A Series of Idyllic Moments
by Kym on June 21, 2008
Emma’s Birthday was, in my opinion, a ginormously huge success. She started her day yesterday with opening her presents from us, and played with them/shrieked at Becca for snatching them all morning. After nap time we went to the fair that set up in town for the weekend. We took our girls and our friend Angela’s two boys on a few rides, bought cotton candy, played a game or two, then grabbed some take out pizza which we ate in Angela’s yard while watching the kids play. If you leave out the occasional wasp and Emma yanking out a large, flowering red “weed” from the neighbour’s garden bed, it was quite lovely and contented play.
Today was the actual birthday party and it was, simply put, fantabulous. Neil and Angela’s oldest son entertained the kids while the moms sat around and chatted here, played a little there, munched on the yummy spread of food I’m ridiculously proud of myself for putting together, and just generally relaxed. The kids had so much fun being set free in our yard. There were no games. No schedule or timeline to be followed. It was all casual and easy going. When we called the kids to the center of the lawn for presents and only half of them came, we didn’t stress about it. Same with the singing and candle blowing.
The lack of stress today was almost shocking, given that we had an extra fourteen kids running around.
We had the bubble blower set up, a parachute that got used for bouncing balls around and then got turned into a fort later on. Neil hitched our large metal wagon up to the ride on lawn mower and gave the kids rides around the yard. The older kids played catch and badminton, and some of the younger kids spent most of their time catching bugs in paper cups.
It was a little bittersweet, thinking how some of these beautiful families are going to be moving away at the end of the summer. But after a few moments quiet reflection I let the bitterness go. So often we taint the loveliness of the present with our worry over the future. Today, taking in the beautiful green of the grass, the corruscating sound of laughter and happy shrieking, the scent of lilac on the wind…I just couldn’t be bitter or sad. Not in the least.
I love it when the beauty of a moment overwhelms all other considerations and I can just….be.
For pictures of the days fun, many of them admittedly being of adorable kids you don’t know, just click here.
22 comments
I love moments like that! Whole days are even more perfect. So glad you had a great birthday for Emma – I love the pictures, it looks like she had a blast!
by Shanna on June 22, 2008 at 12:08 am. #
What a beautiful place to have a wonderful party. It looked like a blast. I love the parachute idea. I bet the kids loved that as well.
So glad that you had such a great time with the kids and friends.
Way to go on the casual. They usually are the funnest.
by Jan on June 22, 2008 at 12:09 am. #
I am SO PROUD of you. Sounds like a lovely, wonderful birthday. Exactly the way they should be…
by Tracey on June 22, 2008 at 12:32 am. #
I’m glad it was a successful few days! :)
by Kate on June 22, 2008 at 12:51 am. #
It’s so wonderful when parties go down smoothly.
I kinda know the bitter feeling you describe when you think about all your friends moving away. I’ve struggled with that, mostly in the form of envy that others have moved on and we haven’t. A four year outlook has turned into 6 years and there is still no end to Hubby’s PhD in sight.
by Summer on June 22, 2008 at 3:18 am. #
It sounds really beautiful.
Why do my parties never go like that?
I would have ran out of food early, or forgot something until the last minute…and not had enough activities to keep the kids busy…and got something smeared on my new outfit too.
by Dapoppins on June 22, 2008 at 6:01 am. #
That’s the best kind of party!
Happy Birthday to Emma.
by DysFUNctional Mom on June 22, 2008 at 2:32 pm. #
Sounds just lovely.
by Tonya on June 22, 2008 at 3:21 pm. #
That looks like so much fun! The fort looks great! I like the sound of it being really low-key and stress-free!
Happy Birthday Emma!
by Tirzah on June 22, 2008 at 8:05 pm. #
Ahhh, gorgeous pictures sweetie. Emma and Becca are so cute. Looks like you have a great bunch of friends. :D
by Jo Beaufoix on June 22, 2008 at 9:10 pm. #
so!
many!
CHILDREN!!!
good BOB how are you still sane.
i’m so pleased that you just be’d today.
by holly on June 22, 2008 at 11:44 pm. #
well, it sounds ilke it was wonderful! i’m glad you had a nice relaxing time. happy birthday, emma!
by aubrey on June 23, 2008 at 12:11 am. #
Oh, that sounds sublime! The perfect party! Now, I’m off to see the pictures of the kids I don’t know.
by Jenna Consolo on June 23, 2008 at 12:15 am. #
Wow, a party princess extraordinaire? Who knew. :-)
Glad it turned out so well. Your activities sound great and just prove that it doensn’t need to be over-the-top to be fun!
by Amber on June 23, 2008 at 12:15 pm. #
You wrote: “So often we taint the loveliness of the present with our worry over the future.” You’re a very insightful person.
I arrived here to read “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” (which is excellent, and for which honor on David McMahon’s Post of the Day is well deserved), and stayed to read some more. I’ll be back.
Be of good cheer! God has a way of providing for us when we need it, even in the way of neighbors, and he’s already sent you the insight reflected in the quoted sentence from this post.
by Pat - An Arkansas Stamper on June 23, 2008 at 4:23 pm. #
your prose is, well, poetry. what a lovely day, and what a lovely mum you are. happy belated birthday to a blessed little girl.
by Nic on June 23, 2008 at 6:38 pm. #
This sounds like one of the loveliest little kids birthday parties ever! They really do just need unscheduled down time just to play and have fun using their imaginations.
Congrats on such a successful 4th birthday for Emma! And congrats on living in the moment!
by An Ordinary Mom on June 23, 2008 at 8:25 pm. #
Sound like a great party! I love those kinds of parties… not some rent-our-a-place thing. Good old fashioned fun!
by Cristy on June 23, 2008 at 8:42 pm. #
Happy birthday, Emma (and to the family as well!). Sounds like the perfect party–YOU are fantabulous ;-)
by Leendaluu on June 23, 2008 at 8:50 pm. #
Awww, happy birthday EmmaCakes!
by the MomBabe on June 23, 2008 at 8:55 pm. #
A birthday party you didn’t stress over? My that IS a landmark day! But what really got me was the beauty of the moment overpowering everything else. Perfect!
I’m still striving for more of that….
by charrette on June 23, 2008 at 11:21 pm. #
Sounds like the perfect party. Those are lovely pictures too. I’m glad you had a stress-free day.
by Jaina on July 2, 2008 at 3:52 pm. #