52 Weeks of Happiness :: Week 24

Yesterday was the first day of school round these parts.

I love the excitement of a new school year starting.

Even the preparations are fun.

When I was a little girl I adored going to the store

and buying my school supplies.

I still feel that little burst of joy

when we fight all the crowds 

and buy up pencils and folders and all

the other stuff on their list.

It makes me happy to take

the obligatory first day of school picture,

where everyone is squeaky clean

and full of anticipation

for what the day will bring their way.

The goodbye kisses are the sweetest

and then coming home to an empty house

after a long crazy summer

is just the best.

Silence.

The first day of school is a beautiful thing.

I'd love for you to read 

my post from yesterday

that I wrote during

those first moments of reflection
after dropping them off at school.

It came from the heart.

  

<div style="text-align: center;"> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><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><br><br><br><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.

My Empty Skirt

I can't tell you how many times this summer that I'd be in the kitchen making pancakes for breakfast when the boys would come barrelling into the room wielding plastic swords. An eruption of squeals and laughter trailed behind them as they dashed toward one another in battle.

My head would spin and I'd shout "No running in the kitchen, settle down!" as they bumped into me and I'd dodge the splashing pancake batter from the jostled bowl. My heart would beat faster, my frustration rising. Can't a woman make breakfast in peace?

Without fail, Koen would dive under my long dress, as I'm known to wear in the heat of summer. It just so happens to make the perfect shelter for a 4-year-old boy hiding from his big brother. The folds of fabric always take him in and without fail, he'd wrap his little body around my leg, giggling and shouting "Protect me, mom!"

My long skirt billowed over him and Griffin always darted for him. Grabbing the fabric and pushing me around in the process "Get out of there, Scallywag!" he'd yell. Then they'd fight under me. Plastic swords shaking my skirt like curtains on a stage. Jostled and exasperated from the long summer days, I'd fuss to no end and scoot them out of the room.

It happened just this morning. As I made breakfast for their first day of school but today was different. In my heart, I know that the days of my dress providing shelter are numbered around here. Even though these kids make my blood pressure sky rocket, it's an honor to be here to witness the everlasting battles that are waged from under my dress.

They feel safe there, with me towering over them.

Now they are at school and the house is quiet. My skirt is empty and I can't wait for them to come home, grab their swords, and dive back in.

 

Throwback Thursday :: The Art of Distraction

Originally posted 10/20/09

Roger and I have a little flirtation that takes place at the dinner table.

It started years ago when were dating and we still do it to this day.
If one of us is eating something yummy (let's say a plate of greasy ol' fries)
the other will pull the age old trick where you point over their shoulder
and yell something ridiculous like "Oh look, a unicorn!"
The victim unknowingly looks behind them and
then the bandit steals a French fry off of their plate.
I know, it's not exactly high comedy unfolding while we eat dinner
but it's a fun way to say
"I still care enough to steal your food."
We're very romantic.

Well, Griffin has observed this behavior for years
and has become quite the master in the art of distraction.
Even if it's silly, we still look away and let him steal our food.
Yes, we reward any effort toward comedy in our family.
He started out with some basic 4 year old material. Stuff like...

"Look...a pony!"

or

"Oh look...it's Tom and Jerry!"

Then, his distractions became a little more advanced.
He started serving up things like...

"Look mom...it's Elvis!"

and

"Look over there...it's a Conga line!"

Well, the other day as we ate lunch at our favorite Mexican food Restaurant,
he said something so brilliant that
I just went ahead and gave him
my entire basket of tortilla chips
right on the spot.
He said...

"Look...there's a Pegasus in the salsa!"

My work here is done!

*My super hot husband took the time to create the image of the Pegasus in the Salsa. I love that man of mine!

A Little Tour of the Kitchen Salon

 

I've finally put the finishing touches
on The Kitchen Salon,
you know, the little space where I
cut hair from time to time.

It's such a fun place
that I just have to share the details with you.

I'd like to first draw your attention
to the fact that
the retro haircutting chair
is standing on Dr. Suess books.

My dad bought the chair at the flea market
and it has no risers on the bottom
so I use books to keep if from wobbling.

Prett-y Class-y if you ask me.

 

I just adore this sweet girl that serves
as my Barbicide jar
and hold my combs and stuff.

Who wants a boring old jar?
I love her!



My bird wall vase serves
as a home for the
egg carton flowers that Koen
made for me for Mother's Day.

Perfection!

 

I snatched my husband's vintage recipe card
wall hang thingy
and it now holds my business cards.

I love that I married a man
that owns stuff like this.

  

This little fancy framed flower makes
me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

It's a swatch of the wallpaper
that was in the kitchen of my childhood home.

I discovered that I had
saved it in an old journal
and decided to frame it and keep it close.

I love being reminded of home.

  

My beloved retro salt and pepper shaker collection
hangs out in the kitchen too.

It cracks me up that the chef
looks like she's shocked
that the little Hispanic couple are kissing.

So, thank you for allowing
me to give you a tour of The Kitchen Salon.
I hope that you enjoyed it.

The Happiness Project :: Week 23

When we're feeling super indulgent

we all load up in the car 

and eat dinner at Sonic.

Did I mention that eating fast food 

in the car is my guilty pleasure?

We put a movie on our portable DVD player

and let the boys watch it 

while they shove unhealthy greasy food in their faces.

(Griffin wanted me to let you know that he took this photo.

If you look closely, you can see me supervising him handling my beloved camera)

 

The boys think that it's the

funnest thing in the world

to be allowed to eat junk food

and watch a movie in the car.

It's a simple indulgence 

that doesn't happen often

but when it does,

everyone is happy.

  

<div style="text-align: center;"> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><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><br><br><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.

An Ode to the Pool

If we have a bad case of the grumpers in my house

we just pack up and go to the pool.

Everyone is happy at the pool.

There's no bickering or little people

saying "Mom, I'm bored!"

We go for hours and hours.

The sun kisses our sunscreened skin

and the water catches my kids

when they throw themselves in.

Both of my boys have become

awesome swimmers over the summer

and it's opened a whole new world to us.

We take a bag full of toys

and have epic water gun wars.

We dive after toys as they sink to the bottom.

I pelt water soaked balls at my kids

while they scamper and dodge being hit.

It's all very therapeutic for a ragged mama.

I am so grateful for the swimming pool.

It really has made our summer so much more fun!

Throwback Thursday :: I'm a Pansy Ass Southern Mama

Originally posted 8/30/2010

I watched the movie Babies the other morning. I figured that there was no way that my husband would watch it with me. So I put it on in the background while I took turns folding laundry and chasing Koen around the room as he ran off with clothes that I had just folded. A trail of wrinkled dresses and jeans led me in circles and I was so happy to have a baby to chase after while I watched a movie titled Babies because if I didn't have a crazy baby driving me bonkers, I totally would have wanted one after watching this film.

As I watched scene after scene of four babies from all around the world explore their part of the world, I caught myself feeling very western minded. Like when the mom from Nambia wiped her baby's naked butt onto her knee and then rubbed his poop into her knee with a corn husk, I suddenly felt like a pansy for gagging when I changed some of Koen's nastier diapers.

When the child from Mongolia ran around naked on his parents' farm and scampered through cow crap, I cringed a bit. I also felt a bit concerned when the child explored a rusty barrel that must have once been a watering hole for the cows. He climbed on top of it proudly and he must have almost scraped his naked little pee pee on that rust covered nightmare a hundred times in the process. It was a tetanus shot waiting to happen. Then, all these little calves surrounded him and I worried that they were going to knock him off and trample him. I am so not a farm mama, nope, not at all.

Oh, or how about when the baby from Nambia was laying face first in the dirt and sucked on tiny rocks? I bet a you twenty bucks that I don't have that his mom did not have her Infant CPR certificate folded up in her wallet. She just casually sat by the stream as he sucked on rock after rock. I would not survive in that tribe. No, I would be running around pulling rocks out of baby's mouths and scolding them to no end. All the other moms would hate me and talk bad about me in their huts.

At one point in the film, the same woman was nursing two babies, had a baby on her back, and another one playing with her feet. I'm not even sure how many of those children were hers. It was beautiful and I suddenly wished that I could be in her tribe. My heart filled with admiration and respect for these women who raise their children in such primitive ways. I wished to be one of those moms that just could just sit back and let her child explore unabashedly. I mean, I'm all about letting the kids get messy but I would never feel comfortable with a bovine smelling my baby's naked butt or letting him play with a plastic bucket that I had just gutted a calf into. I mean, I would at least rinse the bucket and scrub it a bit before handing it over.

I was pulled out of my reverie by Koen who charged toward me half naked (taking off his diaper is a new found skill) with an unfolded shirt that he had fished out of the laundry basket draped over his head. He haphazardly slammed past me and tripped over a toy truck. He got up, dusted himself off, and starting spinning in circles. I suddenly felt very connected to all mothers everywhere and felt kindred to all those mamas half way around the world who watch their babies do beautifully insane and unsafe things. Even though I am a pansy ass southern mama who worries too much about things like tetanus and cranky cows that trample children, I am a mama just like them, with a brave baby who has no fear and to whom the whole world looks like an adventure.

It's a lovely world out there for all the wild naked babies.