Every so often, I'll look around at the toys scattered across the floor of the girls' bedroom and feel guilty that we aren't downstairs knitting sweaters or making linguine noodles from scratch or something.
I promised the girls yesterday that we'd bake pumpkin shaped cookies and watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown--a childhood classic. It was a busy day...I had errands to run, some work to catch up on at home, kindergarten drop-off and pick-up, dinner to make, you name it.
The girls were looking forward to the cookies so much and I had promised, so while they watched a cartoon, I whipped up the cookie dough and it cooled in the fridge while I powered through some emails. I let them each cut a few cookies with the cookie cutters (I did the rest to save time) and soon it was time to ice.
I bet you can't tell that these are two pumpkins and an acorn, but I'm okay with that. I decided to take a pic because I started feeling guilty that I wasn't using homemade royal icing, expertly piped out and decorated with skill.
But they still taste good.
The girls had a blast curling up on the couch with me to watch the movie in their pajamas; and I thought about the fact that activities don't always have to be perfectly planned out like a magazine spread. Sometimes the impromptu moments are the most fun, even if they are sticky or take a little longer than you imagined they would. Real life doesn't look like the pages of a magazine or a perfectly styled website.
Sometimes messy memories are the most beautiful.
Do you have any messy memories?
You couldnt have said it better :) It's so easy to feel inadequate when youre looking at other blogs and photos, but the only thing that matters is that you enjoyed whatever it is you are doing and the memories tied to the event :) ... oh and if the dessert tastes good ;) Your girls are precious (!!) and did a lovely job with their cookies! You inspired me to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown this weekend and bake something festive with my 6 year nephew!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
xo, Cassandra
www.frillyfabulous.com
We primarily have messy moments around here. I often try to make things more perfect, but you are so right, the messy ones are just as wonderful.
ReplyDeleteFor me, a lot of learning to enjoy my kids is letting go of my expectations of what everything should or shouldn't be and try to just enjoy. I'm not always good at it, but I think they have more fun when I can relax a little. I'm working on it.
Thanks for sharing. Looks like a sweet time with your girls!
The majority of our memories are messy...really messy! You know how girls usually like to be clean and tidy, well boys are the exact opposite:) I let my boys decorate some {store bought on clearance} cookies the other day and there was red, white, and blue icing everywhere!
ReplyDeleteI agree, other blogs are intimidating! (Yours is too after looking at all of your beautiful projects! :)) Sometimes it's refreshing to see photos of subjects of how they really are. No posing, no editing.. just life at it's messiest.
ReplyDeleteYour girls and the bows are precious!
Well said Amanda! Some of my fondest memories of when our girls were little were when they decorated their Christmas cookies or Gingerbread houses (they still do). It was always messy fun!
ReplyDeleteMy kids are older now and I miss times like the one you shared with us today! We used to always make a gingerbread house every Christmas and for the last 2 they've lost interest and it's just been me and hubby or last year, no house, but definitely this year! Cute pictures. Your girls are adorable.
ReplyDeleteVERY well said, Amanda! May we all be reminded that it's not our children who are looking for things to be magazine-spread beautiful--they want the REAL beauty of doing things with us! I'm proud of you for choosing to photograph those cute cookies as well as your darling girls. Love makes things beautiful, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteMessy memories are MORE fun than planned/styled ones!!! :) And such a fun memory for your girls!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the messing moments! Well, not ALL of them, but most. They're the ones that make life worthwhile. How much fun would it be if our kids were made to sit and not touch anything, just so everything would look perfect all the time? Not much fun at all!
ReplyDeleteYour cookies look delicious! I would gladly gobble a couple up. =) Who cares that you didn't make the icing yourself? Not me. They look great! Your girls did a good job and I'm sure had lots of fun decorating them. They'll always remember the tradition of making pumpkin shaped cookies with mom and watching "The Great Pumpkin".
~ Catie
BTW, I love that movie! Makes me smile every time I watch it. That crazy Linus. heehee
I love this!! What a wonderful reminder. And your girls are adorable! My son is loving the fact that it's fall and he can watch "The Great Pumpkin". It totally makes me nostalgic watching it with him because I used to watch it as a kid too!
ReplyDeleteawww.... this is so true. Sometimes I think we forget that the most special moments happened on a whim. Your little girls are sure fabulous! (And so are you.)
ReplyDeleteI think most of our memories are messy memories because boys are just messy. And I have to remember that as they pour Rice Krispies all over the floor just as I've finished cleaning the floor.
ReplyDeleteI've found the impromptu things are the things my kids love too. But sometimes it can backfire. Like how I took Sawyer out a few weeks ago after his brother got put to bed and got him a milk shake at Sonic. The next night he was ready to go out for a millkshake. Now wouldn't that be a nice tradition every night. LOL
Messy memories are the MOST beautiful because they are real and made with love. Well said my friend, well said. You have such beautiful daughters !!!
ReplyDeletexo
Kate
Real life isn't picture perfect but what's important is creating memories with your girls and you are certainly doing that. I think your cookies look pretty good! I'd like to be one of those people who can neatly ice them and make details, but it doesn't quite work for me. Your cookie making/video watching activity sounds great to me!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure all of my memories are messy, sticky, slightly gross...life with little boys!
ReplyDeleteThe cookies look awesome, and the girls look like they had so much fun...good job Amanda! Happy kids trump perfection any day :)