a new happy place...

This past weekend was fabulous. The weather could not have been a more perfect end to summer vacation.  The mornings were in the 60's and that was just perfect for sitting on the deck, curled up with a cup of hot tea, my camera, and my journal.  Even though I live on Wisteria Lane, my deck is a happy place.  It's private, gets the morning sun, and has the most amazing breeze all afternoon.  We even have an abundance of humming birds that I obsess about, spending countless moments taking pictures, trying to get just the right shot.  

Monday morning was my favorite morning on the deck.  My oldest (D1) woke up early with me and joined me outside.  We just sat there and read for a while, then we talked about birthday parties, the start of school, and all about the revolutionary time period.  You didn't see that coming did you?  I loved having this time with D1, she has grown up so much this summer.  I can hardly believe that she is in the 4th grade.  Where did all this time go?  

I enjoyed watching her sitting there, talking about whatever came to her mind.  She is so wise beyond her years.  So mature in some areas, and yet so innocent in many others.  We talked about friendships, and who are good people to have as friends.  Also about the different types of friends.  D1 has some nice friends from school that all have big sisters in high school.  So they are not into playing barbie, American Girl dolls, or singing to Hanna Montana or Taylor Swift.  In fact, they don't even know what they are into.  I want D1 to enjoy being a child.  She has one good friend that she can completely be her silly little self with, and I adore that!!!  Life goes by so fast, that we miss out on what it is to just be a kid.  We fill our child's schedule with one activity after the next - some they don't even care to be a part of.  

Now hold the hate mail, I am not at all suggesting that kids being in activities are bad.  My girls are involved in a few things.  We did learn though, that we have to limit those things a bit so we don't unravel our family.  We zoom from one event to the next and at some point we stop and wonder where did all the time go?  

Some moms were ready for the first day of school.  Some complained it was to long, others to short.  For us, I think summer was perfect.  Yes, we reached our saturation point at times, and we had definitely reached the point where we were ready to get back in the swing of things.  We had a good summer.  We made some great memories.  We made new friends and found ones we never knew we had.  We spent time with family, traveled to New York, PA, and DE.  It was a good summer.

This weekend was the perfect weekend.  It was great to be together, the four of us, playing board games, laughing, and dreaming out loud.  I think I fell in love with them all over again.  

When was the last time you just stopped?  Were just still.  No plans.  Just sit with your kids, your husband and played a game?  Talked about the future?  Asked common questions?  No TV, no computer, just sat and listened to what was milling around in their minds?  Time goes so fast, and we take so much for granted.  We schedule so much in our lives, why not schedule family time.  In fact, schedule it first and make everything else fit around that time.

I can not wait for the weekend, when Husband comes back home, and we can all just relax, and have fun together as a family.  How about you?