free time

Free time is so precious these days. We've only signed the kids up for one activity this fall...soccer...and I'm already feeling the pressure on our schedule. It means two evenings of practices and a Saturday full of games.

But I do enjoy the outdoor time on these amazing fields they are playing on. The most beautiful grass you've ever seen and not a mosquito in sight. Blue skies with white puffy clouds. The occasional bird chirping by overhead. Butterflies still flitting around. It's relaxing when I'm not keeping Diego out of the goals.

But back to free time. I love it. It feeds my soul. If I have a meeting one day, I'm constantly thinking about it, looking at the clock, counting back time to see how much is left and what I can do in that short amount. And usually, I'm still late. But a day with nothing on the books just gives me the room I need to breathe and enjoy life around me.

That's what Diego and I had last Friday. We did try a free little baby sign language class that was offered...to which I am happily saying no (although we are learning signs at home and it's amazing how they pick it up). But after that we had nothing! For several hours.


So we went to lunch together. Just me and him. We ate at Noodle and Company and were the first ones there. You always get treated well when you're the only ones in the joint. They recommended the pesto cavatappi with chicken. Divine.

Or maybe I was just really hungry. But it was hard to share with Diego. Luckily, he wasn't that into it and spent his time playing drums on the table with the wooden chopsticks.

When we left the restaurant, a little courtyard caught my eye. I don't think I'd ever seen it before. Right in the parking lot, there was a grassy area, surrounded by benches and enough of a stone wall that I wouldn't have to chase Diego into any nonexistent traffic. So we played. Which meant climbing on benches. Running across the grass. Falling down. And doing it all over again.


Then the rustling of leaves in a corner caught Diego's attention. So we watched them dance around in the wind and flutter up over the wall. And how 'bout that hair? It was a wonderful breeze blowing.


We do love our free time. And this year I'm going to search it out. And cherish it. Because in a second, it's gone.