I haven’t uploaded pics from our trip to the zoo yesterday but I just had to share a few pics from the day before.
This is what happens when you say yes to your small boy’s plans for a bare part of the lawn and a garden hose. I firmly believe that every child must have at least one chance to get this muddy. 
I love the way Alex is looking at his big brother in this picture!
The boys ran around and around the swingset and every time they got to the mud puddle they’d slip and wipe out. Then they’d laugh, get up, and take off running in loops again.
I have so many things to say about this post:
1. How much more fun could you have with a brother than hanging out in and running around in the mud??!!
2. The picture of Alex close-up is just beautiful!
3. How long did all of that take to wash off those little guys?
4. I want to live next door to you so I can be inspired more to let my kids do things like this… magic with mud… you’re the coolest mama ever…
1. Yes, it is so nice now that Alex is getting old enough to play with Jack. We always say Jack wished Alex here. We thought we were all done with babies. Jack announced that I had a baby brother in my tummy the day before we found out he was right.
He was the most wonderful surprise!
2. Yes, I love that pic too!
3. Not too long for the first round! We played in the hose. Round two was in the bathtub, but I was still finding hidden mud the next day!
4. Aw, thanks!
That’s some of the best kind of fun! My brother and I did this many times as kids. The grossest was when we went into the pig pen (the house we rented was on an actual farm) and wallowed in the same mud the pigs used. Yes way! But I would never let my kids do THAT! It’s a wonder we didn’t get sick but it’s a favorite memory. :o)
Our kids haven’t had the opportunity to do much wallowing (or going barefoot). We seem to find nails and glass all over this old farm yard. I just remember once several years ago after we dug a trench to run new electric lines to one of our buildings, our oldest came up with the idea of running the garden hose in there, unbeknownst to me. They weren’t exactly dressed (or should I say undressed) for the occasion so he wrecked a nice pair of shorts and his little sister wrecked a really cute nightgown. But it really didn’t matter because the joy they got from being covered head to toe in sludge and crawling around in it like lizards was priceless!