We spent Saturday at my Mom’s house watching them cut down their Christmas tree. She and my step-dad live on a small lake surrounded by trees and my Mom thought chopping off the top of one of those trees and using it as a Christmas tree would a.) save their view from being obstructed ten years from now, and b.) save on the cost of actually purchasing a tree.
So Pat and I took our kids and ate breakfast and gathered around a fire and drank hot chocolate while the boys pulled pulled down the tree. (I’ll plant another in it’s memory).
When the excitement of the chainsaw faded, I grabbed my boy and took him on a boat ride.
I paddled and paddled and paddled. We saw ducks and it was peaceful and he was happy. I looked at my boy and thought, “why there you are my precious son. I know it is you beneath that screaming and crying and someday we will be past the temper tantrums and you will emerge and be lovely”.
I paddled and paddled and paddled. We saw a bridge and we touched the water and it was sunny and cool. I thought about life and love and Christmas and smiled cheerfully as my guy pointed out everything new to his curious mind and I said “Boy. I could sure get used to this.”
And then I turned the boat around and looked at where we were. At how far we had gone. I pondered on how amazing it is that the body is able to run on auto pilot when the brain is lost in thought.
And then I asked Kainoa to paddle us back.
trash says
Those are the moments you have to cling to when all you want to do is shut the screaming child into a box and drown yourself in a vat of Chardonnay.
Shell says
Precious. I need one of those moments. My 5 yr old is nutty lately.
Mama Kat says
@Shell, Please don’t say that Shell. Your child is two years old than mine and what I am hearing is that this is not going to get a thousand times easier by then. Just ssshhhh.
Ival says
You put the lime in the coucnot and drink the article up.
Ashley says
What a beautiful family time. The emergence of lovely is what keeps me going! Otherwise I don’t know if I could survive the terrible twos. Good thing she’s so cute. =)
Mama Kat says
@Ashley, I know! We need to hang on to those fleeting moments don’t we!?!
Francesca says
Do you really live here? Oh my gawd. I’m really glad I am moving. I’m be afraid to show you around my ghetto neighborhood.
PS: Lovely, lovely post.
Mama Kat says
@Francesca, Oakland is authentic and gorgeous…so what if you have a freeway in your backyard instead of lake. Tomatoes, Tomahtoes right?
Jennifer says
So how did he do?
Mama Kat says
@Jennifer, His feet wouldn’t reach, but after some encouragement the “hang on to the back and kick hard” approach worked well for him. ;)
Francesca says
Haha. Yes! Good thing Kainoa is such a cute little girl.
Mama Kat says
@Francesca, It’s too early for you…she was talking about her daughter you big bully.
Francesca says
Why are my comments not appearing? This is freaking me out. Are you behind your computer approving me?!?!
Mama Kat says
@Francesca, Yes. You need to be monitored at all times.
Khara says
Haha! What beautiful scenery though, seriously.
liz says
how sweet! the quiet water tends to bring out these kinds of moments.
Kimmy says
WOW…now that is a big tree!! Lovely photos and yes…it is so true. We can just get lost in our own thoughts and not realize how far we have gone or how we even got there. I do that when I drive…LOL!
Jen says
This was a nice post and all but I am a little disappointed. I thought that you were going to say that you or he fell in the water.
Oh well.
Try to make that happen, next time.
Bruna says
I love where your parents live. Looks so beautiful in your phots! What a great idea for getting a Christmas tree.
At first while I was reading, I was thinking someone was going to fall off the boat into the water. No one did and I was glad. It’s so nice when you have those precious moments with your kids! I need more moments like that with my my 2 year-old.
Time flies.
Kathy says
Cherish these moments Kat. They’ll keep you warm on cold winter nights ♥
Crystal says
oooh! Too sweet. Isnt’ it true how sweet they can be in still moments…our (now 4 yo) got a bad rap when he turned 2 and for his bd I gave him a baby brother. His world was flipped and he was not happy. But the aunts/uncles/grandmas won’t let the poor dude live it down. He will always be labeled the “trouble maker”….and it makes my heart sad. He’s beautiful inside and out, and in those quiet still moments the beauty of his soul is magnificent!
THis is a great post…thankyou.
kisatrtle says
How long did it take him? LOL Beautiful pictures.
Lizgizzy says
If you tucker them out, they are too tired to have big temper tantrums, just short ones before they pass out. Paddling all the way back must have tuckered him out ;-0
Tracy P. says
I’m with Jen! I was totally waiting for the splash. What a gorgeous, gorgeous place. I want to live there. Sounds like Kainoa does too.
Rachel {at} Mommy Needs a Vacation says
Gorgeous!!! We nixed the cut down tree this year and went to the Whole Foods parking lot.
mom taxi julie says
Don’t you just love it when the kids are NICE and FUN!! It’s so beautiful where your mom lives :)
melanie says
Isn’t it great when you can put the kiddos to work? Even though the bonding moments with them are the sweetest. Beautiful photos!
Tricia says
This was really beautiful, my dear. And it made me long for the pacific northwest….not that I don’t find myself doing that often. The last pic of Kainoa is stunning. You’re amazing, lady.
Kim says
Beautiful post and lovely photos. How lucky you are to have such serenity to enjoy. And yeah, isn’t it amazing how we can get so lost in thought and totally not realize what we’ve done. I like it when that happens when I run – much better than thinking about how much farther I’ve still yet to go.