he'll take the biggest, most chocolate-y one.
this is always a good start to the day, right?
we are intentional at not having too much on our schedule.
we do regularly schedule time to have friends in our home,
time to worship with our church family
and our get-aways.
otherwise, we leave it pretty open...
to run to the bakery in the morning.
to meet friends at the park.
to drop off a meal that someone needed unexpectedly.
to have an impromptu neighborhood sprinkler party.
to pile on the couch. to read bedtime stories. to have family dance parties.
sometimes i begin to feel guilty that our kids don't
have their round-off back handspring down-pat
or
that they aren't doing dance recitals and
winning soccer championships.
but.
for us, right now, i have to remember that these other
things are so very important.
and right now?
so much more.
Who needs the bakery when you've got those two lumps of sugar?! :)
ReplyDeleteWe do one sport per kid during the school year and take the summer off. But for our sports-loving family going to each other's games is fun anyway. I sometimes wonder if we limit them too much, but I think no. They like each other and we like watching them enjoy each other. Together time is good time.
ReplyDeleteI think they are loving the spontaneous of it all. it makes everyday an adventure!
ReplyDeleteSame here. I don't feel guilty about it all because they don't miss it, or even ask for it. If they did, I'd certainly feel and do differently. :)
ReplyDeleteSteph
I love your attitude on life with kids. Because they really do need that openness (at least in some families - mine being one of them) and having time to do the things that kids do is just incredible :)
ReplyDeleteThat picture is adorable!
I think you have the perfect attitude about it. These day to day things, making time for spontaneity and mini adventures are so important! And it teaches them so much.
ReplyDeleteYou teach them that getting together with friends is quality entertainment. That church is important and gets scheduled because it helps us breathe at the end of the week before starting a new one. You also teach them that it's good to go along and see where a day takes you.
By taking them with you to drop of a meal you teach them to give, even when there is no planning ahead. And all those other activities teach them the beauty is the smaller moments (and they will be the big moments they remember when they look back).
Sorry to write a novel, this post just really hit home for me. It's how I pray I am with our children. It is so very important.
Oh goodness. My stomach just growled.
ReplyDeleteWe are the same way with regard to not booking the kids in a million things. It's more fun to be able to go to the park or ice cream or just spray each other with the hose while we wash our cars.
I so feel the same way... I hate it when my week is busy with even a couple of appointments and odds-n-ends. If we've been busy or out of the house for a day, I feel the need to stay home and just be for a while then. Bella is starting to ask about soccer, etc, so we might do one sport a year or find something she enjoys like cooking classes/one sport/music...
ReplyDeleteKids need time to be kids. Which, in my opinion, they wouldn't have time to do if ever minute of their time was scheduled.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you.
Savor the days, the moments.
What you have right now, is perfect. Time for them to love each other and to just, be.
ReplyDeleteThat Love, is awesome.
A G R E E !!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree 100%!! Too much structure & schedule squeezes the FUN out of life!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI agree, love this post1 and that picture is sooo cute and I LOVE that little dress :-)
ReplyDeleteThey are still young and these times are important.
ReplyDeleteYou will know when the time is right for them to do those things...I promise.
Agreed. So agreed. Our little toddler is doing a mommy and me gymnastics, but it is pure joy. Other than that, it is openness, simplicity, piles of books and homemade chocolate chip cookies.
ReplyDeleteYour little ones are too stinkin' precious.
I needed so badly to read this tonight. Thank you, Love.
ReplyDeletethere are a million ways to raise great kids, aren't there? lessons or not, scheduled or freewheeling. But it sure is nice to come across someone else doing it the way you are.
thanks.
Good for you!
ReplyDeleteWe don't have jam packed schedules in the summer either. I try to make sure we do at least one fun thing a day : ) Today is our library day and we are super excited! Well, when I say we, I might mean me more than the boys...but whatever : )
I commend you for not feeling like you have to involve your kids in all sorts of activities. Even though they can be fun when they are grown will it really matter if they won a soccer championship or could do a perfect back handspring? Most likely not. I bet they are having a ton of fun anyway!
ReplyDeleteIt's OK to do things your own way! That's what we hope to do too!
We are another "large" family who has very little on our calendar this summer. I enjoy the spontaneity of each day.
ReplyDeleteThat said, it's not very relaxing. ;-) Just trying to keep everyone active and engaged is a challenge some days, especially with a newborn in the mix.
But that's partially why I needed the calendar to be empty. I knew I would extra need time to do even the simplest things.
my heart is the SAME here...the desire for simple and time to be spontaneous. but it's a constant struggle...
ReplyDeletei'm talking to God right now almost every waking moment about this.
i have a desire to MOVE - to get to a place where things move slower. yet, i know God has placed us here. and i also believe that if i can't slow things down where He's put me, then i never will...
i've learned a LOT about moving slower and "rest" over the last couple months (NOT laziness...which i have a hard time coming to grips with...)
good stuff...thanks for sharing! your post made my heart happy :-)