Weekending Mother's Day Style

I must say that this was a particularly lovely weekend.  It started very early Saturday morning when I woke up to head out for some "yard sailing." Running Man offered to get all three kiddos up and rolling to their soccer games so that I could check out the sales all by myself...a treat that I don't often get to enjoy.  The girls had overlapping games so I met up with them midway through the morning to make sure that Running Man and I could divide and conquer - he stayed at one game and I headed to the other.  We had a quiet afternoon at home and then enjoyed bowling with some folks from Running Man's office after dinner.  It was Miss Intrepid's first time bowling and I don't know that I've ever seen anyone so enthusiastic about knocking down any number of pins.  One pin?  Fabulous!  Seven pins?  Just as fabulous!

Enthusiastic Explorer Boy (E2B) relished his role as big brother and really got into helping out - and cheering on - his youngest sister.

Princess Wonder had her own style of bowling.  She can be seen here chilling out and waiting for her ball - traveling at the speed of snail - to make it to the end of the lane.

The highlight of the weekend, though, really had to be this afternoon.  We headed to a state park several counties away so that Running Man could get the lay of the land for an upcoming race there.  While he swam, biked, and ran the kids and I hung out by the lake and soaked up an unscheduled, sunny day of play.  Throughout the afternoon we were joined by other families enjoying Mother's Day in the glory of Mother Nature.  From young children who toddled around hand-in-hand with their parents, to teenagers strutting their stuff with friends, right on up to grandparents who slowly made their way down to the shoreline only with assistance, it was a true family affair.  To be surrounded by laughter, love, and at least three different languages - not to mention the beauty of our surroundings - was sublime.

This is the first of three outfits that the girls wore today...I've hung out with my kids enough to know that when heading out for a day of play in the great outdoors that I'll need at least one change of clothes after some good "clean" fun. 

E2B didn't leave the shore all afternoon, even after his sisters moved on to the playground just up the hill.  Running Man is in this photo, too - he's that speck swimming in the background.

Happy...

...Mother's...

...day (a message of love from my sweet boy).

Miss Intrepid - in outfit #2 - "planting" some "seaweed" she found in the water in the sand along the shoreline.

Princess Wonder dug out her own personal pool.

My view while I kept an eye on my kiddos playing by the lake and on the playground...fabulous, right?

I hope that you all had a weekend full of love, family, fun - and perhaps even a pound or two of sand that made its way home from your adventures - as well.  Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mother, my wonderful mother-in-law, and to mothers everywhere!


"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."  ~Shakespeare, Trollus and Cressida