Not-so-sick day

Sometimes, when you're sick, you need to just lay on the couch and watch movies and relax until you feel better.  And other times, you need to pack up your things and get out of the house as fast as humanly possible.

Both Niall and Brendan got the little bug that has been going around last week-- I'm thinking it's probably just the change of weather.  But the thought of sitting cooped up in the house, wiping booger-covered faces for 12 hours on one of the last beautiful days of the summer just didn't sit right with me.

So where can you go when you can't be around other people?

Where the wild things are, of course.

Even on normal mornings, it's literally a breath of fresh air once we get out that front door.  Everyone is finally [somewhat] calm & content, and the fussing suddenly stops.  But on the tougher days, it's like sweet freedom going for that walk or that car ride.  And Niall was especially ready to be set free on this particular day...

For all those times I wished I could play tea-time or dolls or dress-up with a little girl, I have to say that exploring in the forest with my boys might even trump all of those things.  Helping a little boy add to his prized rock, stick & leaf collection is surprisingly pretty dang rewarding.

And the look on his face when he discovers one of these (with just a little help from mom)...

Yea, I have to admit, sometimes bugs rule-- dolls drool.  And let me tell you, there were a lot of bugs on the other side of this thing.  Now bugs of that scale and quantity, I don't think I'm equipped to handle.  That's all boy.  Good luck to you.

 But explore we did.  Trails and ponds and chopped logs, that I can handle.

 

 
Sometimes, when you're feeling crummy and you need that special pick-me-up... sometimes, the stars align just right and something really awesome happens.  Because you deserve it.

That deer had a face-off with Niall.  Even after the other 5 or 6 deer scattered, he didn't budge, and he wouldn't take his eyes off us.  Niall got to about 20 feet away from him, completely awe-struck, when I decided that this particular deer might be of the charging breed.  We'll take our 20 feet and call it a day.

 Blue skies, dry eyes and happy guys. No such thing as being sick in the wilderness.

 Off to our next adventure...