Rush Hour

Pulling a mighty heavy load!

Bring the wagon around!

The First Little Nguyen had an Early Release from school on Wednesday, so we had what we thought was a "free" afternoon. Afternoons are never really free anymore, are they? Somehow, as hard as I resist, the schedule books up so quickly as we try to cram in a few extra things. I hate that. First, we went to a Family Afternoon Out event for the First Little Nguyen's school, then dropped off a little friend, picked up some party supplies, and finally paid a visit to our pediatrician for our H1N1 vaccine. After all of that, I thought of a really good way to end our busy "free" afternoon.

WHEW!

I said....bring the wagon around!

I took my Little Pumpkin and my Big Valentine to pick out some pumpkins for Halloween. Every single day of the week, between preschool and soccer and t-ball and church, we pass a little pumpkin patch, and it has been calling out to us! It just looks so cute all decorated with its cornstalks and bales of hay and bright orange pumpkins and colorful mums!

We seem to race past the simplest things every day. I know I write about that often, but the business of life can really leave me feeling down -- like I am missing out on things I really enjoy doing or watching my Little Nguyens do. Those simple things help me slow down and appreciate what life is all about.

It's as light as a baseball!

One token shot on the hay bales...

Sizing up the picks.

So, I loved pulling off the busy road, taking in all of the gorgeous fall colors, seeing the First Little Nguyen pull the wagon, and watching the Little Nguyens unwind as they lugged big pumpkins around! I loved watching them change their minds about fifty times before finally deciding on "the one." I loved stepping back to let "the lady with the red fingernails" (as the Second Little Nguyen called her!) help them size up their pumpkins. I left feeling less rushed and more appreciative of where I ended up after the "free" afternoon. And the best part was that the Little Nguyens weren't talking about their friends or their afternoon out at Monkey Joe's or even the unpleasantness of having to have yet another flu shot. The most simple of things was the first on their list to share with Daddy.