Monday, September 6, 2010

Life is Like a Tire Swing

A few weeks ago, Jerry's parents came down to the desert to visit us. They had been to Del Rio once before when we lived here a million years ago.

Not much had changed, at least in town.

But we have changed a lot since those childless carefree days.

Now we are two plus three.


Near our camper was this awesome park and picnic area. The kids had fun playing on the playgrounds, building sand castles, and swinging on the swings, especially the tire swings.

Jerry doesn't believe in easing anybody into anything. So when the kids asked him to push them on the tire swing he had two speeds of pushing: Not at all, or faster than the speed of light.

Our children will have no choice but to be tough!


Phoebe isn't scared of death defying acts of areal acrobatics so when Paige begged Jerry to stop them for a few minutes so she could barf, Phoebe decided to hop on board for her own ride on the Vomit Comet.


With all three kids on board, I thought it would be a cool picture to get all three sets of feet from underneath them as they zoomed around overhead. You know, something different and artist.

But it was all sandy under there so I opted to hold the camera under them and blindly snap the picture when I thought they were overhead.

I have ten thousand pictures of butts, sky, and blur.

And also a few a good ones that show not feet but faces. True moments of carefree fun.


Phoebe's face is gorgeous in the evening glow while Papa watches his son try to spin his children into pretzels.


And Josh looks like he's the happiest little boy on the planet, zooming around in circles with his girls on both sides.


Later, Papa had his turn pushing the kids on the swings, too.


It's funny how women are content pushing kids back and forth, back and forth, maybe singing songs or tickling hineys as they approach.


But we never feel the urge to pretend that the child kicked us over with their wild feet!


But that's one good thing about Grandpa's. They don't mind getting all sandy for the sake of a belly laugh and smile from their grandkids.