You get one shot. This time in their lives. You take chances, you take them out of school for a ball game. You take them to a music festival with a totally different style of music than they are accustomed to...without any chance of even a sighting of a video game. You love seeing them in a straw hat and you take a picture of it. Then, you pause to write about it and remember it.
A beautiful Tuesday for a ballgame. A day when my kids were in school. The day this firstborn mom took her boys out of school early for a ballpark rendezvous with our dear neighbors...on a whim, spontaneous, pure fun. Maybe my boys will look back on that day and remember it as the day their mom took them out of school early for baseball...maybe they won't, but I will...
I think he was happy to be out of school?
And even this guy couldn't hide his pleasure...even a little slyness to this face I believe...
And, Porter also wore a sweet grin, happy to have the opportunity to hang with his buds for the afternoon...
We had to get blue snow cones!!!
Or...a funnel cake drizzled with chocolate?? Um, YES!!!
Lindsay Jane could not be outdone...her no napping self...she powered through just fine after the sugar of the delectable treat raced through her body...
What? Me? Drink a daytime beer? I know, right? Not your typical sighting, but it was a hot day, baseball and a great friend to share it with. I think it was the best beer I have ever had...
4 Amigos...what a sweet relationship our kids have with our neighbors. I mean, the last post I did was about us going with the Woodruffs to the Zoo and this one the Bulls with the Poleys. Our treasured memories of childhood include our neighbors to a great degree. What a true gift!!
Oh, I love this one of the girls! Steph gets the credit both for the idea and the picture. She sent me a text early in the morning asking what I was up to. She them asked if I wanted to be spontaneous. You see my response. What a terrific day and memory locked in my memory bank. Love my neighbors! Love being spontaneous! Love baseball! Love these kiddos!
Drum roll please...Mommom is showing Lindsay Jane and Connor a guitar...the night before Merlefest. For those of you who don't know about Merlefest, it is a music festival in Wilkesboro, NC. It is a bluegrass/traditional folk/celtic/"newgrass" combination with some gospel and country as well. It started back in 88 or 89 in memory of Doc Watson's son, Merle, who died in a tractor accident. My family went for years, like 89-2009 and we took a 7 year hiatus with the change in the ratio of adults to littles occurred. This year, mom, dad and I gave each other tickets for our birthdays. I learned that my dad was hesitant to go again, but agreed for his little girl's sake...he didn't want to disappoint me! Sweet dad that he is! So, we all went, kids included...and I am really not sure who had more fun. But, I assure you, hearing all three of my kids ask if we are going back next year was true music to my ears and especially my parents...and the beat goes on...
Lindsay Jane was very interested in the guitar...and she has a natural gift for music. She sings, dances to the beat and keeps rhythm. She also is patient...which is a new thing for this boy mom...
Walking in, down, that oh-so-familiar sidewalk of the years of my youth...with a sweet peak from LJ and a Harper clad baseball player I know and love...
A familiar site at Merlefest, sitting, shading your eyes from the beating sun as the music gets underway...Landon was not so so sure at the very beginning. But, to be fair, I don't think I was either...
Connor, my little buddy, jumped right in and joined me at the Creekside stage for some bluegrass. He sat in my lap, listened and loved on mama. Another great memory in our books.
Lindsay Jane is just so full of life and adventure. She cannot be outdone by her brothers, who both enjoyed a tasty moon pie, always making us think about LD, "Papa" who loved a moon pie. Lindsay Jane looks to be prepared to eat a cookie as large as her head. No worries, she stopped after half and told me it was just "not that good." Shhhh. Don't tell all the Coles!
Because she is three, we played for an hour in the sandbox. And she was so so happy.
Then, because she is three, she danced without any type of reservation with her Pop for several songs. I apologize that the pictures are a bit blurry, but I could not stop to look at the picture while watching. It was one of the best several moments of my life.
Me and my sweetie. I fall more in love with all three of my kids every day as I learn more about them. They are each so unique and watching their personalities unfold is like reading an adventure novel daily that I just cannot put down.
The BEST band we saw. We Banjo 3. Amazing blend of bluegrass and Irish music.
Sleepy girl with her sweet Mommom, who was also taking the opportunity to dance with this sweet girl.
Hide and seek with her "Poppie".
Pure preciousness.
More of the pure preciousness.
Stan stopping to sunscreen it up.
Mommom and the boys, just before leaving for the day. Mom and dad took them home early and let Stan and I stay a little later. It was so nice to be able to enjoy Merlefest just the two of us and we *might* have taken a nap with our feet propped up in the chairs and hats over our faces...
Day Two!!! Rain! Merlefest weather, oh so unpredictable!
Her smiles are amazing, just like her sweet little spirit and heart.
More of We Banjos 3.
Sweet sweet snuggles were followed by sweet sweet snoozes...is there anything better?
And, then some rainy, curly haired snuggle and selfie time with my mini me...
Pop bought the boys a treat...which was actually quite cool. :)
Lindsay Jane decided to pretend she was a little kitty cat.
She also was very interested in the tie died large coffee filters...but she did not want to wear hers as a hat as was suggested.
Connor made sand art.
And both Connor and Lindsay Jane enjoyed stringing beads. It was my first time in the kids tent for the duration we were in there. It was so packed with kids and activities! It was a great addition to the already wide world of Merlefest. No one can have the excuse of boredom at this festival.
And! We got to meet up with our sweet friends, Tori and Katie. They actually camped out! I am so glad they joined us this year and were able to experience the wonderful world of Merlefest. I believe Tori was even overheard trying to figure out how to make a living attending festivals... :) I agree!!!!
Tori and Katie agreed with us about We Banjos 3! They were phenomenal! And of course, all of their cds were sold out by the time this mama got over to the vendor tent! Oh, well...there is always Amazon...
Sweet smiles with sweet friends.
Oh, I love how genuinely happy every one is in this picture! Music is food for the soul, for sure.
More big smiles and happy hearts.
It sure is super fun when you can figure out how to get your parents in on an "usie". Love my parents!
Mom and I had such a great time of connecting with our sweet memories of Merlefest from years past and watching my kids enjoy it as much as we used to. I really think my parents felt a bit proud of their instilling of music in our lives at an early age and the connection and community it fosters. Yes, mom and dad, you should be and THANK YOU!
Me and my crazy, firecracker, fun loving, silly boy!
More Lindsay Jane and "Poppie" bonding. I tell you, she HAS his heart...can you tell?
What a sweet time it was in a week with an afternoon get-away to the ballpark and a Friday and Saturday at Merlefest. It is so helpful to focus on these happy times and sweet blessings of time spent with our family. Writing about it allows me to relive it all! Awesome! Hope you enjoyed!
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