Rained Out

Our grande plans to go fishing

and have a picnic on the 4th of July

were totally soaked by a rain filled day.

We didn't let that stop us from having fun, though.

We just moved the picnic inside.

We had the best meal with fun decorations.

My dad organized an impromptu American trivia game

that had us all singing God Bless America

and trying to remember the Presidents

that are carved on Mt. Rushmore.

The rain continued after lunch

so we went to the movies.

Did I ever tell you how much I love going

to the movies in the middle of the afternoon?

It's so much fun.

 

The rain still didn't stop after the movie either

so we packed up and played at an indoor pool.

We were the only people there

and we stayed for hours and hours.

The best way to run little boys ragged

is to wear them out at the pool.

So, we managed to still have fun

despite the gloomy weather.

We missed seeing fireworks, though. 

I hope that you and yours

had a happy 4th of July too!

Happy 4th of July!

I really am madly in love with America.

It's raining here but that won't stop us

from celebrating our Independence Day.

I hope that you and yours have a wonderful 4th of July.

How will you spend your day?

I'll give you one guess what we're going to do.

Give up?

We're dodging the rain and 

goin' fishin' between showers.

Wish us luck!

Summer Bliss

I remember the feeling so well.

Summer laziness was one of the best 

parts of being a kid.

Bone tired from playing in the pool,

the smell of sunscreen and chlorine

permeated around me as I

sprawled out on the floor and

watched a Looney Toons cartoon.

Now, I see my children,

curled up together in their beanbag,

happy and content to watch Daffy Duck's antics.

It's comforting to see that in this

ever-changing world that some things stay the same.

Even though I am being run ragged
keeping up with these two monsters,
I am happy to be able
to grant them these quintessential moments of childhood.

Ah...to be a kid in the summer.

Is there anything better?

The Happiness Project :: Week 18

We paid a visit to the super awesome

new Splash Pad that's popped up in our little town.

It only costs $1 to get in

and it was well worth all 100 pennies.

The kids had so much fun

running around and getting water dumped on them.

I could barely keep up with them.

 It was the perfect place to visit

on a hot summer day.

The boys actually wore themselves out by the end.

In a rare moment, they stopped running around

and sat in one spot for about ten minutes

 under a cascading mushroom.

It was a Splash Pad miracle!

  

 

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

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.

Boredom Buster :: Making Potions

It happened spontaniously.

The boys came running into the kitchen

while I was loading the dishwasher

and requested ingredients to make a potion.

This use to be a favourite activity 

for Griffin when he was younger

but it had been a long time 

since I had heard that request.

 I grabbed every little dish that I owned

and filled them with sugar, salt, cornstarch, olive oil, and food coloring.

I gave them measuring spoons, medicine droppers, and funnels.

Into the bathroom they went with their ingredients

and played happily for over an hour.

I didn't think about the mess that they were making.

I didn't fuss at them for splattering their potions everywhere.

It was very freeing for all of us.

I learned recently the hard way

that all of the ingredients

should be edible because Koen grabbed a cup

the other day and made his potion

out of water, lotion, toothpaste, soap, and shaving cream.

Then he used my toothbrush to stir it

without my knowledge.

I got quite the surprise when I brushed my teeth later that night.

Scenes from Fernbank Science Center

We drove into Atlanta to visit with 

my BFF, Erin and her cute kid, James.

Erin and I decided that we have to see

each other more so we're planning

little cheap summer meet ups to get together.

We met up and the Fernbank Science Center.

 

After getting hopelessly lost on the way there

and making Erin and James wait forever

for us to actually get there,

 

We ended up having a great time

poking at dinosaurs...

admiring the moon...

wishing we were astronauts...

pushing every single possible button

and turning every single crank in the place.

 

It was a fun afternoon.

Throwback Thursday :: When I Meet Them There

Originally posted 9/17/11

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...

If you read my column a few weeks ago,
Zen and the Art of Motherhood
then you already know that
I went to LOVE BEYOND LIMITS:
The Spiritual Practice of Parenting
with Zen Buddhist priest and author Karen Maezen Miller
(I just copied and pasted that btw)

Miller quoted my favorite Rumi quote-
"Out beyond the ideas of the final way and the only way
there is a dreamy field.
I'll meet you there."

She said that scholars and philosophers
were always debating where that dreamy field was.
Was it the heavens, in our hearts, in our minds?

She said that she believed that that field existed
in that place early in the morning when you
hear a little voice calling out "Mama!?"
That moment when you meet your child with groggy eyes
and they smile when they see you, that is the dreamy field.

I decided to start collecting the
moments in my life
where I dwell in that dreamy field with my children.

As we drive to school
and have wonderful
and imaginative conversations
through the rear view mirror.

I just love the creativity and trust
that we have in each other as
we make up stories
or talk about life.

When my little one
follows me into the laundry room
and "helps" me put clothes in the dryer.

He says "Thank you, sir!"
as I hand him the wet clothes.
It's the sweetest thing.

When I take a moment to sit at the table and
help Griffin with his homework.
I can feel his little spirit
thanking me for taking the time
to stop and help him when he needs it.

Those moments when Koen
feels so big as he "helps" daddy
with an outdoor project.

I can see him learning to be strong
and handy around the house,
juts like Roger.

That dreamy field is all around us
as we sit together and read bedtime stories
Koen literally tries to climb into the book
and fly the rocket ship sometimes.

Playing airplane
is such a thrill.
There is so much freedom in pretending to fly.
The joy of being silly is contagious.

Perhaps my most treasured time of day
is sitting at the foot of Griffin's bed
and telling him bedtime stories.

Even though I'm usually tired
and grumpy around the edges,
I feel so privileged to watch him
as his drifts off to sleep.

My days are spent weaving in and out
of that dreamy field.