Tuesday Chickens

Once upon a time there was a mommy with three little children.  Big was 5, Middle was 3, and Little was just a little baby.  The mommy saw looming ahead in the very near future, a long summer mostly at home with two high energy, bored little boys cooped up inside with their baby sister.  So at the very beginning of the long summer, the mommy took charge.  

On Monday, the mommy and the kids went to Big's swim practice at the crack of 8:15 am, as it will be every day until the end of the month.  Then the mommy and kids all went to play at Pump It Up, followed by some yummy pizza at Double Dave's, before returning home for Middle and Little's nap time.  Truth be told, by 2 pm on Monday, the mommy was already pretty tired of summer.

On Tuesday, the mommy had another bright idea.  She decided that after swim practice, she was going to join some other mommies and kids to pick blackberries.  

Because what could be more fun in June than picking blackberries outside with sweaty whining children (the mommies don't sweat.  or whine.) in the 98.7% humidity of Houston summers?

I'll tell you what's more fun than picking the blackberries outside with sweaty whining children in June in Houston.

Playing with roaming chickens outside with said sweaty whining children in June in Houston.  

Big, Middle, and their legions of girlfriends chased chickens behind the Fence You're Not Supposed To Cross and played in the chicken coop while a certain mommy snapped away with her camera before the chicken/blackberry owners caught them angering the poultry.  Meanwhile, Little slept soundly in her stroller, dreaming of the day when she, too, would splash her hands in the bowl of water from the chicken coop.

After the muggy morning with all the berries and chickens, some mommies shopped a little at the attached farmer's market, then all the mommies and kids went to Chic-Fil-A for lunch, in honor of the pre-lunch chicken themed entertainment.

After lunch, the mommy and the kids all went to the pediatrician's office for Little's 2.5 month well-baby appointment, where we all marveled at how someone can grow to be 24 inches long (95th percentile) and weigh 13 pounds (95th percentile) despite vomiting formula all day, every day, on every surface in the house.

Upon finally returning to the house after the appointment, the Middle proclaimed that he was "too tired to walk upstairs for rest time", and the Big requested 10 blackberries for a snack.  (Note:  I think we can manage that, since we picked and bought over 4 pounds of berries this morning.  Not pints.  Pounds.)

Tomorrow after swim practice the mommy and Big, Middle, and Little are venturing to the movies to see a $1 presentation of Veggie Tales:  The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, then to the grocery store because we are eating blackberries and mini-hot dogs for dinner tonight.  And apparently, mini-hot dogs only flies as a main course two nights in a row, but not three.  

This mommy lives with a bunch of food snobs.  Some people have no appreciation for the miniature cheese stuffed hot dog.

Speaking of food, any ideas on what to do with all of my blackberries, other than this?