I'm realizing that my days around here seem to run together.
Ordinary moments unfold around me daily
and I need to stop and relish in them.
One day, my boys will be out living life
and I will miss these everyday experiences.
So, I am taking the time to document
the simple moments that pass between us.
I'm calling this little collection of memories...
Playing Hide and Seek with the Boys.
Lately, in the heat of the afternoon,
we've been playing hide and seek.
It is pretty hilarious to play with
a six year old and a two year old.
I love that when I hide my face to count to 20,
I can hear little feet scampering about the room.
I hear closet doors being thrown open,
a shower curtain sliding across the shower bar,
and squeals as my boys
franticly try to find a hiding place.
Kids just aren't that sneaky.
When Roger is home,
we pair off with the boys
and I just love hiding with Griffin.
He tries so hard to be quiet as we
hunker in the shower together and hide.
He has to hold his breath
or he will giggle.
He usually ends up giggling anyway.
We're pretty easy to find.
Koen cracks me up
because he thinks that if his eyes are hidden
that we can't see him.
His tiny feet pop out from
beneath all sorts of hiding places.
These are the sweetest games
we'll ever play together.
patience, perseverance, determination, and confidence.
Griffin had to say them over and over
because the fish weren't biting for him.
In the end, after reciting these words
over
and over
and over,
he caught 4 fish!
It was one of those great
life lesson opportunities.
Want to join me in my quest to scout out happiness for a whole year? Simply post a photo of something that makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it. Then, steal my button and include it in your post. Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.
I just love how the smell of something sweetcooking in the oven attracts curious little noses to the kitchen.
It amazes me to think how much I've grown to enjoy making treats. Me, who was once a self proclaimed disaster in the kitchen. Griffin's class is having a bake sale to raise money for the people of Japan. I was more than happy to spend the afternoon baking.
It makes me feel feminine somehow as my kitchen becomes a flurry of activity.
The sound of the eggs cracking andthe spoon swishing to mix the ingredients, these sweet kitchen noises make a house sound more like a home.
I used to be so afraid of cookingbut that was just because I was inexperienced. I feel empowered now when something yummycomes out of the oven.
Baking can be a very healing experience.
Last night, after the oven was offand the muffins and brownies were all wrapped up lovingly for the bake sale, I languidly rocked Koen to sleep at bedtime. The smell of chocolate and powdered sugar lingered on my spring dress.
and sat beneath a huge umbrella on the beach for hours on end.
I've never seen Roger more relaxed.
We went to a seafood market each day
and purchased fresh crab, shrimp, and scallops.
Then we whipped up amazing meals together
and sat on the balcony of our condo
and sipped on Rum and Coke while we ate dinner.
There's nothing better than sitting
in the shade near the ocean
and reading a good book.
If we got too hot, we just dipped
ourselves into the water and cooled off.
The sunsets were stunning!
The perfect way to end a perfect day.
Want to join me in my quest to scout out happiness for a whole year? Simply post a photo of something that makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it. Then, steal my button and include it in your post. Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.
10. He wears a cowboy hat and Elvis sunglasses on the beach.
9. He taught me how to cook and didn't get annoyed even once if I burned dinner or if the salt shaker lid accidentally fell off
and dropped too much salt into a dish.
8. He dances like James Brown.
7. If I walk past him at any given moment, he always smacks my butt.
6. He follows directions well. Like when I told him when we were dating how much I love to get flowers
and now at every special occasion I get a bouquet.
Even if he has to leave the house at midnight to fetch them.
5. From the moment he walks in the door from work
to the moment that our children are in bed, he is fully engaged
and doing all sorts of daddy duties.
4. He calls me on his drive to work to tell me that he misses me.
3. He prays with me.
2. He loves all Jane Austen movies but also loves to hunt.
I
know this because I saw a mama and her 4 babies parade in a line
through my front yard like it was
flippin' armadillo appreciation day.
They practically threw candy at me as they passed.
My dad did a little research and
came over Friday evening with
all the supplies needed to trap an armadillo.
Don't worry,
no animals were harmed
in the making of this post!
The men set to the task
of making a little channel
to guide them into a live trap.
It was an event.
We woke up the next morning with
a little critter stuck in the cage!
Knowing that they can carry leprosy,
no one handled the little guy, I promise.
My husband wanted to send it to
the pearly gates and be over with it
but the children begged and pleaded
to simply relocate it.
In the end, we drove 5 miles over the county line,
pulled over to the side of a non-trafficy road,
and let the armadillo out by the bank of a river.
The boys unstrapped their seatbelts
and leaned out the window to bid farewell to "Billy".
He scooted off to his new home
happy and sniffing around like nobody's business.
I love it that my kids have such compassion for animals
and you can bet that Roger got extra smooches
later that evening for taking the time
to give "Billy" a chance at a new life by the river.
Only 5 more armadillos to go!
Want to join me in my quest to scout out happiness for a whole year? Simply post a photo of something that makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it. Then, steal my button and include it in your post. Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.
My name is Leigh and this blog follows my misadventures as a stay at home mom. Read as I juggle housework, motherhood, creativity, and delusions of grandeur. I am inept throwback to the 1950′s housewife, so this blog gives a modern twist to a retro lifestyle. With a focus on the drama and joys of everyday life, sometimes heartfelt but usually hilarious observations unfold. All the while my ignored laundry pile grows by leaps and bounds.
