door was hysterical! He was promptly carried like a filthy dog to the bathtub. And all the while he screaming, "No, Mommy! I not like baths!" However, he was undressed in the bathtub. Rain boots were emptied of their fish pond. Pajama pants were rung out until the water ran clear.

I had just finished washing two loads of laundry before they went on their adventure right outside our front door.

And while I now have a whole new load of coats and socks and pajama pants to wash....

... I find it so worth it I can't even call the load of wash a sacrifice.

Life sometimes can be like this - a surprising downpour that lasts but a season. It can be messy and the clean-up after the fact takes time. But in the end it was part of the beauty of a normal life.