Playing Pirate Hooky!

I am trying to be more intentional when it comes to being spontaneous with my kids.

I know that sounds oxymoronic (is that a word?) but it is the best way I can describe it.

I have to do this because deep down I am a planner. With a capital P.

I like rules. I like to follow rules. I like to be on time. I like to know what's coming. I like to be prepared.

But I know that when my kids look back at their childhood, they will not remember (or appreciate, for that matter) how much time and energy I might have spent planning a family vacation or ensuring they were not late for school or that they went to bed on time.

What they will remember is the time their Mom took to play with them, listen to them, encourage them and just be with them. And, hopefully, they will remember those few precious times when Mom surprised them by chucking the rules out the window to have some fun.

That is what I did yesterday with Will.

After we dropped Eliza Grace off at school, I turned to Will and said, "I think we should play hooky today." The rest of the conversation went like this:

Will: "What's hooky"

Me: "It's when I take the day off work and you take the day off from school and we go play."

Will: "Really?!" (You should have seen those big, round eyes and the smiling dimples that popped out - that alone made my day!)

Me: "Yep, so what do you say we go home, get on your swim suit, throw your pirate costume over it and head to Jordan Lake for a pirate play date, complete with boat ride."

Will: "YES!"

Now, before you think I have strayed too far from my true self, I have to confess that I planned this "spontaneous" play date a week prior, after learning about this fun activity from one of Will's classmate's Mom, with whom I arranged to meet there with her son.

So in the end, I think it was the best of both worlds. I got to plan and Will got to be spontaneous and we had an absolutely fabulous time playing hooky.

I enjoyed the gorgeous sky while Capt. Willy (arrg!) was hopping around:

My pensive pirate:

Will got rid of the costume to splash in Jordan Lake

I just loved this tree growing from the edge of the shore

Will and Gabe waiting for Capt. Don to cast off

Field Day!

Eliza Grace has been counting down the days to the Salem Elementary field day for weeks.

And today it finally arrived.

The weather was perfect - 80 degrees and sunny.

The kids had a wonderful time getting wet, dunking their teachers and playing all kinds of games.

I love to volunteer for these kinds of events where the kids just have a fun time playing and being silly.

Despite the sunscreen I diligently applied, I am pretty sure I got a wee bit burned.

My station this year was the 2-man inflatable obstacle course race, which sounded like a lot of fun. And it was, but...

I have to say that after helping the 50th wet, slippery kid try to get up and through the entrance holes, I gave up trying to be delicate and just starting hauling them up by the seat of their pants and throwing them through. Which believe it or not just made them laugh and have more fun.

Did you know that there are SECOND GRADERS that are already FIVE FEET TALL and weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of EIGHTY POUNDS?? And that, despite their height, most still needed me to shove them up and onto the course??

Despite the back pain, sunburn and having an untold number of nasty wet socks kicked into my chest as I shoved them onto the course, I had a blast. And I think Eliza Grace and her best buddy, Annalisa, did too.

This just about sums the day up:

(Annalisa left, Eliza Grace, right)