There was a time when my brother and I were considered the "city slickers" of the family, especially since most of our family lived in a very rural county in the western half of the state. Honestly, the town only has one red light and just got a McDonald's in the last few years. Dairy Queen used to be it. So now, twenty-some odd years later, it's funny to see my children, who I never would have considered "city" myself, so at home in the rural area where my parents live on the lake.
The twins have had the biggest time just running around and playing in the big gravel driveway. Apparently they've never seen gravel before, because Xander loves running across it and Sawyer (always a bit of a thrower) cannot resist picking up big handfuls and hurling it as far as his little arms can send it (never mind that brothers and Mommy's truck are in the vicinity). And Connor, who's been down here all week loving every minute of it, seems the most at home. He likes to pick up rocks and sticks and squish bugs and point out all the trees and flowers and butterflies and boats and (you name it, he likes to point it out).
It's also funny how much I take certain things for granted. At home, we never let Connor walk. It's simply too dangerous, even in our quiet little subdivision, because cars usually drive at least 10 or 15 miles over the posted limit and Connor has no sense of fear or danger yet when it comes to the road. But all week he's been walking and pulling and / or riding in a rustic old wagon (another relic from my childhood) down the middle of a county road that dead ends at the lake. He walks on the gravel shoulder and picks up sticks and dandelions to "blow flowers" and has the best time.
Thank goodness my kids don't stay in the city all the time. Mommy loves the lake and the outdoors, and hopefully can instill in her boys a love of them as well. And we know that Grandma and Pa love to have little boys running around to visit just as much as they love to be here running around and getting a break from their normal routine at home. And I'm also sure that the sippy cups of kool-aid and coke don't hurt, either, since we live in a milk and occasional cup of juice kind of house at home!
