::the one where i pay tribute to the fresh prince and dj jazzy jeff::

***

the to-do list goes on and on and i am a do-er. i like to cross things off my list. i like a tidy home. i like order and routine. yet with three little ones i am finding that the house will not always or even most of the time be tidy. toys will be strewn from one end to the other. dishes will pile in the sink as needs are tended to. dust will accumulate. crumbs will remain on the floor no matter how many times a day i sweep. laundry will pile up. i mean lets be honest that's a task that overwhelmed me with two children and now there are three and i'm considering cloth diapers, so there.

if i did everything on my to-do list every day my children would be very much neglected. they would miss mommy and memories made. when they are grown and have children of their own i want them to look back at their childhood and be able to say i...

played with them every day.
enjoyed motherhood.
made them laugh
extended grace.
made them feel more important than a clean house.
made exceptions to the rules.
was over-the-moon in love with their daddy.
took time to make memories.
was intentional.

in light of my wishlist i start my day thinking of ways i can intentionally engage with my children. i ask myself, how can i know them more today? i find that they talk more, at 5 and almost 3, when we are actively playing together.

{{a few ideas to get the juices flowing}}

craft paper creativity
i took craft paper and taped it across our dinning room table cover each of our place settings.  then i provided markers, stamps, stencils, stickers, fun music and the freedom to create whatever my little darlings' hearts desired.

homemade play-dough
you can find the recipe here. both of my children love to roll out the play-dough and then use it as a stomping ground for their dinosaurs or cars. they make foot prints and tracks galore and then flip it and start all over again.

adventure walk
taking time to walk with my children has proven to be some of the sweetest times we spend together. we look for bugs. we notice flowers in bloom. we climb trees. we collect things. we play i spy. we giggle a lot.

impromptu dance party
when the weather starts to warm up and summer approaches i always think of the song summertime by fresh prince and dj jazzy jeff. yes i realize i am showing my age. i set pandora to {summertime} radio and let the alpine blast and we dance around the house in honor of making memories and the anticipation of summa summa summertime.

toilet paper roll creations
you can search toilet paper roll on pinterest.com and find a ton of different things you can create. we went with butterflies and you can find the tutorial here.

declare it cookie day
we are a low sugar kind of family. something about the way it makes my kids bounce off the walls and is an overall unhealthy habit makes us save sugar for special occasions. so inspired by the lovely amber, we declared it cookie day. and we said it with exclaimation and arms in the air... {COOKIEEEEEE DAY!!!}.

bake together
what adult can't remember the joy of licking the spoon after the baking of a cake or brownies as a kid? it's a favorite past time of mine. so occasionally i let my precious little ones enjoy the indulgence of licking the spoon. look at the joy on her face! makes a mama's heart happy.


what are some ways you spend time with your children?


*linking up with the better mom