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Thursday, February 14, 2008

Mucking In The Mud~ Part One.



As a mama, I take some things VERY seriously. There are certain things that are just Non-negotiable. I don't care what anyone says....these things take top priority. One of these things is......Mucking in the Mud. Yes...you read that right. In the Living and Loving household, we take playing in the mud very seriously. It is my firm belief that all children are entitled to the pleasure of just plain old getting dirty. There is just no other way to fully learn to appreciate nature than to just dive right in. My job as Sugar Bear's mom includes freeing up lots of time to set her loose in the wild.



This past Monday, we were blessed with a break in the rain, AND the sun actually came out as well. That is really rare these days. The sun has been hiding behind dark, dismal clouds for months now. Luckily, Monday is my regular day off from work, so an incredible opportunity presented itself. Sugar was properly attired, and we headed out along our country road. As we walked, Sugar Bear got her learn on....and Mama joyously captured the moments with her trusty camera. We talked....we laughed....we discovered and played. The photos in this post were all taken within the first 15 minutes or so of out walk, while she was relatively clean. Believe me...shhe didn't stay that way for long.



I relish watching Sugar Bear work. There is a method to her madness, and I never walk away empty handed...or should I say HEARTED. There is a filling of heart and soul as I watch my child experience the freedom to explore her world. The excitement she finds in a simple stick sets my heart a flutter. I love to watch her intently poke the world with that little stick to see "what happens!", and hearing her interpretation of the experiment.



There is the poking....



and the stirring.....



and the inevitable breaking!



There are the "ooooooooos" and the "aaawwwwwwws", and the "Wow, Mom....look at thats!"



There's the questions.....and answers....and the wonderfully creative 3 year old theories.



There is nothing remotely like it. On days like that....I just know I am doing something right....NO DOUBT! Life is good, and we are blessed.



There are regrets though.....huge...big....fat.....REGRETS! Why oh why....don't they make these rockin' rubber boots in my size? NOT FAIR!



Happily Ever After

Sometimes you have to use
a little mental floss
to clear out the cobwebs.

Don't grow up ...
grow down a little.
Life doesn't have to be so serious.

Take on a dare
just for the fun of it.
Kick off your shoes
and run through that fountain
you saw in the park.

Watch the sun setting
into the water
from a wooden swing
on an empty beach.

Roll up your pants
and skip barefoot
through the waves
and gather sand dollars
in your shoes.

Hear a child's prayers at bedtime
... and really listen.

Puddles are there
for splashing
and mud is for making
mud pies.

Life doesn't have to be so serious.
We all need to live
happily ever after
every now and then.

~by CJ Heck


Can I get a BIG OLD "AMEN" to that?

Stay tuned for Part Two....where Sugar Bear hones her JUMPING skills. You won't want to miss it!

29 Live It or Love It:

kat said...

Yes, yes, yes...I want to play in the muck, ahh to be a kid again. I love that you let your kid roam free to get a bit dirty and as usual the pictures are fabulous.

Beth Cotell said...

I love those boots!

Your daughter looks like she is staying so clean. My kids would be COVERED in mud. You should see the damage they do with a mere puddle.

Anonymous said...

I love your photos! I'm not sure how I got here but I've been lurking for a bit. I'm in full agreement on the playing with mud thing even though it drives my husband crazy when I let the kids get covered in it, haha. You captured a wonderful moment!

mamashine said...

You know, you really do take some fabulous pictures. :) Looks like she had lots of fun!

Megan Cobb said...

I couldn't agree MORE. Our mud season is so short here, but Bean has boots and every time it rains she knows to put 'em on so we can go out and splash in puddles. You CAN get some really cool boots like that - maybe not the exact pattern, but close! I've seen 'em myself and I want some too. In fact, they're on my list for a purchase before spring this year for sure.

I have a little matter of photography to discuss with you today. I'll email you in a minute.

Hugs - M

holly said...

big.
old.
amen!!!!!!!!

beauty one, corey!

i'm so ashamed. my boy is his mom's boy. when he gets muck on his hands - he comes to me to wipe it off, and will *not* proceed with his day until i do. sometimes i can't even *see* the muck, so he outdoes me in that respect. ..

balance us out, my love!

Laura said...

You know what? This is actually a great challenge to me to loosen up a bit and encourage my kids in the beauty of exploration...even if it means cleaning up some messes! I bought Maya some rainboots at Target a few weeks back, and this post has inspired me to actually seek out some mud puddles this spring to let her loose on. :) Thanks, Corey!

AnnD said...

Awwwwwww...I love that! Thanks for the mucking in the mud photos! They were great!

Anonymous said...

Loved it. Absolutely loved it. I'll see what I can do about getting some matching boots for ya. Then maybe all of us can see you getting muddy too!!! -s-n-law

Julie said...

Oh yeah! I've gotta get me some boots like that! Love those polka dots!

Michele said...

Hehehehe... what total fun!! Oh how I cannot wait for mud! Then I can go and take my Jeep out and do just the same but in the big people way! Woohoo... wonderful pictures, Corey... always a delight to come here... always!

Autumn said...

Big AMEN to that! There is no use fighting it at my house, as you know, living in the country = getting dirty. I too love those boots, my rubber boots aren't nearly as cute as those... sigh. Wonderful pictures as usual, that sugar bear sure is turning into a beautiful little girl. :)

Anonymous said...

Good for you, Corey!! I can't stand when parents don't let their kids explore and really get dirty in the mud. One of my favorite pictures is of Bridget last summer, clad in nothing but a diaper with mud smeared from head to toe. I've always been told that you should be suspicious of clean children (and their parents).

Anonymous said...

how awesome Corey ... I have so gotten caught up in the icky hub-bub of life and we don't often go out and just cherish and enjoy! Love each and every one of these pics!

Unknown said...

Looks like she's really enjoying it! And you're right about those boots, they're stunning! You must be able to get some in adult sizes, you can even get them in SA!

Don Mills Diva said...

AMEN Corey, AMEN! Thanks for making me smile today.

Anonymous said...

What fun! And I SO want a pair of those boots! Those pictures gave me a huge smile - thank you! Happy Valentine's Day to you and your Sugar!

Anonymous said...

What fun! And I SO want a pair of those boots! Those pictures gave me a huge smile - thank you! Happy Valentine's Day to you and your Sugar!

Deb said...

So much of life is spent reminding (and nagging) kids to not splash in the puddles or play in the mud - thank you so much for the reminder that part of our job as parents is to make sure that we give our kids the opportunity to go out and do just that... Although around here lately it would be 'squishing in the slush', LOL.

I've got to get my girls some of those boots!

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

SHE is SO cute.

I would do ANYTHING for mud right now! We are getting 12 more inches of snow and frigid temps. My camera is sick of condensation. :)

Cynthia said...

The boots are fab! When we were kids, there were times :when our Mom would have to hose us off before we could come inside. Mud is fun:)

Mary Ann said...

Sugar looks like she had such a great time exploring the mud! I love that last shot of her boots in the bud. How adorable!

tommie said...

She is so adorable! More than once, we have donned boots to jump in the puddles last spring. It rained for almost 10 weeks straight. If we didn't get out in the rain, we wouldn't have gotten out at all.

Maude Lynn said...

Fabulous pictures!

I totally agree; mud is a crucial element of childhood.

Bellevelma said...

Love the boots! I came by yesterday to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day and mid-typing my computer flipped out. So here I am a day late. Snags played in the mud yesterday as well. I wish he wasn't wearing his good tennis shoes at the time. Sigh...

CMB said...

What a GREAT Mom you are! You are truly lucky to get to spend times like these with your beautiful daughter. Love the boots by the way.

Amy said...

i just love these pictures. though i do not know you, i am sure these pictures reflect your spirit. they show so much energy and love for life.

i love how your refer to your daughter busy it work. play is their work and it is paramount.

Jo Beaufoix said...

Ahh what a fab day. I don't do this enough. Sigh. And the boots? Fabulous. :D

Hillary said...

Playing in the mud is so much fun! Cute pictures! I'm always, ALWAYS amazed at your camera skills.

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