The Happiness Project :: Week 7

 

We took a trip to the Windmill Plantation

and went on a walk on a dirt road

lined with wildflowers.

It's a walk that we've taken many times

and one that I've told you about before 

but it just makes me so happy.

I love the conversations that unfold

as we tarry down the path.

Koen pulls out his "Swiss Army Knife"

and checks his trusty compass.

"We're going Easter!"

he says and I chuckle.

"Let's go explore North America"

he says

and I chuckle even more.

 

We don't make it far down the road

and we move very slowly

because we have to stop to explore the ground.

Griffin walks ahead

and is making up mysteries out loud about 

the old plot of land that we walk over.

 Tracks present themselves beneath

our feet that must be inspected and discussed.

Maybe it was a baby raccoon?
Maybe it was a zombie deer?

I laugh at that one too.

We search for turkey tracks

to share with Daddy and Granddad.

Then we gobble and stomp

like wild turkeys all the way back to the cabin.

It really is the best that life

has to offer little boys.

 

<div style="text-align: center;"> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><a href="http://leighvslaundry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDlTpcH4NLUtEmwNL0NN5VLXVeyjV46LKaE_IoC7X_RD8bZ-n_b5j289xzqMLNM1le6o35B_0XOuvMBXJem-9PEiJp-mFplO6No54TEbwKtFqQGo2AXj55bde2DYHTASGWyexlFZehWn_/s1600/happiness2.jpg" /></a></div> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br /> <br>

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.

God help me, I've had this song stuck in my head since last Wednesday...

You're welcome!

In bloom...

Flowers have exploded all around me.

I just had to say hello to the pretty girls

showing off outside.

 

 

\

I just love this time of year!

The Super Amazing Life of Koen

Koen had a little birthday celebration

with his classmates yesterday.

I made a poster celebrating his life so far

and told the class all about my sweet boy.

I know that it looks like a 2nd grader

made the poster but I don't care,

Koen  thought that it was awesome

and that's really all that matters.

 

Griffin was even able to come to the celebration,

which was a super big deal.

Koen was so proud to have his big brother

run around the classroom with him.

They were both pretty much beaming the whole time.

 

The birthday ceremony is pretty precious.

The months of the year were laid out on the floor

in a circle around the "sun".

Then, Koen held the earth

and circled the sun 4 times

to symbolize each year of his life.

I just loved watching him orbit

around the room.

Then it was cupcake time!

Woo Hoo!

I can't believe that my little guy

is 4-years-old!

The Happiness Project :: Week 6

I hopped on a bus filled with 28 kids

and helped chaperone Griffin's class camping trip.

It was an adventure.

The first night Griffin crawled 

into my tiny little bunk and slept on my head.

The second night, I was so exhausted that

I shamelessly bribed him with $5

to sleep in his own bunk all night.

It totally worked.

I was so tired I would have paid $20.

  

The children did so many fun activities

but the highlight for me was 

spending time in beautiful places.

 We hiked to this waterfall

and even got to climb behind it.

It was magical.

It was such a wonderfully reflective trip.

The view was totally worth the hike.
 I loved being there to experience it all with Griffin.

 

<div style="text-align: center;"> <br><br><br><br><br><br><a href="http://leighvslaundry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDlTpcH4NLUtEmwNL0NN5VLXVeyjV46LKaE_IoC7X_RD8bZ-n_b5j289xzqMLNM1le6o35B_0XOuvMBXJem-9PEiJp-mFplO6No54TEbwKtFqQGo2AXj55bde2DYHTASGWyexlFZehWn_/s1600/happiness2.jpg" /></a></div> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br /> <br>

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.

A Brief Intermission

I'm helping to chaperone

Griffin's class camping trip for a few days

while Roger stays home with Koen.

 Wish me luck as I'll be

in a cabin with 16 smelly boys.

I'm brushing up on my fart jokes to get street cred.

The Happiness Project :: Week 5

We celebrated Koen's 4th Birthday over the weekend. 

It was sweet and simple homespun party.

My mom made these cute little cupcakes

with Dinosaur eggs on them and orange frosting,

all at Koen's request.

The children watched a dinosaur presentation

and were able to touch real dinosaur bones and fossils.

They were all mesmerized. 

 

The weather was perfect for a "Dino dig".

Each kid grabbed a shovel

and searched for bones and teeth.

They found some amazing stuff.

Even the big kids had fun

making discoveries.

Koen felt a little nervous when it was 

time for everyone to sing Happy Birthday.

A moment after this photo was taken

he broke out into big ol' crocodile tears.

He cried during the entire song

while hiding in my chest.

It's hard being the 4-year-old birthday boy

but it was still super cute.

<div style="text-align: center;"> <br><br><br><br><br><br><a href="http://leighvslaundry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDlTpcH4NLUtEmwNL0NN5VLXVeyjV46LKaE_IoC7X_RD8bZ-n_b5j289xzqMLNM1le6o35B_0XOuvMBXJem-9PEiJp-mFplO6No54TEbwKtFqQGo2AXj55bde2DYHTASGWyexlFZehWn_/s1600/happiness2.jpg" /></a></div> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br /> <br>

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.