Best Mother's Day Weekend EVER!

I love my kid's enthusiasm.  It really is contagious.  They get so excited about the everyday things that it's hard not to follow suit.

Last week our old, dilapidated mower called it quits. 

I am the one that generally is in charge of "lawn care", and that's fine.

When the mower works.

I, however, am not patient and our old mower was requiring patience.

I had mowed the yard three times this year and each of the three times something happened with the mower that prevented me from being able to finish.

Once the battery died while I was on it.

Twice it just lunged across the yard sporadically before dying.

And last week, mid-way into the 2.5 hour job, it threw a belt that I couldn't replace and I had to wait for Steven to come home and fix it.

(I hate not finishing jobs I start.)

So, on Friday evening Steven made the executive decision that we were going to have to get a different mower.  We discussed it and I decided that I didn't really need a fancy wancy zero turn mower (although they are NICE), I just wanted one with a bigger deck - and a cup holder.

It really is all about priorities.

And so, Saturday morning, the day Steven and kids referred to "Mother's Day Eve", Steven and the kids went to town and came back with mommy a Mother's Day present.

It really is all about killing two birds with one stone....

I was on to Steven's "bird killing" but I didn't care. 

When the kids piled out of the truck they couldn't get in the house fast enough to retrieve me and take me outside to see my new ride.  Their squeals and laughter made it into the house before they did.  They kept saying "It's the best MOTHER'S DAY EVE EVER!!!!!!!"

(Every exciting thing is the "BEST EVER!!!!" for them!)

They then gave me a replay of everything that went down during the course of the purchase with over-excited animated moves and expressions.  The kids gave me thorough explanation of all the features, B lifted the hood to show me the motor and battery and L even did an impression of her daddy saying, "Can you take any more off the price?"

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After the yard was mowed and Steven had finished working in the field, the kids decided that we needed to have a picnic. 

It was 2:00 p.m.

We had already eaten....but that was just a minor technicality. 

Since L was wanting to ride her horse and B was wanting to ride his go-kart, we decided that we would just meet at the designated spot.  L was anxious to get to pack drinks and snacks in her insulated saddle bags that her Mi Mi and Pa Pa got her for her birthday and B was equally as excited to use his old Coke cooler that was given to him by our friends, Deanie and Linda.

As I climbed in the go-kart with B, and we pulled out of the driveway, I enjoyed the view of my freshly mowed yard.

Although I was again amazed at how well B controlled his go-kart, I remembered the last time my confidence in him left me a little.....wet.

We headed out to find the spot in the woods where we were supposed to have our picnic.

 And when we spotted Daddy and the hot pink saddle bags we knew we were in the right place.

 So L got out her snacks and drinks she had packed and B opened his Coke cooler......

 and everyone got down to business. 

(What!?!?!  You don't eat leftover Subway on your picnics?)

I knew I was doomed when L brought out the Swiss Cake Rolls.  I can resist many things, but I have a hard time resisting Swiss Cake Rolls.

 Or this guy.

 I have a hard time resisting him, too.

Why even try?

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B decided that we needed a bridge so we could cross the "creek" and keep from getting our feet wet.

I can plainly see that he has a deep aversion to getting his feet wet.

 Since B had went to so much trouble building us a bridge we decided to "use" it.

We took a walk deeper into the woods.

 The kids enjoyed "discovering" new things whether it be a bend in their "creek" or a tree that made a bridge or a rock fire ring that we had built back when B was a baby.

 However, despite B's hard work to help us all keep dry (ahem),

 some people kids are just destined to get wet. 

It's like water just finds them.

 As Steven and I took our time walking back to our "picnic area", the kids raced on ahead ready for the second leg of their trip hollering out into the woods, "That was the BEST picnic EVER!".

 As I climbed back in with my wet and wild man, I wondered if he would be the only wet one when we returned home.

Surprisingly he took it fairly slow through the water and the only thing that got wet was my feet. 

While L and Steven continued their horse ride, B and I took a ride of our own.  We made rounds in our neighborhood covering about 10 miles. We visited with a couple of our neighbors and continued on our way.  B said he was having so much fun that he wished that he could just keep driving until he ran out of gas.  He said it was the "best time EVER!"

When we returned back home Steven and the kids decided to take me out to eat for Mother's Day.  We ate at one of my favorite places and ended up the night at a park where we watched the kids play, joined them in play, and then walked together on the mile trail that wound through the park.

As we headed back to the truck Steven and B took out on a foot race, each one trying to beat the other.  L looked up at me and squeezed my hand and said, "I LOVE my family".  I scooped her up in my arms and said, "I love MY family, too!"

Times like that are the best gift I could ever be given. 

(Even better than a lawn mower that actually runs.)

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After church on Sunday we (along with Sarah and Jason) took Mi Mi and Pa Pa out to eat.  There was some discussion on Steven's part with Jason as to whether or not they technically had to buy dad's meal since it was technically Mother's Day.

Needless to say, dad came out ahead.

After lunch we all went our separate ways and returned home.

I found myself lounging in the hammock in the mid-afternoon and marveled at how relaxing it was when I finally gave myself permission to relax.

It was Mother's Day, after all, what else would I do? 

Laundry?  Nah.

However, never having enough time to get her fill of riding horses, L talked her daddy into another ride.  This time she saddled up Weston and we hopped on the cart behind Big Sexy.

It was during this time that I fully realized how comfortable L was on Weston.  When she took off in a run, throwing caution (and fear) to the wind, I am pretty sure it landed smack dab in the middle of my lap.

I couldn't help the butterflies in my stomach as I watched the horse speed along.  I told Steven to slow our horse down hoping that she would do the same.

He obliged but he also laughed at me.

This girl of mine....she is totally his.

She is led by her heart and her love of riding, and her horse.  She doesn't have time to be afraid.

She LIVES life.

The boy sitting in between Steven and I on the cart?  He is mine.  All mine.

He measures risk and is cautious.

I think it is why he prefers his go-kart to a horse.

It gives him the illusion of control.

I get it.  I live it.

I hope one day we both learn to travel this journey of life with wild abandon like Steven and L.

In the meantime we will just ride shotgun and enjoy the ride and the view.

That won't be hard.

I kind of like the view from where I am.

After all, "It's the BEST view EVER!"

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"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."
                            Numbers 6:24-26