Church Street

A few afternoons a week, I explore this new city with my boys while we wait on big sister to finish drama rehearsals.  This place is a photographer's dream, and the points of interest are endless...

St. Philip's Church

Ironwork decorates many buildings downtown.

The resting place of the 7th U.S. Vice President.

So far, we haven't gone in.

Pirates were here!

The Pirate House

The site of suspected pirate activity.

Before I moved here, I think I went shopping while waiting on kids to finish their after-school activities.  Investigating centuries-old buildings and strolling down cobblestone roads is much more fascinating...and cheaper too!

Going Back

It's only been two months since we moved.

Only two months?!  
It certainly feels like longer.  It feels like a lot of 
getting lost and being late, 
stacking boxes and unpacking,
throwing away and donating, 
trying to remember routes and names, 
getting accustomed to schedules and the way things work here. 

So, I could hardly wait for the kids' fall break.   
Last weekend, with my oldest two buckled in the mom-mobile, I drove down familiar roads with excitement in my heart and tears on the brim.  
It's still fresh.   Missing the memories and knowing that life goes on.

In four nights and four days, we bounced around 
from house,
to van, 
to park, 
to restaurant, 
to another house, 
and another park, 
to our old neighborhood, 
and back.  

This trip was for the kids- to ease the transition from having dozens of friends to only a few.  This trip was for me too.  My heart is full again, seeing my kids happy and having deep, though brief, conversations with people I love.

Just a little dose of friendship to cure the loneliness.  
A little heart medicine for the homesick.  
A little more motivation to make new friends and learn new roads.   

And a reminder that one day, this will be familiar too. 

Toddlers in Pajamas

I recently mentioned on Facebook that there's "nothing cuter than a toddler running around in his pajamas."  Some may argue that there ARE other things that are cuter, like kittens, or chubby baby cheeks,...or anything baby, really.

But seriously...

THAT is cute.  Whatever makes your heart smile :-)

The Good Things

Somewhere along this path of parenting, my personality strings got wound up so tight that I find myself growling at my kids more than laughing with them; sighing, instead of engaging; looking for escape routes and not grabbing those little hands to skip down this road of growing up together.

We are all growing up, really- not just the little people.  Growing up is hard...so is parenting.  And it's all easier when we don't have to do it alone.
So, let's all laugh a little more and enjoy the seriously peaceful, happy moments (and maybe even a little of the crazy messy ones too)!


Coloring pictures.
Watching Saturday movies.
Eating popcorn and candy corn.
Teaching baton twirling.
Letting them sleepover in the playroom.
Giving them glow-in-the-dark baths.
Taking a trip to the pumpkin patch.

 

It was a hot, sunshiny day at the pumpkin patch!

Look at those rosy cheeks!

My big girl

These kids play hard!

Showing the other kids how it's done.

This post is to simply "mark the moment," as I like to say.  I had a really good weekend with my kids. I slowed my pace to watch them, have silly conversations, and make some fun happen!

How have you enjoyed your kids lately?