If At First You Don't Succeed

View from Tribble Mill Park walking trail

So, do you remember me telling you about us trying to keep Sunday holy by putting down the iPhones?  That this practice was supposed to make space in our lives for God and family time?  Well, last Sunday (as in more than a week ago) was a big. giant. fail.  I can't even remember if we had made any plans to "fill the space", but by Sunday afternoon I was laying on the couch and had been on my phone for about the fourth time before I even realized it.  Pathetic.  

Hanging out, eating Puffs while Daddy fishes

The hubs and I sort of passed by each other all weekend.  Staying off of my phone was harder than I thought, but that is because I didn't have a plan.  We don't work well 'round here without a plan.  

This weekend, we were intentional.  We had a plan.  The plan was not perfect, but we had a fabulous weekend!  In case you haven't already noticed from the beautiful pics amongst my rantings. 

We went "hiking" over at Tribble Mill Park (this is a free parking, county park for anyone in the area, with a sweet playground from what I could tell).  I say "hiking" because we chose the three mile paved loop around the lake which is more walking rather than hiking.  There are woodsy trails that loop off and back on the paved trail but the view from them isn't very interesting.  We realized that we had been to this park before with Tim's college roommates when Matthan was about four months old.  

Tim has recently gotten into fly fishing and we stopped along the trail.  I entertained Matthan on a blanket nearby.  

Daddy showing Matthan a fish

How does one have a blissful Sunday afternoon on a blanket with a toddler?  Easy, when your kid doesn't like grass.  Blanket = invisible fence.  He did eventually play with the leaves around the blanket all the while keeping as much of his body on the blanket as possible.  I put snacks around the edge of the blanket to give him some physical activity.   Snacks plus my car keys gave Daddy a good 45 minute fishing session.

At one point, Matthan started putting leaves in his hair - a big step for a kid who doesn't like to touch the earth.  I think he heard me giggling because he then picked up a fistful of dirt and dropped it on himself.  I didn't catch that prime moment on camera, but here is a little video of him exploring his surroundings.

He laid on the blanket with me for several lovely minutes (thanks to my car keys) before Daddy decided it was time to go home for lunch.  

Chilling on the blanket with Mommy