Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem, by definition, is  

1)      Seizing the day (Latin). 

2)      The completion of a purposeful task with military precision that even Autumn and James could admire (Contemporary).

3)      The satisfaction that come from having four happy, exhausted kids and executing one very successful play date (Parental).

 

Thankfully, I got to have all three of these things rolled into a single event at Guasti Regional Park. Guasti is a local park that has everything including fishing, BBQs, playgrounds, sprinkler park and a pool the size of a lake.  Such a great place for hot California summers. (Yes, I admit hot is a relative term – I feel for all those in tents pitched in the desert.) This week Shannon and I took five kids including another Kate to enjoy the day.

 

Matt arrived with Loretta and Frank totally prepared for the day's events and exactly on time. When he arrived, I was offered his toy mail truck at the door and a happy smile. Had to remind the girls not to love on him too hard or too much. My warnings fell on deaf ears. We had just a few minutes to play and make the transition.  Matt was so involved with collecting toys that he did not even notice when Frank and Loretta turned to leave until the very last second. We had a little whining but quickly stopped with the opportunity of a car ride.

 

We started on out trip with three car seats for three kids, each wearing a swimsuits and smelling like sunscreen. Towels, clothes and toys all neatly packed. Autumn's camera sitting at my side – we will need no less than 200 pictures of this single four-hour event. (I will leave it to the IS people for posting the pictures.) We sang "Old McDonald" while we drove.  Such a corny image but what can I say? It should have been a car commercial. We took the short drive with Matt babbling, Ash singing and Kate pointing out every truck on the road. We pulled into the parking lot with Shannon right behind us. She got out and the girls could not have gotten to her side quick enough.  I honestly never receive a reception like that.

 

Moving all the kids and all the stuff usually is a monster task. Somehow today, it was surprisingly easy. Since Matt and Zach are now walking well, our adult arms were free to carry everything else. Shannon lugged the ice chest. I pushed the overloaded stroller and the kids walked like little ducklings following the leader.  Zach and Matt stayed on the path and followed instructions until we reached the play areas. Kate had to stop for a tree that needed climbing and Ash drifted to the pond's edge.  The "big" girls need take some lessons from the "little" boys.

 

Sadly, the pool was closed for the day but we would not be deterred. We set up camp next to the sprinkler park and let the kids run free. They ran and ran and ran. There are two approaches to playing at a sprinkler park. Shannon, Zach, Ash and Kaitlin ran into the water full bore. Matt and I started by playing in the small puddles and fountains. We floated leaves down the small streams and stomped in small pools.  I just could not initially grin and bear the cold water. (This system stores water underground reservoir and then circulates it through the fountains. It is slowly heated over the day by contact with the hot cement. Today, it started off a little cool but was fine by afternoon.) Zach just loves the water. For as young as he is, the kid has no fear. He kept up with the other kids in the largest streams of water. We shot the water cannons, stood under the dumping buckets, and jumped though the water jets.  Ash has a surprisingly good aim with the cannon. Time flew. Short rest for snacks and soon the kids were drifting toward the playground.

 

There is a wonderful playground adjacent to the water activities. We played in the sand and sat on the swings but the favorite was an old fashioned merry-go-round. Parents, take note: sand and water don't really mix. The kids were covered. A merry-go-round immediately after snacks is not a great timing. I was holding my breath waiting for an outcome that thankfully, never came. Kate loved the rock wall, monkey bars and anything else that she could climb. (Autumn, is it too late to be an orthopedic surgeon? I have a feeling that we will have a constant need.) Ash was intent on building a sandcastle and spending her time on the merry-go-round. Matt loves to swing and Zach just loves to try everything. This kid will hit the independence stage with a vengeance.

 

Big thanks to Shannon. She packed a huge picnic lunch with all the trimmings that we ate under a big tree next to the pond.  The best part is Shannon brought things that the boys could manage by themselves without much mess. Zach and Matt mostly ate from a common plate sharing goldfish crackers and strawberries.  My only contribution was brownies that Ash baked for the trip. The girls consumed everything in sight. They must have been starving. Shannon and I actually ate lunch with the kids, not while feeding them.  Clean-up was a snap. Forgotten how nice a picnic can be.

 

After lunch, we played for at least another two hours with kids running from activity to activity. They were alternating between activities that made them wet, sandy or dirty. The pictures tell the story. Zach and Matt stayed with the group and on track very well considering all the people and chaos. There were several pieces of play equipment build just for them.  Matt and I spent sometime playing quietly with his trucks on the blanket. I was hoping that he would nap – it was almost 1:30 but no luck.  Shannon tried the same thing by holding and rocking.  The sandman never arrives so we wandered back to the group.

 

We ended the day with feeding the ducks while walking back to the car. This is one of the few California parks allows wildlife feeding. Those poor ducks and tadpoles must have been on sodium overload because we only had pretzels and tortilla chips. People like us are probably the reason the practice is prohibited.  I am sitting on the bank of the pond. Matt is next to me racing his trucks. Zach is happily gathering and throwing duck food. The girls are at the water's edge with a dozen hungry birds. I am thinking to myself that it has been a perfect day. No crying. No tears. No injury. Everything was just so smooth. Who needs real life? Everyday should be a fieldtrip.  I finish my thought on how to create a perfect world, looked up and Ash is just falling into the pond. She is a little startled and trying to climb back onto the muddy bank. Shannon scrambles to her aid.  What do I, as the concerned parent? I laugh and just keep laughing. 

 

Now, the day is truly perfect.