Simple Things Sunday: A Hand of Sand

{A Hand of Sand}

Rocks, dirt, sand, water, & a bunch of running...a young boy's bliss.  Some may hate when their kids get messy and dirty, but I think its wonderful.  So authentic.  My boys crave it. 

Our world bombards our kids with so much all of the time & we can't afford to let them forget how to really play. On their own. No winning or losing, no looking for batteries to the remote.  Remember when the days of summer lasted forever?  We always found our own "fun"...even if it was making slippy slides out of black tarp or trying to build a pool out of 2 X 4's.  Making up games like "Jail Break" filled hours and hours of summer afternoons and evenings.  

So here's to helping our kids (& ourselves) find our own fun this summer!  

This photo was added to Simple Things Sunday...

{CA Beach in May}

Our family doesn't do crowds.  Okay, let me rephrase that...unless you want to see 2 fiesty boys that can't keep their hands off of eachother, a miserable husband, and a sassy wife...we avoid crowds at all costs. :)  That's why you'll find us in Southern CA in May instead of August, get take out instead of taking a number, and at Legoland instead of Disneyland.  (It will be a miracle if I can get the husband to go back to the Magic Kingdom...even if we go in the off season he hates it!  I know, how unAmerican can you get? :))

So May is our time.  Any excuse I have to hit the road, I'll take it.  This time my mission was to head back to the Fashion District in LA for some of those Shabby Flowers to embellish those Camera Coats with!  Fortunately Ethan's 1st grade teachers support "family time" and when we pulled him out of school for the week I didn't feel too guilty.  Besides, I've missed him being at school all day this year.  

I've also realized that one reason I love to travel with the boys is because is SO easy to reconnect with them.  Taking us out of our regular routine is so healthy for us & spending that time together is priceless. 

Here's part 1 of the trip.  I just got some new Actions (its what they use in Photoshop to make photos looks so great) and I love them!  They are from Flora Bella.  What do you think?!

What do you do to reconnect with your family? Let's hear it!


Love, The Toad