An unnatural feeling...

So...is it wrong to feel completely out-of-place on a warm day, playing outside with family?

Or...is it completely right?

This past week brought some warm weather, and one day we escaped to the local soccer fields, and played outside for nearly 2 hours with our girls. I don't think we've EVER done that before. Sad? Yes. But true.

Why have we not enjoyed a sunny, relaxing day in the sun as a family before?

#1 - We haven't enjoyed really warm (or hot) weather in over 8 years (10 for Jared). Sure, there was the exception of the beautiful weather in Mexico...but truthfully, we still worked almost every day in Mexico, and didn't do anything "outdoorsy" like this...

#2 - We've always had too many things looming over us. For once, it seems that most of our time-mandated projects are done (accounting, catalog-making, etc). There are no longer the major excuses we've been used to having every day since we started our business.

So...when the sun started shining...we did the unprecedented: grabbed some balls, ice water, our picnic mat, and just relaxed in the sun (and shade)!

We rolled out our mat from Baskets of Cambodia that we LOOOOOVE so much. It is much easier than worrying about keeping a blanket clean, and it doesn't allow moisture to seep through.

We played soccer, "Find the ball" blind-folded, we picked flowers (weeds)...

Smiled...

Okay, we smiled a LOT...

Hammed it up some more...

Played an awesome game of hot potato with the bouncy ball...

And when everyone was tired of relaxing (wow--did I write that?), we rolled up the mat, and headed home.

We loved you, Alaska...but seriously...I am REALLY looking forward to a sunny summer with spare time to be "normal" for once!

And for the first time in my life, I want to be "normal" in just one area of my life...

Pst...did I just write that?!