I vow to say YES to fun more often!

     No matter what the kids ask me my usual answer is NO.  It seems like too much work.   I just say no without actually thinking about what they are even asking, call it instinct.  Rowan came to me and asked if they could have a teddy bear tea party, my answer NO.  Then I thought about what he had really asked me.  I had to make them lunch anyway, would it really hurt for them to have a picnic, and would it hurt if they took their toys outside?  NO turned into "why not".  

    You should have seen Rowan's little face when I quietly took him aside and asked if he wanted to surprise the girls with a teddy bear picnic.  It was his face that made decide that from this day forward, I vow to say yes to fun more often.  I made the lunch, and he set everything up.  He was so proud of himself.  He took out a blanket and set it up.  Then he quietly took two of the girls teddy's outside and set them up on the blanket.  Look at that picture above of him taking the lunch outside, look how cute he looks.  He just looks so proud of himself.

    He took great care in setting everything up just to his liking.  Then he called the girls out.  I wish that I had gotten a picture of that face.  "Hey girls, there's a surprise outside for you."  He had set the picnic up behind my clothes line that was hung with sheets.  The sheets acted like dramatic curtain, hiding the picnic.  They loved it.  Rowan felt extremely important, and the girls loved the surprise.  It really was a win- win.

    I need to bring more child-like wonder into my life.  I need to stop and smell the roses a little more often.  When they grow up the kids won't remember that setting up a picnic seemed like a lot of work to Mommy.  They will remember the wonderful picnic they had with their siblings and teddies.  I want them to remember that their Mommy loved them with all of her heart.  I want them to know that I wanted them to have a wonderful childhood full of wonder and magic.  If I want all of this for them, then I need to say yes to fun more often!