Rituals

Warmer weather finds us back at the waterfall.  

Joy. Ease. Simple. Comfort. Family. Grateful.

The boys love these trips so much.  We all do.  Easy lunch or dinner. Outdoor dining conducive to loud busy boys. The promise of open free running play as soon as the burgers, chicken fingers, grilled cheese, fries and tater tots are gone.  Returning home with happy, full, tired, sweaty, and oh-so-loved little boys. Amazing.

A visit in 2009

31

Birthdays are a unique mix of reflections and beginnings.

I have been able to reflect on an amazing year and cannot wait to see what the Lord unfolds this year.

James 4:15, "...If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."  





I do not know what tomorrow will bring, but I am grateful for today and ready to see what comes this year.

Bubbles

These boys (and the slowest dachshund) love to chase bubbles.  Oh what fun to see them dance in the afternoon sun.

I blow until I feel dizzy then snap a few pics.  This is much harder than it sounds.  But oh how these moments, the plain ordinary ones, are the ones I want to be able to remember long past their bubble chasing days.







PS - Batman has been hanging out here all week.  Why not?



I would like to blame this hairdo on it being post-nap, but really it kind of always looks like this.  And can we talk about the amazing eye lashes?  We call them his Disney eyes.  You know how the Disney movie characters always have the big eyes with the super long eye lashes? That's him. All the girls are going to be jealous one day.


Here is to chasing the uncatchable and finding joy in it.

Puzzle Time

All 3. Working together. On the same thing. Wow.



Shades of the future.

Keepers

Jason is so good with the camera. Here is the proof. Straight out of the camera, folks.

A Saturday Spent Wandering

First the Railroad Park.  I really enjoy atmosphere there.  Lots of different people, families, young and old, exercising, hanging out, chasing kids, just enjoying the space.  Now it will take a few years for the shade trees grow and it can be enjoyable in the hot Alabama summers, but with spring like temps in the mid-70s it is great.



My little superman.



Trains go by.



After much running, playing and watching it was off to lunch at Newk's.  The first visit for the boys and myself.  My sandwich (veggie club) was great, the kid's meals were okay.

Then an already-into-nap-time visit to the McWane center's big machine's day.  We weren't going to go.  We had decided on the park, but after driving by we knew we had to stop.





Our youngest member hung in there, but was extra cuddly.



This kid takes great pictures.



Walker was not there to pose for a picture.  He was there to figure out exactly how to make this fire truck go.



No way were all three of them going to look at the camera at the same time, that would be too easy.



And our wanderings brought us home to end the day piled in Daddy's lap watching train videos on YouTube.



And now we lock these memories away for rainy days.

The Park and Ramblings

Random thoughts from our park adventure to share.

1. Walker is getting old enough to be a big help.  What, I'm not alone in this???  He can get out snack, help clean up (like for real help, not "we are learning to be a part of the process"), report to me on what his brothers are doing and reason with his brothers among other things.  Wow, so helpful to this mommy who has felt like "all babies, all the time" for so long.



2. Ninety percent of the time at the park I am shadowing Colin.  He is the one most obviously in need of the supervision.  But yesterday, there was a point were Eli was stuck climbing up part of the playground so I went to rescue him.  I was too late and another parent had intervened (all the while Eli is screaming NO, NO I WANT MY MOMMY! (which I suppose is a good thing))

And in the moment I walked away from Colin he rolled down into a small ditch and was helped by another mom by the time I got back.  Mom of the Year, folks.  Her, not me.

Note the two sliding outfits.




So I dusted him off, changed his clothes and we continued out play time.

When the boys were younger I probably would have headed home immediately.  Worried about all manner of things including if I was capable of mothering multiple children, and if the other folks at the park were judging me.

But I am over both.  I cannot mother multiple children (or one for that matter) without the Lord.  He strengthens me and sometimes provides strangers to help with a wayward child. Hallelujah. 

I say this not to say, look how I have evolved and changed.  It is to say, I'm still making mistakes and sometimes struggling with chasing these kids around.  But that is okay, and it is totally worth any and all effort.

3. And lastly, Eli is still cute.  And all three of them need haircuts.


See you at the park next time; deep thoughts, falling children and all.