simple, fun lunch

it's always hard to fold sheets, blankets, throws etc.. with little ones nearby.  they jump up to reach for them, wanting to play with them and no laundry ever ends up getting folded.  so, i usually wait until nap time to do this. well, yesterday i got sick of looking at the laundry basket there on the floor full of items to be folded and thought i would just fold everything up quickly before lunch.

of course the little one saw me and wanted to play with the throws i was folding.  so i offered to make him a fort, which for two year olds are simple as can be (when my older kids are around, and get involved in the fort making,  every sheet and pillow in the house get pulled from bedrooms and closets to make the biggest and most complicated forts with a "room" for each of them).

then i suggested he eat lunch in his little fort (i, of course joined him).  he had a mighty fine time...

we brought in some star wars friends to join him...

he got in some good book time too...

he loves looking at the boys sports cards and sports books and continuously asks, "mom, what's this guy's name called?"  about every card or page he's looking at.

it was a lovely little lunch with my little one.  and i truly believe these simple, special, quiet times are so good for them.  they look back on those times when they are older and treasure them.  when john told the family at dinner where he ate his lunch that day, ella recalled fondly when we would have "picnic" lunches in our playroom when she was little with her stuffed animals.

sometimes being stuck inside because of the heat outside isn't such a bad thing.  it forces you to take 'time out' (see stool below:) to create special times inside with your little ones...