the best day

So since I wrote last and told the world I was off to have a good day... what a great day I had. It had the potential to be a really terrible day, but I guess that only proves how the battle is either won or lost in your mind.

First, we left for the book store to play with the trains. It's quite a drive. By the time I was halfway there I realized I forgot my stomach medication. 1st problem. When I got home, she fell asleep. 2nd problem. I tried to take her out and put her back to sleep in bed but we just cuddled for ten minutes and she felt better. I actually enjoyed it--a lot. Went back out to the truck and it started to pour.  3rd problem. And it poured.

Any other day, I would have been so frustrated by this point that I would have given up.
But as I said, I was dead set on having an eventful, fun day.

Thankfully, the LG's rain boots were in the truck. All was well. We played with the trains. I followed her around the store as she pushed a basket (for an hour). I enjoyed a peppermint mocha. Mmm. Lunch time we shared nuggets and fries at McDonalds--LG had a smoothie, no worries, even though a smoothie from McDonalds is still skeptical in my books. She spent her time in the play room sliding. Labeling the colors on the walls. Giving me hugs. We went to the Grocery store. I didn't even stick her in the cart. She held on to the cart. She helped me push it. She ran around the store and I chased her. Every time we went outside she jumped in puddles for about 15 minutes.

My day was hectic and busy. It was not relaxing. However...
Letting her go helps her grow, teaches her to help Mommy, and let's her play (while I'm doing errands). Everyone wins and she's happier. Puddle jumping is fun and it only takes an extra five minutes off of the day--well worth it. Learning to share with the other kids while playing with the trains is challenging--but beneficial. Watching her attempt to help me buy groceries--hilarious and heart warming.
All more difficult and time consuming--and all more fun.

It's the little things that count.

I have to say something: the word "strict" has such a negative connotation.
It's okay to be strict. I want my little girl to have good manners, listen to me and stay close to me.  Respect me. However, I also want her to play, to live, to laugh, to explore and enjoy her life.
These are two very different things and when you nail them down, you begin to see how life can be magical.

Guess shoes, Levis jeans, F21 top, Garage coat, Armani watch
My outfit consisted of something comfortable and easy (I wore cowboy boots instead). I'm disappointed in the quality of this sweater--once I washed it, a little hole formed in the fabric near the seam. I hand-washed it in cold water. What terrible quality! I normally expect this from F21 clothes...after the 10/20th time washing (not the first).

Katya from this time is a charm wrote about how sometimes she does things in her life specifically for her blog--what do we take away from this? Are we blogging about our lives or are we planning our life around our blogs? And if so, is that deceptive? Are we pretending to live a glamorous life by taking a detour to a beach to take photos? All I can say is this: I suppose it depends on what you blog about. If I blog about living positively, there's nothing bad that can come out of it.

xo,

Courtney