Two New Rides

During a recent visit to our local amusement park, Tater rode two new rides.  First up was a little ride that takes you straight up in the air and drops you a few times.  I was really worried that he would hate it and cry the whole time.  Instead, he loved it. 

The other new ride he rode swings back and forth like a swing and then starts spinning around while continuing to go back and forth.  As you can tell from the smiles, he really enjoyed it. 

Beauty in Nature

There's just something beautiful about nature and there are times when I can't help but capture it on film.  I saw this hydrangea plant when it was first starting to bloom.

Isn't it gorgeous? 



I went back a week later and saw this. 

 And then, another week went by. 

(I took these at night, so I'm looking forward to going back and taking more when the sun is shining.) 

 Tater thought they needed water. 

I love seeing God's beautiful designs in nature. 

Just a few more flower pics.  :)

Wheelbarrow

A few weeks ago, Tater and I headed over to Gramma and Papa's house one evening to let him ride his bike.  They were working in the yard, so Tater ditched the bike for some playtime in the backyard.  He helped Papa mow the grass. 


Then Papa pulled out the wheelbarrow and the fun began. 

Gotta love the simple joys in life.

Dave's Work Party

A few weeks ago, Tater and I went with Dave to his work party which was held at a local beach.  Instead of the beautiful weather we were hoping for, it was super overcast and even rained on us while we were there. 

We took Tater down to the water.  He wasn't a fan of the waves that day.  Not sure what was going on with him that day. 

I was trying to talk him into coming back down to the water.  As you can see, he didn't want anything to do with that plan.

What he did love was playing in the sand.  He even pretended to swim in the sand.  Silly boy.

Dave ended up winning two awards that day.  He won Mr. Positive Attitude and Mr. Professional.  So proud of him.  :)

When's The Last Time You Said Yes?

Last night, our area got hit with a lot of yucky storms, some of which even produced tornadoes.  Tater and I, along with the two pups, spent about 45 minutes of our night in the downstairs bathroom just in case a tornado decided to show up.  (Dave would have joined us, but he was at work.)  We played with cars and trains and then watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to pass the time.  Thankfully, we were safe!



When we woke up this morning, the weather was beautiful.  I knew that Tater needed some outside time, but I figured that most of the parks were pretty wet from the storms.  I decided that we would go anyway and packed a towel and extra clothes for Tater. 

I was right about the park being wet.  It looked like a swimming pool.  Instead of putting Tater back into the car, I let him play.  I said yes to letting him be a kid.  I said yes to letting him have fun. 

He had a blast.  He was in puddle heaven.  I was a happy mommy, he was a happy kid. 

But you know what I noticed?  I was getting some nasty looks from other parents.  

How dare I let my son play in the puddles??? 

It's then that I realized that I'm that crazy mom.  I'm the mom that is okay with my son getting a little dirty in order to have fun and be a kid.  I'm the mom that knows that before long, he'll be grown up and no longer want to jump in the puddles.  I'm the mom that says yes to him being carefree and enjoying life.  I may not be the perfect mom, but I want to say yes to him experiencing the world around him. 

Yes, you can cover your whole body with shaving cream. 

 Yes, you can jump onto the couch cushions. 

 Yes, you can run through the puddles while it's still raining outside.

Yes, you can ride a big boy ride.

 Yes, you can help me make blue cupcakes.

 Yes, you can stay up past your bedtime to cuddle with your Great Grandma.

 Yes, you can ride in the wheelbarrow.

 Yes, you can pretend to go swimming in the sand.

 Yes, you can try on Papa's boots. 

Yes, you can sit in the cooler and play with the cloud dough.

 Yes, you can have a chocolate milkshake.

 Yes, you can run through the fountains and get drenched. 

 

So today, I rest while my freshly bathed buddy takes a nap after having a super fun morning and I smile knowing that I am saying yes and trying to let him live life to the fullest.  

When's the last time you said yes?