a backyard of a different kind

I've mentioned the Army's exceedingly liberal use of the word 'yard' before.  By yard, they mean a place for your dog to go out and poop.  

Twice.  

And then you will need to clean the 'yard' in order for there to be room for more poop.  I'm not kidding.

It's pretty stifling for our outdoorsy family.  The whole 'no yard' thing.  But we're learning.  

We're learning that while we have to give up the easiness of being able to wander and daydream right outside your back and/or front door, we are gaining a new sense of exploration.  We're learning about nearby parks that have lots of woods to 'go discovering' in, little spots of 'green space' on-post where few other people hang out, little areas of quiet sandy beach that provide for fun water play...  

Mostly, we're learning to make the most of our little walks to and from school each day.  Such as this day a few weeks back when we noticed workers raking up leaves behind the on-post hotel... giant piles of leaves that we would've never managed to rake up ourselves!

I couldn't resist stopping on the way home to let the girls jump around in the pile (while Lila snuggled sleeping against me in her sling :)).  And who should come walking from the direction of home, but Dada!  Home early from his 'school'!

It's always more fun when Dada's around...  And sometimes it's even more fun to have no yard at all and let the whole 'world' be your yard.

Ok, not really.  But if I say it often enough perhaps I will start to believe it! ;)