Worms and Fireflies

I took the kids to St. Louis Mills mall the other day and we had a lot of fun. The day of fun cost us $178. Yesterday my kids spent a lot of the day at the neighbor's having an absolute blast catching worms and fireflies. The cost was $0. This is the summer fun I am going to try to experience more of in the upcoming weeks. When my older kids were toddlers, my husband was in school and we lived in a little flat and had the most fun each day walking the parks and feeding the ducks, or walking the mall and throwing pennies into the fountain - and spending $2.10 for lunch at Bread co by getting just 2 bagels and one cream cheese and ice water. It is weird how when we have the money to do more expensive activities, we spend that money, and have a lot of fun, but when we don't, we don't spend that money and we still have a lot of fun. And at the duck pond, there are no kiosks full of candy or pillowpets for my kids to beg at, and there are no claw machines to throw money away at. I would rather toss the pennies or even a nickel now and then into the fountains and be able to get a whole entire wish, than $1 for a chance at another piece of crap that I have to find a place for in my home. I can spare the glass jar for the fireflies and worms every day. And I can spare the extra water to rid them of their dirty muddy wormy hands at night. This summer challenge = more fun, more mud, less $. (and with $ saved I will be taking an ultimate couples spa and golf retreat weekend with my husband)

Also I do  not want to forget:
-When Charlie was catching worms yesterday, he carried a worm around for like an hour. Soon, he had two short worms.
-Ben is awesome, because he keeps his big brothers from being boring video game hounds by asking them throughout the day to , "play legos" or "play super heroes" or "play in the sand" or "cook lunch together." And the big brothers don't say "no." Ben is very convincing : )
-Charlie (3) just said to his big bother Scotty, "Now, BACK OFF!" and he has also been saying that things, "gross me out."