Kids Were Here | March

Well, hello MARCH!!  Nice to see you!  Granted, I have no idea where February went, but I'm more than happy to welcome the arrival of March...seeing how the first day of SPRING should occur is just a couple weeks!  I don't know about y'all, but I'm ready for some green!  I shouldn't complain about the weather, but we're all in need of some outdoor activities!  I think we've officially conquered every kid-friendly winter activity known to man...yes, that means we've finally found the end of Pinterest!  Time for some dirt under the nails, mud on the boots, and the return of the beloved FLIP-FLOPS!!  

Alright, enough of my rant!  I know winter will end...it will!  

So here's to another rendition of the Kids Were Here.  A time when a group of us share some of our visual keepsakes that remind us that children are present in our everyday lives.  The little things kids leave behind after a day of adventure and curiosity, and...as in our house...it's served with a side of chaos!  

Often the snack combos around here may seem a little unusual...like Cheetos and strawberry marshmallows.
 

 

And the above cabinet has become a certain two-year old's secret hideaway, where we often find random toys and sippy cups full of spoiled milk!

 

One of our many activities this winter has revolved around building some sort of contraption...enter the world of Knex, Legos, Tinker Toys, and Lincoln Logs.  Sometimes construction goes well, and sometimes...ummm...not even close!  Knex pieces plus an accident prone child equals one giant "How in the world did that happen?" scenario! Yeah, that's a story for another day!  

  

 

Then, you have the millions gazillions of little tractors that grace our house, and let me tell you that stepping on a Lego in the middle of the night is nothing compared to the pain you'd endure after firmly placing your foot atop one of those tiny vehicles!
 

 

And I have NO idea why companies make the above easel with a chalkboard on one side and dry erase board on the other!  'Cause we all know that temptation is hard to resist...especially, for the random child who feels compelled to display his artwork on the chalkboard using a dry erase marker!  Obviously, the engineers of this easel do not have children. 

 

I'll leave you with an image that's ever to common around here.  Some crafty tween is a lover of bling...and she often finds the need to accessorize the various rooms in our house.  Bet you never noticed the resemblance of kitchen cabinet handles and ears.  Of course, these handles were screaming for some sort of bling!  It's all about the accessories!  
 

 

So continue on your Kids Were Here journey by visiting the wonderful Rachelle and her blog by clicking here!

Kids Were Here | February

As many of you probably know, I'm a lover of all types of projects and finisher of none!  Okay, that's not completely true...I despise cleaning projects!

For the last six months or so, I've been part of a wonderful group of very talented ladies who are taking part in Project 365...one photo for every day of an entire year.  Talk about commitment!  Although I've struggled to keep up with this project, I'm still sputtering along.  I did switch it up a bit at the beginning of the year...incorporating a lot more cellphone images than ever before. It's been my go-to camera...sad, I know! (Instagram is my new BFF!)

Anywho, this group of lovely ladies has put together a blog circle that showcases children in a different light.  We're sharing the little memories left behind by children...how we know when kids were here.  These are the special treasures that will one day be missed when they're fully grown with children of their own...gasp...sigh...gasp! 

For me, these are the moments that I often overlook or take for granted.  The times that cause frustration and pain.  The times that bring tears.  The special moments of joy and laughter.   The little things that let me know our children were here.  The memories they were creating while loving life.  Through the years, I've learned to treasure the mess.  Those Legos, dirty windows, and scribbled on walls mean my children were alive and thriving as children should.  Enjoying every moment.  Embracing the little things that life has to offer. 

So follow along as we document life in a simple way...taking a step back in order to reflect and cherish the special moments knowing that our kids were here. 

Often I pass by windows and find some sort of toy or trinket that was secretly placed by chubby little fingers...

Or I suddenly notice a child-like rendition of the Eiffel Tower sitting on the Time Out bench...and, of course, who else but Doc Hudson would be flying high on top such a creation!

And when I grace the stairs in the middle of the night, I've been known to stumble and scream as I fear the creatures from Jurassic Park have broken free in order to seek revenge!

So continue on this journey as we showcase our little ones and their wonderful adventures by remembering when our kids were here.  Next stop...the wonderful and extremely talented Kelly!  Her images are always beautiful so you'll be glad that you went and said hello!  (Visit Kelly's blog here.)