Sunday, July 20, 2014

Indulge me for a moment

You know those moments that happen every once in a while, when you feel almost as if you are not there and yet at the exact same time you feel as though you could not possible be more present... you get it right? Those moments that you stop and go, "wait, is this really my life?" For me these moments are often accompanied by, "How did I win the prize and get this girl as my girl? For she is AWESOME!" No for real, she is the very definition of awesome. I will prove it... now... Awesome is defined as - extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear. Yep, that's my girl! 

I can even provide you with visual aids. My girl, this afternoon, just eating yogurt, being awesomely her!

















I was watching her, my camera was on the counter next to me, and this is what 20 seconds of eating yogurt is with my girl... MAGIC! Extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear... that kind of MAGIC!

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

8 Years and Counting

Speaking of whimsy, yesterday the four us packed a day trip to the beaches of the Big City. We hemmed and hawed about it at first.  Then, after a morning of highly intense emotions from all, it became clear that if we stayed another moment in our home, there would be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth... at least from anyone over the age of 6. Besides, it was our anniversary and I refused to let those little people steal my day... I mean our day! We have spent only two other anniversaries in the presence of our spawn, and well... I love those precious doves with everything in me, but that doesn't excuse their level of suckage when it comes to celebrating an event that is not directly theirs!
But never-you-mind... for anniversary numero eight, we braved the impending doom and chose to spend the day as a family unit–wholly and alone. This likely had something to do with the "whimsy" we function in, and therefore the lack of planning for a babysitter and lack of willingness to pay for a babysitter.

The morning began like any other:  an argument over whether eggs were appropriate digestible material. They are. Every time. They are! "Breakfast" led to fits over picking up after ourselves, getting dressed, taking a shower, picking up after ourselves, brushing our teeth, excessive volume levels, picking up after ourselves... (surely you recognize the theme and can likely visualize the shade of red-face the bride and groom sported by 9:00 a.m.)!

It was conclusively decided that it was in the best interest of all that we leave the confines of home ASAP. So we loaded the car and headed north. We set our sights on the beach! Yes, we, the palest family this side of the of the Kankakee River, planned a day at the beach! There were a number of deciding factors in heading to the beach:

1.) The day promised clouds.
2.) The high temperature at the lake was 68 degrees
3.) The aforementioned led to the assumption that the public would be scarce.

What can I say, we rocked the beach!! The cloud and sea gods smiled upon us and we had a lovely, cloudy, brisk day in the sand and waves. The only soul we had to contend with was this guy!


I will now commence with a large photo-dropage that will chronicle our delightful time together.

When we arrived, we weren't sure we were actually going into the water. Not sure why we questioned this, for we all remember our last trip the Big City and the encounter with the water and cold. Our children are fish!

Note the lack of public! 
Trying to jump over the waves to "stay warmer." Futile!
This boy did everything that one should do whilst beaching!
Wave racing
The colors were beautifully captivating!


Pondering life's problems... or lack there of...

Once we had enough beach, and were headed back toward the car, we stumbled upon the most awesome playground! Therefore we had to stop and spend a couple of hours!

Rolling slides, a thing far too scarce in this world!
I know, right!?!
This was a dream come true for this boy and his insatiable need to climb! (and he traversed ALL of it!)
This girl makes a friend everywhere she goes!
Again with the rolling slides!
The boy requested to face out to be "closer to the boats!"
There was also a mister thing at the park that made a rainbow to jump through.
If for no other feat, we were able to celebrate an anniversary as a family with merriment! My hat is off to US and the sweet Jesus that clearly had many hands in our day!

Just to document I was actually on this trip as well!


Monday, July 14, 2014

Freedom Done Well

Plans were made on a whim many moons ago, but if there is a strength of this family, it is whimsy. Plans were floated around about heading south to some friends' house with other friends to spend the fourth together since we all kinda like each other and pretty much miss each other! Our communal quest began together in a small group through our church. Other couples have come and gone, even the couples in this group have come and gone! It makes my heart so warm when we all are able to find time to spend together, because this is pure goodness! Jesus smiling goodness, no doubt!

She is fiercely awesome!
Yep!

What goes around, comes around. Life lessons!
Ma ladies!
For sure, he is riding a blowup shark with a cape on... for he, too, is fiercely awesome!
Did I mention I think he is awesome?

I found myself pondering a bit whilst our children played together, laughed together, ate together, attempted to fall asleep together in close quarters (EPIC failure)... I don't think we could have imagined this amount of magic 8 years ago. Though that is what this is... MAGIC... Jesus anointed magic!

Oh to know what these two were talking about...
For serious... adorbs!
Girlies!
Trouble!
What's a 4th of July pool party without pudding pops? Nowhere I would want to be. That's what!

Oh, and did I mention that we did celebrate America, and did what many other thankfully free American parents naturally did:  trapped our children in the bed of a Ford pick-up and set off "fireworks" (such as the Poopin' Puppy)!  Becuase... 'merica!

You're welcome!



This is all it took...
All good things must come to an end, an ugly end at that!

If this picture doesn't sum up awesome, then I don't know awesome!
Precious sweetness!
Once the chickadees where FINALLY slumbering the parents partook in CAKE!

I think it is safe to say that we all left with the sense that whimsy shall parlay itself into tradition, because we need to force this magic on our children for years to come!