Natural Beauty

       Today happened to be one of those rare and intentional  l   a   z   y   days. 

              Well, as lazy as you can make it with a young & wild one. More things were accomplished than I'd hoped for which always makes for a successful lazy day. 

I've come to find that all around me beauty is in bloom. Whether it's my new outlook on slowing down to live a simple life or the capability of recognizing a little something wonderful... every single day holds beauty, just open your eyes.

I felt it necessary to post about the beauties of today mainly because

they're as natural as they come. 

And as much as society would argue, natural is beautiful. 

A sweet mama keeps checking on her babies when we're playing on the front porch. 

She sits close enough to watch but far enough from us. 

We keep our distance, but can't help sneaking a peek at these tiny miracles ourselves.

I can't wait to hear them chirp!

  

Brady has a newfound happy place of his own now.

He has a rock climbing wall, a slide, swings, a wheel, and a telescope.

Seeing him at play is something I've always looked forward to because I can already sense his imagination running wild.

Not a thing in the world makes me happier than this boy.

His sometimes wild curly hair. 

The way he hugs me tighter when I'm laying him down to sleep.

And yes, I could go on forever.

It's the effortless, pure, everyday sunrise to sunset that we so often miss.

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.  ~John Muir

What matters most.

                   

What matters most.

          I want Brady to learn that he's free-to-be. I want him to grow up with memories of a childhood simply described as fun and happy. I want him to remember a mom and dad who are truly in love and home as a comfortable and safe place to stay. Being such a little thing, I know that if he can remember how to catch the kiss I blow and give giant bear hugs, he's taking in every single little thing about his surroundings. So, it's simply our responsibility to make sure his world is filled with good and necessary things. 

          Being away from the internet for a week was probably the best thing I've done in a very long time. I finished an incredible novel. I began a new one. I baked a delicious new recipe. And (okay, I might have lied...) printed a few fun recipes to try for the BIG cookout celebrating our backyard makeover. Our friends visited last night for a cookout, and we're still begging the Warrens to move back to Greenville. It's just been a wonderful week. Without the internet. 

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls

“As I sat down, though, I realized that you can get used to certain luxuries that you start to think they're necessities, but when you have to forgo them, you come to see that you don't need them after all. There was a big difference between needing things and wanting things--though a lot of people had trouble telling the two apart--and at the ranch, I could see, we have pretty much everything we'd need but precious little else.”      

     If you haven't read this book, please do. Jeannette Walls also wrote The Glass Castle which is just as wonderful. I've picked up my love for books once again, and I've vowed to simplify my life. For Brady, and for myself. 

    I've watched Brian work SO very hard managing his business and making sure things are progressing at our house. For no other reason than giving Brady a place to run free as soon as possible. My boys are my everything, and every minute with Brady is an opportunity to fill him with lessons and laughter. If he grows up to be just like daddy, well.... there's a special little girl out there that will be made sure all her dreams come true. There are just some things we can do without. Sort of like clutter, settling down right in front of where we really need to be. For me, right now, I need to simplify.

          Here's to paying more attention to what really matters. Spending less time worrying about what, when, where and why. Here's to making those special moments in life last a little longer. 

Simplicity.

          Lately, surrounded by the beauty of spring, and the busy days of life, I've slowly let go of the thing that makes me most happy. 

Simplicity. 

      Many wonderful things have been happening these last few weeks, but the most is what happened last night. Only a wife and a mother could value this and treasure it quite like I do... Want to guess? A clean house. And by no means do I mean spotless. I mean those unnoticeable things that your stress level can pick up, but your eyes can't quite see clearly. A pile here. Stack of papers there. You know, clutter.

How does it really get there??

Probably when I'm on Facebook or Pinterest, lets be honest.

     Clutter to me is being BUSY. Clutter means having more than what you use, or what you can handle. Clutter is stressful on every level and what better season than now to rid of all clutter???

   I read a post on a website (because I have nothing else to be doing...) from a mother saying how much our children NEED us. How social networks have taken over our lives, and just how we've let it. How we mothers feel the need to become the perfect person who can cook, clean, organize, play, and look fabulous all at once. Let me tell you, succeed at two from that list, and you'll be doing well. It's impossible to do everything and keep your sanity. Not only are these things dulling us when we don't see June Cleaver staring back in the mirror, they're bad for our children because we're telling ourselves we're not enough. Something humbling like that just hurts.

After all of that said...

this is a no-brainer. 

For a week, (I can hear dad laughing now.)

I'm letting go of Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest... 

And during this week, I plan to:

PLAY

Cook for my family

CLEAN

Read my books.

I miss simplicity. I've overwhelmed myself accidentally, and thankfully but ironically, someone on a website sort of changed my outlook on being the "perfect" mother.

Really, when I look back, I remember days when mom packed a picnic for the three of us to share in the backyard. I remember helping her hang clothes on the line, and I remember everything mom cooked was amazing. As a child, all I knew about mom was that she was perfect. 

And that's what I want Brady to remember about his childhood.

So hear me say "bye bye" to technology for a bit.

 I doubt I'll miss it, or feel it necessary to jump back in the chaos.

And "hello" to making use of my time for my family.

Simple as that. 


Visit powerofmoms.com

He knew, Exactly.

Yesterday, like most Saturdays, we woke up to a day made for nothing but play. Lately, we've had to be a little more creative in our outings, because staying at home means MUD, and lots of it. After making a stop at Lowe's to buy another plant for the porch, (Words will never express my love for a front porch) mom and I decided our next stop was the park. We had no idea we would find baseball and Dippin' Dots. It made me much happier than the two of them, I'm sure, but that ice cream was gone in a flash. We saw moms and dads with their boys, running around in their little baseball jerseys...

This made me smile because I know this will most likely be our lives in a few short years...

OH, how much I have to learn...

This weekend, I've experienced Brady sitting down in a mud puddle wearing clothes fresh out of the dryer, mud caked on the bottoms of his shoes, and watched him nearly jump off a retaining wall.

He has no fear. I'd love to say I didn't either, but... I'm a girl, and he's a boy. I'm the mom and he's the baby. I'm really learning about this little boy and his beautiful curiosity. I have to say beautiful, because that's what every baby is to his mother. He's my sunshine, and he's given us more life than we could've ever made for ourselves. Beautiful is watching him learn, seeing his smile, and being on the receiving end of that bear hug. Watching him "catch my kiss", and still rocking him to sleep before bed. 

Because I know this won't last forever,

I'm taking all I can get! I never thought giving birth to a little boy means also giving birth to the love of mud, sticks, rocks, wheels, sports, tools, and chocolate. (Although, I did hope for the chocolate...) I guess I thought these things were taught. 

It's just funny, if you take time sit back and breathe a second, sometimes you realize everything is exactly the way it's supposed to be. We needed that Brady Jameson more than he needs us.

God knew, exactly. 

Saturday in the Garden.

     On a beautiful Saturday, being with a boy who loves to play outside, there was no better time than to take advantage of spring in the south. The sun was shining, we brought lunch, found a picnic table, and a sweet little garden hidden in Linky Stone Park in downtown Greenville. This is the Children's Garden full of color and stories, and and the opportunity for kids to enjoy their experience outdoors! Brady was here, there and everywhere around the garden. Mom and I enjoyed our morning too, but hardly found time away from chasing this curious child! This was our fun on this sunny Saturday morning. Soon enough, we'll be packing for another adventure guaranteed to be outside where his heart is happy! We are so thankful for the warm sunshine and beautiful atmosphere Greenville has created! Since Spring began this week, everything seems to be a little brighter. We're growing closer and closer to having a comfortable backyard for Brady J to go crazy in, because Brian is hard at work! I have a feeling summer will be here much sooner than we think...

Rainy Day Love.

   I've always loved rainy days, really because they seem to make everything cozier. Today was an extra special rainy day because it was Brady's first time outside IN the rain. I've come to realize that no matter the temperature, precipitation, or humidity...weather has no effect on his love for the outdoors. A mother couldn't be more proud!!! I have so many adventures in mind for Brady to experience. My memories of camping trips, hikes, and days spent by the pool are the most special to me. Time spent outdoors are memories never forgotten. Brady will have MANY adventurous days like I enjoyed as a child!

     While Brady was trying to figure swinging a bat to hit the baseball, I was at the mailbox seeing what was sent our way. To my surprise, there was something with my name on it (and it wasn't a bill!). It was from my best childhood friend Megan Wilson... Talk about making my day. Those are some camping trip stories! She sent me a card saying she was thinking about me. Nothing beats hearing from an old friend! Needless to say, I am a very happy girl. Thank you Megan for not letting time get the best of us!

    Tomorrow is Friday, which means I get to share my day with some great people! (My clients do WAY more for me than they know...) Which also means, we're one day closer to Saturday. 

Another adventure.

-Passions are what drive humans to be happy. If you grow up watching television and playing video games all your life, you'll end up in spectator mode. As a result, life will become an endless quest for the next entertaining thing to consume.
Instead, teach your child the beauty of creation. There, lies the drive for life.-

Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Dad convinced me that riding from Falls Park downtown Greenville to Main Street Travelers Rest wasn't a bad ride at all! So we borrowed our neighbors bike for Brady (Thank you to the Barajas!), we packed a bag, and we took off. At first, we met drizzle and chill, so Brady J cuddled in my sweatshirt :) Once we made it to our destination, we ate a delicious lunch at a Hardware Store turned Cafe. (What a fun place!)  Dad mentioned something I HAD to try. It was Apple and Gorgonzola Slaw. And it was incredible. After lunch, we jumped on our bikes to head back towards Greenville where we found Mr. Sunshine and a little suntan.  I'm not sure exactly how many miles we rode, although my legs know for sure. We enjoyed our day so much, and hope to go again very soon! It was great company, much needed exercise, sunshine, delicious food, and an all around pretty awesome Saturday.

I'm grateful we live in such a nice area. Especially with spring and summer upon us, we have no excuses for boredom! This child loves the outdoors, and I plan to give him just that. 

He has SO many adventures ahead!!!!