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Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Early Spring Picnic at the Park

one of the large frogs in the center of the photo

Although my daughters' birthday was two weeks ago, we finally celebrated with our whole family this past weekend. The two of them had wanted to go to the park for a picnic. The day we originally chose was slammed with rain from sun up to sun down. So, we rescheduled.

While we normally get a lot of rainy days, here, this March has seemed unusually rainy, cold, and dreary. But this past Saturday we had a sort of break in the rain. It was cloudy and cool, with sprinkles here and there. We bundled up and took a picnic lunch to the park anyway. My son and daughter-in-law were able to join us, making us a party of six.

For our picnic, I took the easy way out and picked up sandwich meat, cheese, buns, chips, deli salads, and fresh strawberries. We brought coffee and punch from home. You friends all know me by now, and know that I usually do things myself and rarely buy pre-made foods. Buying the picnic meal meant that I could mostly relax and not fuss over anything that day, which is not only a gift to myself but makes me a more pleasant person to be around. The lunch was delicious, easy, and less expensive than eating in a restaurant.


After our lunch we toured the large park. There are trails, native growth areas, and a large pond at the bottom of one of the hilly areas. The highlight was watching these huge frogs sitting on logs, hiding in the tall grasses, or poking just their noses up above the water's surface. I'm guessing the frogs were about 5 inches in diameter when all bunched up. One frog swam away from our peering eyes, and I estimate he was over a foot long with his legs stretched behind him. The frogs we see in our own backyard are tiny in comparison. So this was exciting to see large ones so close to home.

After enjoying ourselves at the park for a couple of hours we returned to our house for some cake and ice cream. When you're a twin, you wind up sharing so much in childhood. For their birthday cakes I always tried to incorporate both of their favorites. Sometimes I let one daughter choose the inside of the cake while the other daughter chose the outside. One year I even made two separate mini cakes so they could each have their own. This year, like a few other previous years, my daughters wanted to combine two types of cake and frosting, specifically a brownie bottom layer, topped with chocolate frosting, then a funfetti top layer of cake. The sides of the cake were frosted in chocolate icing, while the top was frosted in neon green and purple icing. The cake really did reflect both of their favorites.

For such a low-key birthday celebration, the day was really quite fun. We have spent so much time at home in the last two years that a day at the park seemed like a real treat. 

14 comments:

  1. It sounds like a perfect day. The whole family together, a picnic, and a walk in the woods. Topped off with a fun, delicious birthday cake. I'm glad that you finally had enough of a break in the weather to celebrate.

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    1. Thank you, Live and Learn. It was a lovely day.

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  2. You really put so much effort in making birthdays and other occasions so special for your family members. I am sure they feel so special and treated. If not, they definitely should! What a calm and relaxing setting at the park. Being in nature is so good for the soul. Time with family is priceless. Then that cake sounds so unique and delicious. I think you nailed it!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, Linda. We had a wonderful time. It was so relaxing being in the park. My daughters made a good choice.

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  3. Sounds like a fun day all around, and with delicious food! I agree with Linda M above; you put so much effort into holidays and special occasions. What lovely memories they will have!

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    1. Hi Cat,
      Thank you. It is my hope that they will have these memories to recall someday later in life.

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  4. Sounds like a great time was had by all! I'm looking forward to some warmth. We had a sneak peek a while ago but since then it has been cold and now rainy. Might even see some snow yet but that is a maybe or maybe not situation.

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    1. Hi Alice,
      We really enjoyed our time together at the park. I hope that your warm weather returns and stays, very soon!

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  5. That certainly is a huge frog. Sandwiches at the park sounds relaxing and perfect. Being outdoors with nature is a fun way to celebrate a birthday, wise that they chose that!! Lili, you're a wonderful mom to be so caring and thoughtful of your children's individual needs, and your creativity to deliver it special. As Cat said, they will have so many wonderful, warm memories.

    Have a wonderful day,
    Laura

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    1. Hi Laura,
      That frog was by far the biggest frog I've ever seen. Thank you for your kind words. I hope someday they recall these times together with great fondness.

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  6. Happy belated birthday wishes to your lovely twin daughters!! It's a special day for you too, as a mother that day brings all the joy and emotions of the birth day.

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  7. I'm glad the weather finally cooperated for your celebration--and I'm glad that you were able to do it the "easy" way so that you, too, could enjoy some relaxing time with your family. I love parks and think that being outside is great for our physical and mental health.

    I envy you being able to see the frogs. We are having snow here today. But it's almost April!

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    1. Hi Kris,
      Surely warm weather must be right around the corner! But as I say that, last night I had to bring some plants indoors overnight as it was expected to get quite chilly. I hope your snow melts and spring returns very soon!
      It was such a nice day with our whole family. It was very low-key and pleasant.

      Delete

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