Ah, Monday. It doesn’t seem like it should be the case, but I am just the slightest bit relieved it is Monday! The boys and I had a very fun weekend with friends- Friday and Saturday were wonderful, but man did Sunday get us! The boys were all out of sorts and were really testing the limits, so I ended the day exhausted and on the verge of tears. Funny how some days are just like that. 
But let me tell you about our amazing Saturday! We made quick plans with my friend Maggie- and I celebrate a new friendship that has blossomed slowly but steadily over the past year. Maggie is one of those old souls- you can tell when you meet her that she is deeper than most, that her understanding of the world is thorough. She is an amazing artist and illustrator and a compassionate, gentle mother to her two little boys. She is also quite possibly the most thoughtful person I have met- considerate and polite, quick to help and quick to include. I feel truly lucky to have met her, and look forward to many more outings (and plenty of staying in) with her!
She invited us to Onondaga State Park on Saturday to meet up with her husband and son who were already setting up camp to stay for the afternoon and night. Our goal: to tour the Onondaga Caves with our five littles in tow. It turned out to be a beautiful day, and we enjoyed the drive while the boys chattered away in the back of the van. We arrived in time to grab a quick snack and throw on some sweatshirts before heading underground. It was breathtaking- like a completely different planet. 
The boys were so amazed and well-behaved, soaking up every bit of information the tour guide was willing to give. Little sponges, they are! I think it was the longest Oliver has ever walked without complaining and asking to be carried (he walked up and down steep cave pathways for more than an hour), and Milo was, of course, eager to see everything there was to see. They all enjoyed it, even Emil, who kept saying “Wow!” from the backpack carrier. That night as I was putting Milo and Oliver to bed, they asked if they could go back the next day!
The rest of the weekend we did what we always do- play outside, chat with neighbors while our kids run around, walk to the various playgrounds surrounding our area. I cleaned up the garden a bit and harvested sunflower seeds from our dried out sunflowers while the boys ran, swung, hollered and whooped, stripped down naked and acted like little wild beasts. I am grateful that our back yard is fenced in! 
The most useless baby gate- but at least it slows him down?
And despite the rough afternoon of wild feisties, we made it through hopefully the last weekend without Andrew for a while. Looking forward to having him back for more than three days! So grateful for the friends who have lent a helping hand while he was away- it really does take a village (both to raise a child, and to prevent that child’s mama from losing her mind!).
Have a wonderful Monday.
I have always been impressed, and in awe, about how you get out & about with your boys! I have three, too, 5 and under. My husband travels internationally 2 weeks out of the month. I read your blog for inspiration!
Happy to hear that you are cultivating a new friendship, too.
* impressed with, not about! (Sorry)
Lauren! omg! Well, I’m glad all that virtual stalking you has paid off because I’m totally in it for your cooking. We are so lucky to have found each other.
Those caves look amazing (and just the teeniest, tiniest bit freaky to me, but I’m a total wuss about caves- my kids would LOVE it.) And congratulations on making it through another solo parent weekend. What does not kill you makes you stronger, right?
I don’t know if you follow Jason Good, the comedian/writer/family man, but I repeat his one-liner “Sundays are the new Fridays” over and over in my head on frazzled Sunday evenings. Mondays are oddly relieving.
What a cool cave! And I love that photo of your boys in the tent with one of them missing a shoe. Obviously having too good of a time to care!
Also, love your boots! XO.
Adah, no! I have never heard that, but it is going to be my new mantra when I am going it alone on the weekends! It’s a good one!
Heather, thank you, but I actually think I’d be more brave to try to keep those crazies at home- they go kind of crazy when they can’t run freely or explore nature!
Briana, thank you! They were a gift from my lovely mama.
I scrolled through these pictures and got so excited because I thought you guys had gone camping… but you did the next best thing and glad you had fun with new friends! Those caves look really cool. Exhausted and on the verge of tears sort of sums it up for me lately too, but I know I’ll feel better as soon as I can get some rest. Hopefully you will get some of that now that Andrew is back!
I scrolled through these pictures and got so excited because I thought you guys had gone camping… but you did the next best thing and glad you had fun with new friends! Those caves look really cool. Exhausted and on the verge of tears sort of sums it up for me lately too, but I know I’ll feel better as soon as I can get some rest. Hopefully you will get some of that now that Andrew is back!