Sometimes we play nice

I super hate winter.  I know it's hardly winter here, but I hate it.  It's not so much the cold, because it really isn't cold here, but the dark.  I hate hate hate when it gets at 5:30.  I feel so trapped.  Then I think of all those people living in Alaska and just want to die for them.  

So, this year, I'm trying to be more proactive and not just let the dark eat me alive.  First, I've decided to just chill out a little bit because really my kids are fairly well-behaved and act like normal kids most of the time.  And second, I hound them to get their homework done by 4 and then force them to come play outside with me until it gets dark before they're allowed to watch TV, while I make dinner.  Actually works out quite well.  

One day I bribed them to play nicely with each other while I cleaned the house.  I'm not sure I'm teaching them all the right things by bribing them not to help with the housework but it was worth my santiy.

 So was this.  They played for at least an hour. 

 This is me forcing them to have a good time jumping on the neighbor's trampoline.

 Zora, after being trampled two or three times, decided that she's a big girl and gets to swing like one.

 Another day I forced them to play in the giant leaf pile I raked for them.  This was fun until the little kids got itchy from the leaves Rex shoved down their shirts.  He thought this was hilarious and didn't understand why they didn't like it.

Do I still hate winter?  Yes.  But it's not so bad this year.  Maybe next year I'll just dislike it.