Last weekend was a mixture of wonderful sunshine and a bit of cold rain. While we wish the cold rain had been snow, we loved the days of sunshine that allowed us to be outside in light fleeces and long-sleeved shirts.
My husband and I sat and watched JDaniel try to catch pretend butterflies as well as swing around just enjoying the feeling of the soft breeze through the net. There is something magical about watching your child spin in sunbeams.
It was grand to sit on a sun-warmed driveway and watch your son find such joy. It is moments like this that make me reflect on how big he is getting and how he is aging right before your eyes. It is as if each spin moves him one step forward in time.
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When the net is tucked away, it becomes time to aid JDaniel in the gathering of sticks for his beaver dam and find hiding places that will keep the big beaver (my husband) from depositing them in the woods. It had been a while since we had gathered sticks. There were many to pick up from under the great beach trees and carry to safety. Gathering sticks is something so simple and yet fills him with such a sense of accomplishment and the bushes with stacks of twigs. Thankfully the big beaver returns them to the woods often.
Following the branch collecting, we finally held our heart hunt. JDaniel and I had both been sick earlier in the week and the hunt had to be delayed. I don’t know who was more excited about finding chocolates in the hearts JDaniel or my husband. They both love chocolate.
What do you do to top an afternoon of stick gathering, butterfly catching, and heart hunting? You are left with sweeping the yard. Yes, our yard in the front has now been well swept as has the curb. There wasn’t much to sweep in the grass this time of year.
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After having very little fly up from the ground when JDaniel was sweeping the grass, he decided he would fly himself. What fun it was to watch him zoom from the front yard to the backyard! It made me want to grab a broom from the garage and fly around the yard myself.
![](https://jdaniel4smom.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_7734-300x225.jpg)
We have been blessed with many warm days this winter that I haven’t captured in pictures. I am so glad that I was able to capture this wonderful afternoon. It was definitely one to remember.
This post is linked to Mrs. Matlock’s Alphabe Thursday and Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.
What a wonderful day! Isn’t it so true that the most ordinary days can be the most wonderful memories?
What a sweet memory. They grow up so fast. Glad you’re enjoying non-winter on the East Coast too!
I love that you find so much joy in the simple moments. Sometimes its hard to do, but if we try those can become some of our most treasured memories. Thank you for inspiring me to slow down a little bit more and just BE with my children. 🙂
That sounds like such a lovely day!
Aww, love the active imagination your little man has. Such joy with simple things! And I’m definitely going to remember that gathering sticks trick 😉
I miss those simple days when nothing happens, but so much is happening. Childhood should be made of days like these.
We will send you some of our snow : ) Actually we have had very little this year. Today 4in fell. It was so nice. No sweeping for us. Instead a lot of shoveling.
Dana
Sounds like a perfect afternoon. We’ve had an incredibly mild winter here in NY also. I love being outdoors without a heavy coat…but my kids sure do wish it would snow.
Ahh…to be a kid again. I love it. You captured childhood in this post.
Sounds like a mighty fine day :o) I saw some great butterfly nets the other day while out shopping with my hubby and I said to him that I can’t wait to go butterfly hunting with our grandbabies :o)
…ah! so much fun and learning going on by you :o)
Blessings & Aloha!
Love days like this and flying on brooms, so fun;-)
What fun, I like sunny winter afternoon.
Looks like the perfect day!
What a fun day!
It has been such a crazy warm winter. I just saw it’s supposed to be 72 here today!
It looks like you had a fun filled day and also got quite a bit accomplished. Thank you for visiting me.
We have that same shirt! And so excited that the weather here is finally turning nice enough to get outside again. We spent yesterday afternoon building camp fires (not real ones, just huge gatherings of sticks) in our yard. Which is a winter mess by the way! Not looking forward to cleaning it up for spring!
What a beautiful afternoon! We have had some lovely spring-like weather too. The funny thing is that when I tell the kids they have to go play outside, everyone acts as though I am torturing them. Silly kids.
One is NEVER too old to fly around the yard on the broom….*ahem* I may or may not be speaking from experience. And I may or may not be known for my little jig and rap “MY BROOM GOT ZOOM”
That looks like such an amazing afternoon! I miss winters/spring in SC!
It is so nice when the weather surprises you with a warm day.
Sweet boy you have. So glad you got to enjoy a fun afternoon together.
Flying on brooms is fun! Mommy should try next time. This will be fun for him to look back on, see the photos of days spent, time shared. The weather is creepy to me. Yes, it’s not unheard of for it to be unseasonably warm, but this? 70 in February? This is just…weird.
Enjoy these precious moments with your little son ! time goes by so quickly and suddenly he is grown up or at least he thinks so especially around 13, lol !
These pics will be so precious when he’s all grown up! I look through pictures of my kids when they were little and it’s such a joy…
He’s so cute!!!
He is such a creative little boy! I am loving this weather too…just took Nolan to the park…he had a blast!
Your grasses looks like never been touch by winter. Cute little fellow. ^_^
Letter N
there are few things more beautiful than a healthy imagination. love this post!
A great day with your cute son.
=)
Looks like a lovely afternoon full of bliss and laughter! 🙂 Those are the best!
JDaniel is so blessed to have such a loving mother and father. All children should be so lucky!
Weather can really make a day with the kids so much better!
It sounds like a wonderful day!
It’s incredible how kids can turn mundane stuff like a broom into a toy.
I have one son who especially has a propensity to do this, usually when he’s supposed to be doing chores.
It makes you a little wistful for that spirit of play that kids have.
Come visit us at Layers of Learning
When you asked what you do to top off the afternoon I was going to suggest ice cream 🙂
That was lovely.
Every time I go out to work on the lawn and in the beds, as I pick up pine cones and twigs, I think of how much my 3 and 4 year old grandsons would like to make a game of it.
Looks like yall had a great day!
I know Broxton would have so much fun playing there 🙂
Your JDaniel is getting so big! He seems like such a delightful boy, s full of imagination and joy. It is so niceto see how much you love him.
What a lovely day,reminds me of the song “On Saturday Afternoons in 1963” by Rickie Lee Jones.
Yvonne, the Netherlands
That would have been so funny to see…you and JDaniel running around on brooms! I can picture it all now…lol!
Delightful memories!
What a fun, wonderful day! May all weekends have such joy!
You are such a Nurturing Mom…
And he is such a Neat kid too…
I loved this post, I felt like I was there enjoying the whole afternoon with you and your family…
I might go get my broom and fly around my yard one last time before we move… Nifty idea!!!
Thank you for linking.
A+