Springbrook Park

The park exploration has begun! (see our Exploring and Beyond page) There are several parks on our list  that we frequent quite often due to sports and close proximity to home. This week we decided to venture to the park on our list furthest from home...it took us about 20 minutes to get there.

This will probably be our one and only visit to Springbrook Park. When we got there we were greeted by a stray cat, a man lifting weights in the shade, and lots of trash. It was so bad that Tate wanted to pick up garbage instead of eat his lunch. This intense desire to pick up trash seems to be the new trend since Cub Scout camp last week, so I think I should probably stock the car with some disposable gloves, garbage sacks, and hand sanitizer!

In between our arrival and departure we were able to enjoy our lunch: peanut butter and honey sandwiches (sandwiches assembled by Camille & Tate, bags all labeled by Camille), chips, apple slices, and capri sun juice. When we were done eating, we went over to the baseball diamond where we set up Camille's tee ball stand. Either my kids are super strong or I'm terrible at putting things together because the stand kept coming apart. I drew the line at putting it together after the third time, which caused a bit of a dilemma for poor Camille.

Tate didn't need the stand, though. I pitched to him for a while, and then went to keep Joseph company on the blanket we spread out in the shade. Here Tate is pitching to himself (which he could do all day if we had time).

Camille had fun playing photographer. Here are a couple of her shots along with one I took of Tate holding a baseball that all his teammates signed at the end of their baseball season.

While the kids were playing baseball, an older man came over and sat on a nearby bench to roll "cigarettes" while he watched the kids play. Our farewell was initiated by two police cars that pulled into one of the trailers right across the street.

Despite the atmosphere surounding this park we had a great time. For those of you who might be concerned about our new "city life," I have to tell you this experience was highly unusual from what we experience in our surrounding neighborhood. If nothing else, this excurtion opened my eyes and reminded me how blessed I am; I have so much to be grateful for. The trailers surrounding the park were an obvious sign that we were venturing into a lower income neighborhood, and the children walking the streets without their parents was a more saddening realization. I am so grateful for the opportunity to stay home with my children and be an active part of their lives. We may not have the money to do all the things we want, be we have enough to live in a nice home where all our needs are provided for. No amount of money (or lack thereof) can compare with life's true blessings. The gospel of Jesus Christ is such a powerful force for good in our lives - I wish I could share it with the whole world!