I'd gladly re-live this weekend over again

I didn't manage to take any photos of it to remember - in fact, I've been pretty lousy about taking pictures lately. Poor Mr. Man is growing up so fast and his childhood is largely undocumented in pictures of any kind. However, if in the future they invent a time machine and I need a specific date to go back to: I'd gladly re-live this weekend over again.

The weather was stunningly beautiful. The deepest blue cloudless sky with cool nights and warm enough days. Our kids were all mostly happy, healthy and wanted us around to play with them. They had friends over for playdates and sleep overs this weekend. I baked cookies, washed windows, and hung out our freshly washed bed linens in the crisp sunny fall air in between dispensing hugs, meals and snacks whenever the kids wanted them. Hubby spent the weekend mainly outdoors - and mainly on projects around the house including a new swingset and three new swings hanging from two trees in the backyard. The kids love them.

Nothing too exciting happened but that's what makes it so perfect. Just lots of time at home to hang out with our kids and their friends. I'd gladly re-live this weekend over again.

I know that when our kids are older and I have tons of free time to read, quilt or keep a perfectly clean house I'll miss these days of having a full house and toys strewn all over. I know that when my youngest stops needing me to tuck him in for a nap or first thing when he wakes up to reassure him, I'll miss those sleepy hugs. I know that later this fall or winter when we're all laid low with a cold or flu or some bleak weekend in February or March when we're trapped inside staring at the cold, gray, blah weather - I just know how I'll miss these perfect early fall days.

Last night as I tucked Michael into bed he was trying to stall a bit. He grabbed my hand in the dark and said: "Mommy? About today. Today I had a very great fun day." And I knew it was true. And I said: "That's right. You got to play on your new swingset, swing on the new swings, played with those big girls, (he broke in here and said: "I played with them with my noisy dump truck!"), watched 'Michael, Michael Motorcycle', rode on the lawn tractor with daddy, went for a bike ride in the bike trailer and rode your "dirt bike" (his bicycle, that he makes dirt bike sounds for when he rides it)." And he sighed contentedly and rolled over cozy in his bed.

I'd gladly re-live this weekend over again.