Adventure is out there…but it’s also in here

On a recent family vacation I was aware of being present and in the moment. I frequently reminded myself this was an incredible experience…to take it all in and capture as many memories as possible.

When we got home I created a 30 Most Memorable Walt Disney World Moments blog post and it made me think. Why am I not this conscious in our day to day life, because that is just as incredible.

I’ve decided to take note when the little “magic in the mundane” moments occur and document them here to share with my kids someday; because although vacations and travel are important…so is every day. We recently watched UP and a scene from the film solidified this idea for me. As hard as it can be to watch it is equally as good. The part at the end when Frank (the husband) flips through Ellie’s (Franks wife of many years who passed away) adventure book and finally sees the pages filled with moments from their simple normal lives.  That’s where the good stuff is. “Adventure is out there”…but it’s also in here. In our home. In the snuggles of our children. In the quiet weekend winter afternoons reading to them and sipping hot chocolate by the fire. In the traditional Friday pizza and a movie night. In the summer time backyard barbecues. In the driveway creating chalk illustrations and watching Anika step by step learn to ride her bike.

In the past I would have described myself as a person who “sucked the marrow” out of everyday moments. A friend once said one of the nicest compliments to me…

“That’s what I like about you, you don’t live life with your eyes closed”.

Not sure what happened but somewhere along the way the past couple of years in a motherhood haze of sleep deprivation, poop, vomit and physical fatigue I seem to have lost this ability a bit, not entirely, but a bit.

I love this quote from Dead Poets Society 

They’re not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they’re destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? – – Carpe – – hear it? – – Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.”

The only thing I might add is sometimes to make your life extraordinary you only need to stop and realize how extraordinary your life already is. Here is my first attempt at doing this….

Some of my favorite moments from February 2019. 

Jacob discovering his shadow.

Jamie finally watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt with me.

The first couple of seasons of that show is great and has lots of inspirational quotes hidden in the ridiculous comedy. 

“The sooner you quit something that stinks the sooner you can find something that doesn’t.”

The time it was 60 degrees in February. 

Because sometimes it just nice to have a brief intermission from the cold. If only for a day.

The kids excitement over a new bag of library books.

Overhearing Jacob and Anika’s conversations.

Jacob’s like a real little human living in our house now. The interactions between these two now crack me up.  Every morning that she’s up before him Anika knocks on Jacob’s door and asks, “Can I come in Jake?” He excitedly replies, “Yep, Anika!”

Anika at Target with the sequin shirt.

It was one of those shirts that you can flip the sequins and they change color.

Anika-“Don’t you understand this is my dream and I have been longing for one of these.”

Five minutes later…

Anika-“I’m done with this.”

Me- “I thought it was your dream?”

Anika-“Yes, but sometimes my dreams get boring.”

The kids with their Minnie and Mickey Mouse

The kids got a Minnie and a Mickey for Valentines Day. Anika carried hers around with her for a week straight. Jacob kept fist bumping his much like he fist bumped Mickey in person at Disney World.

Jacob’s excitement to see his sister.

He tells me “he is excited to see Anika” and he “misses her” when we go to pick her up from preschool.

Anika and Jacob quietly playing on the floor

I was putting away Anika’s laundry in her room. I looked up and the kids were together back to back, perfectly content just to be in each other’s company. Don’t get me wrong, these two fight hard, but lately they love equally as hard and it makes my heart so happy.