Wednesday, June 25, 2008

a walk and a picnic...and some good quality time

it's awesome out today - 84 degrees, but not that much humidity.

after swim team, then swim lessons, we (meaning I) packed our lunch, loaded the bikes, helmets and jogging stroller (and camera!) in the car and drove about 7 minutes away to this lake. we went there one other time...over a year ago...and the kids loved it.

there's a path all around the lake, it takes a good 20 minutes to walk back to this "deserted" area where it's quiet and beautiful and the kids can get close enough to the water to throw things in. we stopped, played, ate our picnic lunch and then headed back home.

picking flowers...


"what you doing, joshua?"



check out that blue sky!

bailey can keep up with them just fine this time - she was so little last time!


and, as always, her little hand on my leg during our picnic lunch

yes, my body HURT by the end of it. but it was worth it.

i hope this doesn't upset any of my dear friends that i get to spend face to face time with. but i just need to say something.

i much prefer to do things like this "just us"- just me and my kids. we could have invited friends to go with us, and it would have been fun. but it would have been more for ME. i would have managed my kids while i tried to carry on a conversation with an adult that i love talking to. don't get me wrong, we do this sometimes and i LOVE it-i love spending time with friends. but, today, i needed to look in my kids' eyes. i needed to see the peace and joy of just being together. i think "others" think i'm wierd sometimes because i feel this way. but it's just how i am as a mom. i need to really BE with my kids - i feel like our hours, days, months just fly and are so short and i can't let them pass me by.





5 comments:

Tisha said...

I know exactly where you're coming from about going out to do things without friends along. I feel the same way. I ENJOY them when it is just us rather than simply OVERSEEING them when I am trying to have adult conversation. Glad you had fun today. Looks beautiful.

Kim Mattes said...

I am so glad to hear that you feel this way too! I often feel that after a playdate or outing with friends that i have missed out on quality time with my kids because i have been too busy trying to not have my adult conversation interrupted. i love to just listen to them and their conversations and i miss that when there are other people along! glad that you guys had a fun day!
kim

Alden and Dorian said...

What a fun outing you had and I love that it was a quiet and fun time together! It simply says....peaceand relationship....I love that. Love you, Mom

Alden and Dorian said...

After I posted my prior message...I was thinking...."that is exactly what God wants with us..His children" We get caught up with "activities and doing". I will be pondering on that for a good while.

Michelle said...

Don't you dare feel guilty, you only have a short time to do these things before your life changes, and who knows when you will get the chance again. Your friends will always treasure your time with them, they are grown ups but your children need to have some Mommy time having fun before their new little baby brother/sister comes. Enjoy your time, and rest after that so your body doesn't hurt so much.