Gone but not forgotten

As I was downloading some new images I came across some photos that made me smile. They included moments that have passed but reconnecting with the photos reminded me that if we don't record the special moments in our life, they will soon be forgotten. 


Join me as I take a quick trek down April's Memory Lane....


1) The tongue has been a big item of discussion lately. 

Hunter is fascinated by all the ways he can twist and turn it. He tries very hard to mimick the "taco" shape Mommy can make. 

We're still working on it.

2) Sissy loves anything big brother loves. This includes balls....

And the harmonica. 

(She has discovered that it plays when she blows 

on the end of it. Although we have shown her the other

way to play, this is the way she likes best.)

3) I had one of "those days"--you know, the one where we made it everywhere 5 minutes early, the kids stayed clean enough to keep on the same outfit all day, Hunter said please and thank you, I had a full cup of hot coffee, and I made all of Emerson's baby food for the month while simultaneously cooking dinner in the crock pot. Oh, and I looked cute too. 

4) Then we had one of "those days"--the one that starts out promising, goes down in flames and then, before you know it, picks itself back up, dusts off and rises to the occasion. 


The park, where things started out promising.

Hunter learned about creeks and became enthralled watching a grandfather and his grandson race leaves down the creek. 

Sissy was having the best time playing in a puddle until brother decided to run away for the 15th time even though Mommy threatened the "we are going to have to leave if you do that again." 

After the 16th time Mommy found herself pushing a very unhappy "I-was-just-playing-in-a-puddle-doing-nothing-wrong" crying baby in a stroller that kept getting stuck in what seemed like molasses while carrying a squirmy two year old yelling at the top of his lungs on her hip. She made it to the car unscathed and managed to capture this self-portrait of the child who happened to be her favorite at that very moment. 

Then, as with life, the tides turned. After a few minutes in the car with some Music Together, I turned to see my son flash the brightest "I wuv woo" smile and it became one of "those days." 

We went to one of Mommy and Daddy's favorite restaurants we had not been to since Emerson was born. We ate some of the best pizza on the planet. Hunter sat in a big boy chair and read his new book of words. He said please and thank you. People stopped by to comment on how adorable and well behaved my kids were along with a few "I would never have been able to take my kids out at that age."  

When you start to doubt your day, remember the tides and how there is potential for things to change completely in just a matter of minutes or hours.

5) We took a trip to the zoo with our friends. It was a gorgeous day outside aside from some seriously strong winds. 

I won't say what kind of day it was but I think you'll be able to tell from the crying child and lack of zoo animal photos. 

6) Then the tide turned again and after nap time combined with weather conditions being too windy to go outside made for the perfect time to create Daddy's Easter gifts. 

The littest hands making the grandest masterpieces.

Emerson's piece is complete. After it dried I "signed" and dated them and secured them to tiny easels.

Big brother takes his turn....

I knew Daddy would be just as proud of his new office art as Hunter was.

Although the day was windy and cold it had many beautiful moments in it--sometimes you just have to look a little harder.

6) My friend Debra and I have noticed at our weekly get together that our kids are really starting to play together as friends.

A favorite activity is watching out the window for animals.

Warmer weather has allowed us to bring out the beach blanket in the yard and the kids love it.

Debra and I keep getting smarter (or so we think). We parked her van at the end of the driveway to block it so the kids couldn't escape. They still did but we gave ourselves an A for effort. 

7) We celebrated the Royal Wedding in our own way. 

(Doesn't she look like a princess?)

(Gold sparkly shoes of course!)

7) Then there are the days that we feel like being unprincess-like. The days where we just lick cereal off our tray because our hands are full.

Or we balance Kix cereal on our tongues.

And it's hard to stop when big brother is laughing hysterically and taunting us with "again! again!"

Then we cap it off with snotty noses and not chewing with our mouths closed. But, since we work so hard to do the proper things the majority of the time, it's fun to just be every once in a while.

That includes letting Puppy join us for breakfast as opposed to sitting him to the side so he doesn't get dirty.

These days are few and far between so I'm trying my best to treasure them. And by "these days" I mean all days.

If we're honest with ourselves, we wouldn't love "those days" quite as much if we didn't have the gray, chaotic, pull-your-hair-out days to balance them out. Yet, you can smile because even those crazy days are going to make us laugh one day but, for now, remember the tides. They are changing---it's only a matter of hours or mere minutes and these days will be gone.

"These days" that always have rainbows in them, you just have to be a little more creative sometimes.

"So live that memories will be part of your happiness."