In Your Own Backyard

My little family just got back from a spontaneous spring break getaway...just a little hotel stay so the kids could swim, a quick jaunt to Dave & Busters to play silly games, did a few area factory tours (cuz we're educational like that sometimes) and topped it off with free krispy kreme donuts (cuz we're also cheap like that too)

My hubby and I have marveled at the charmed lives that our children lead...it's not that we make millions or that they have the latest toys (none of them have cell phones, nor their very own electronic devices)  It's not that they wear designer clothes (we shop Target and Kohls:) or have fancy cars (we drive a mini van and a used toyota)  

However, they still lead a charmed life...in our eyes...

They have a mom & dad that love each other...we get to spend time together doing things that make life fun...we look for opportunities that require personal investment, not so much the monetary kind...

We watched them skipping down the hallway of the hotel (that we got to stay in for free) and just watched in wonder at their happiness of being able to swim in a tiny hotel pool with no hot tub and yet their joy was evident...with squeals and giggles to dive for pennies!

Having a family isn't for the faint of heart...it's for those that welcome a lifetime of effort..

I met this family in the fall...their simple backyard demonstrating the value they place on playtime with the kids...Each child, with their own unique personality, itching to tell me about all the fun they have together as a family! I can't tell you the happiness it brings me to watch moms and dads investing in the lives of their kids and their families...the goals they set...their purposeful approach to parenting...

Yep, having a family isn't for the faint of heart...

but, the payoffs are HUGE!