Our Big Back Yard, or perhaps the Value of Verbal Stimulation

photos: our newly flat garden space, cute dozer prepping the driveway, backhoe vs. the dirt pile, our big back yard
All summer, our "back yard" has been dominated by a big pile of red Carolina clay. It wasn't pretty but it got a lot of use. The kids have climbed, jumped, and rolled down the hill, used it as a backdrop for target practice, and even nearly attempted to bike over its edge. This week the pile met its match - Stacy and his various backhoes and mini-dozers. We were surprised how far the pile extended -- the official yard is a lot bigger than we thought it would be. Of course now instead of a big pile of clay - we have a big field of clay. Just as messy, just a little more spread out.

Bella and I have a slight disagreement over what we should do with the yard. I think we need to get it seeded soon so some grass grows to hold the dirt in place (and out of the house!). She, however, declares grass to be "too itchy". She thinks we need turf. Artificial turf. Hmmm.

This would be the same daughter who - in big brother's school magazine drive-- held out for a magazine titled "Sparkle World" over Mom's suggestion of "Your Big Back Yard". 40 pages "packed" with all things sweet and sparkly (including Bratz? they must qualify on the sparkly side because they sure ain't sweet!) over the the National Wildlife Federation's publication where she could learn how our yard could become a Certified Wildlife Habitat site, find out how to fight global warming, or log on and inventory all the wild animals we see? Hmmm indeed.

Same said daughter has, in the course of a day or two, argued that she should sleep on the living room floor instead of her bedroom because the sound of our dog snoring is "like a lullaby to me"; declared that she will die tomorrow if she doesn't get a popsicle today; and suggested that perhaps Mom and Dad should give her and Dexter some "peace and quiet" in the car. And somehow charmed the gentleman at the tire shop (himself the father of 6!), who speculated that she must receive much "verbal stimulation" at home. A good thing - this verbal stimulation - or so the studies say. Children who simply hear more words at home apparently have much higher levels of success in school.

I hope it works just as well when the only words they hear are their own, because around here, no one else can get a word in edgewise.