My Heart is Smiling: Holiday World (Santa Claus, IN)

I love this place. We have so much fun here that the simple thought of Holiday World brings a smile to my face any time of year. Seeing my boys' happy faces this weekend has left me smiling. I am smiling from our fun coupled with my hope that through trips such as this one, we are creating a storehouse of happy memories for our boys and at the same time, creating a family tradition that they look forward to, remember, and recall with childlike joy.

It is hard to believe that an entire year has passed since we visited this place. This past weekend I was reminded of all of the reasons that we love this place and why making time for family fun is so important. We savored every moment of our time together this holiday weekend and soaked up every ounce of fun that we could muster . . . needless to say, we are exhausted. Exhausted, but happy!

Of course, trips with children are absolutely blissful when recalled in thought alone; however, the reality of being in a moment with a four-year-old having an extreme tantrum because he refuses to leave the park is another (drew). Or my particular favorite is a child whose cheeseburger accidentally touches the ketchup on his plate and proceeds to have the meltdown of the century for such a travesty (owen). Or not to be forgotten, a child who feels the need to climb anything and everything to demonstrate just how independent a one-year-old little boy can be - "just set me down, Mommy, I can walk myself!" (evan).

My little angels were fun, but a challenge this weekend. Thank goodness my parents joined us who helped out tremendously. But the good thing is that the challenges are quickly erased in my mind and what is left is the beauty of the much-enjoyed togetherness. And watching my parents love on my babies is heaven. These kids are my heart and when others love them, consequently, it is a direct path to a deeper place in my own heart.

I found a great quote on one of the mommy blogs I follow that translates family love into meaningful accounting lingo:):

"When one focuses her business on the home, she can measure her success in smiles, pay dividends in laughter, and chart revenues with wonder. When others' ventures fail and fumble, hers will flourish. And when she is old and the home is quiet, her butterfly chasers and dress up dreamers will have a vault of memories that will make them all rich."