All Four of Them!

Earlier this week, my husband and I had offered to take care of all four of our young grandsons -- Niland (3 1/2 years), Cooper (soon to be 3), Wilson (2 1/2), and Benny (1 1/2) -- to give the parents, who've been sick much of this past week, a much-needed break.  All of them arrived shortly after 10 AM and left around 2:30 PM, and we survived!
The weather couldn't have been better, the temperature topping out close to 60 degrees, which was so wonderful after so many weeks of below normal temperatures.  After the boys arrived, we played inside with Matchbox cars for a while, and then we headed outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and warmth.  Bob was in the perennial garden, cutting down the pampas grass so we could spread the clippings on the muddy spots under the swingset where the Zoysia grass had not completely covered the ground.  While he was doing that, we ran across our 1000 square foot deck, going into the gazebo on one side and out the other, across the deck and around a picnic table, and then back again, over and over.  Niland, Cooper and Wilson kept up with me, but Benny had a blast trying to catch us even though he couldn't.  The noise of so many feet running across the wooden deck infiltrated the neighborhood, and Bob could hear it over the sound of the electric pruning shears.  He said it sounded like a bunch of elephants!
Once the clippings were spread on the ground, the swingset was the place to be.  Cooper took a knock on the head from Wilson's swing -- learning to avoid swings in motion is tough!  All three swings were used, as well as the slide, and I had to move between the swings to keep everyone moving.
Lunch was quick -- and messy -- but good, and soon we were back outside and heading for a walk through the neighborhood.  Benny was in the stroller and Niland was too tired to run, but Cooper and Wilson ran all the way!  They were very obedient when we called STOP and waited for us to catch up.  At a certain point on the walk, we crossed the road, went down an embankment, and followed the utility easement back to our house, entering our yard from the back by the woods. 
By the time the parents arrived to pick up the boys, we were utterly exhausted, to say the least, but it was such a great day.  None of them wanted to leave -- Niland wanted to stay and have a sleepover!  All of them fell asleep on the way home, and even though I wanted to nap, Bob and I had to put the house back in order and get ready for him to sing in a concert given by The General Assembly Chorus (it doesn't have anything to do with government!), a barbershop group to which he belongs.  Hurrying off to that after a quick bite for dinner, we got there in plenty of time for him to warm up with the others.  Two of his daughters, a son-in-law, and his mother joined me to enjoy the concert, but I fell asleep during the last three songs! 
Having all four boys (there will be a fifth in early May) was tiring, but well worth it.  Receiving hugs and knowing that they didn't want to leave was assurance that we're doing something right -- being grandparents that love to do things with their grandkids!