Simple Pleasures

             The sun is shining today, the girls are in a great mood, and the husband is finally not sick! It's been a success I would say. I don't know if it has been the hard time we are going through, or the time of year but either way, I am truly learning to enjoy the small things. The other day we made applesauce from scratch. It was a blast to have the girls help mix and pour and taste. The house smelled amazing. It made my heart feel good to do something with them and see them smile and be proud of their work. 

              It was that little moment that made me realize how much I'm really enjoying the small things.  Normally I let myself get stressed as I am trying to cook dinner and they are on my heels asking what is for dinner, and can I help? I am trying to rush dinner to the table so all will be still, then we sit down to a very noisy dinner, and everyone makes a mess, it takes me an hour to clean up and I am exhausted! It has been nice to just enjoy their craziness, let them get their little fingers in there to help and just relax during the LOUD crazy time.

              Simple pleasures such as tea after dinner are just making my day! What makes it even better? The girls asking to have some tea also and cuddling up to me with a book. We have started doing this every night. I start about an hour before their bed time, get some hot tea, start a book and as I read I get to enjoy the sweet sound of them sipping away. By the time it is bedtime, they are so relaxed and content that they got mommy time. They go to sleep so much quicker that I have that quiet time to clean up and I feel like a much nicer mom.

                Every day is a new day. For me, every day I am trying to find a new simple pleasure. Lately it has been a new book, a new flavor of tea, tickling my girls til they are blue in the face, acting like a 5 year old and playing hide and seek and screaming when I am found(it scares them to death and I get a great laugh!) Chasing them in the yard, mopping the floor and enjoying the lemony scent, baking, writing a letter and reflecting. Life passes so quickly, and sometimes I think God does things to make us sit down and enjoy the small things!