Carefree Childhood

I'm really tired of a couple of things....it was so hard keeping the house spotless for two months while the house was for sale. I constantly was screaming, "DON'T MAKE A MESS! STOP GATHERING STUFF AND BRINGING IT INTO ANOTHER ROOM! STAY OUT OF THE WATER! DON'T BRING SNACKS OUT OF THE KITCHEN! WIPE YOUR FEET! DON'T COME IN AND OUT AND IN AND OUT. SHUT THE DOOR!!!!!" It was really nice to have a clean house, but I really need to reevaluate things. I want my kids to have fun, fun like I had when I was a kid. Fun like when you leave the house after breakfast and go exploring, rock hunting, creek splashing, muddy, dirty, carefree fun and don't come home until lunch.

My girls are computer illiterate. They watch very little TV. The only movies they watch are in the car on long drives. I used to wish my kids would sit and watch a show so I could have a break, but they just wouldn't. I had to adjust and now I'm grateful for it.

They track in dirt and grass. At any moment in my house you will find at least one sink full of mud and rocks, usually with Dave's hairbrush that they use to scrub them. They bring their toys outside and I find legos in the bushes and in cups sitting on the grass (don't ask me why). Yesterday they discovered a bird nest with tiny baby birds in there. They watched from a distance as the mom brought her babies dinner. They run from yard to yard and gather friends and PLAY.
I get caught up in dance lessons, gymnastics, cheerleading, spending a small fortune at Limited Too, etc., etc. but that is not what makes either one of them happy. I just want them to be kids. With this move, I am going to limit structured activity in their lives. Since they wear uniforms to school, I am going to let them wear whatever they want after school and on weekends and not say a word about it...even if it's stained and doesn't match and is worn four days in a row.

I am rambling, but when the Girl Scout leaders sent these photos and I saw them come home dirty, exhausted and HAPPY, it reminded me of what is most important.

When we were in Disney World, my kids were so happy. I even had to call my dad and just thank him for all the fun times we had in Disney Land when I was young. It's a huge sacrifice. It's expensive. It's hot. It's crowded, but it's magical. Watching your kids' eyes light up after they've ridden Thunder Mountain Railroad or after they've run into their favorite character is one of the most beautiful experiences I've had as a mom. I think that magic can be brought into our every day lives...because it wasn't so much the roller coaster or seeing Stitch...it was having a mom who was relaxed. It's easy to be relaxed when you don't worry about meals or cleaning the house or paying bills...and realistically these things have to be done, but just not the focus.

The happier I am, the happier my kids are. We still have a few weeks of summer left. I know moving is crazy, but I am going to focus my energy on my kids and on myself and slow down and enjoy a little more, and love a little more.

And when that grass and mud gets tracked in on my new beautiful floors, I'm going to brush it aside and make room for whatever discovery they just made outside....I promise.

On another note...my eye is okay. My cornea is scratched but there was no ulcer. I have to wear glasses and have steroids and antibiotic drops, but it already feels so much better. I'm grateful that in all the craziness that I did stop and go to the doctor. They told me that if I would have waited, I would have lost my eye...and that's scary. Maybe that's another reason why I have reevaluated the craziness in my life. I have to wear glasses and because of my extreme light sensitivity right now, I have to wear the most hideous wrap-around sunglasses that fit over my glasses (kind of like a grandma) and trying to be cute while wearing them is impossible, so I can at least be fun...and happy!