Another Reason To Be Outside!

Once again, we have been busy bees here at the Westrate house, or more correctly at Great Grandma's house...  Our past week has been spent patching holes, painting, installing new trim, flooring, curtains, blinds, etc.  We are near completion, with only a few things left to do, like finish outlets, move furniture back in, clean and get out in time for Grandma to get home on Sunday.  Needless to say, our weekend will be busy :)  We are really excited for Grandma to come home and see the change!

When we were not at Grandma's house working, Ezri and I were here sewing curtains for the 3 closet openings and windows as well as making pillows for the bed.  She was such a little "helper" this week, especially interested in my pin cushion.  After trying to keep it away for quite a while, I gave up and let her to her business.  She busily pulled each pin out of the cushion, stuck it into a padded chair seat and when they were all out, put them back into the pin cushion again.  All this and never once did she poke herself! 

Our church is in the process of re-landscaping.  Last Wednesday we were offered the play set that was on the property and agreed to take it.  Sunday afternoon, while Ezri napped (or at least sat in her bed chattering, opting not to participate), Andy, Alex and I got it set up in the front yard.  As we are short on yard space and on a corner, we debated where to put it and were hesitant with the road so near by, but our options are limited and with plans to fence in the yard next spring, we decided we could make it work.  As she does not ever play outside alone anyway, she'll be fine.  Once it was all bolted back together and Ezri was released from her room, she immediately wanted to check out the new slide and toys!

Though the weather cooled a lot this week, we were out on that swingset nearly every day.  It did not take Ezri long to figure out how to climb up onto the deck and go down the slide herself!

On one of the last dry days this week before the rain moved in, we got in some afternoon play in the leaves as well as planted some mums we were given from the church.  Ezri is all about the leaves, loving to throw them in the air :)

And enjoying shuffling through the piles I would rake up, spreading them around the yard as quickly as I could pile them.  

Every so often, she would find herself back to the swing set for a few trips down the slide or a ride on the swing or glider.

Then, right back to the leaves, even wanting to rake them herself!

Normally we pile the leaves along the road for pick up later in the season, but I realized quickly that Ezri is going to have to be closely watched with those piles as she has no fear of the road or understanding of the cars not expecting a little blondie to pop out of the piles.  So, for now I've left the piles in the yard for her to play :)

With the rain in the late week, Ezri has been very that she cannot be outside playing and it is difficult to explain why not.  She seems to be understanding it a little if I tell her it is all wet, but this only works for a few moments.  We are hoping for a little dry weather this weekend so she can get back outside a play on that slide!