It's A Bird! It's A Plane!

A few weekends ago, I was perusing the Internet for a new place to eat. Among the list was a place called "The Flying Machine". The restaurant sits on the edge of the local airport runway, so as we sat and ate our lunches, we were able to watch small planes take off and land! I was hopeful that we would see at least one, but we saw probably 12-15. 

The restaurant was quite...interesting. When we arrived, no one was sitting inside, but had taken advantage of the up close outside seating. The inside was dark, dirty, had random cardboard cutouts (one cardboard cut out of the "Most Interesting Man in the World" almost made me pee my pants as it was in the women's restroom and the lights were off when I walked in). There was also a floozy looking mannequin hanging out at the bar. So should you ever go to this restaurant, go on a Saturday and eat outside. And, there was a train track across the parking lot, and we got to see two trains go by. So double win!

Eating lunch at The Flying Machine

Complete inability to sit in a chair properly

Watching the planes take off and land

This Little Boy Is Growing Up

Life has been so full and other things have taken priority over this blog, and they will probably continue to do so. But the last few days I have found myself wanting to freeze time for a little while because I feel like I'm in a really sweet stage with Matthan and Lucy and I've been trying to savor it. Lucy grows so fast and changes so much... and stays in one place so it's easy to take pictures of her. Matthan...rarely sits still long enough for me to take a picture. So since I got one today, I want to freeze time, if even just in a blog post.

3 1/2 and trying to fill some big shoes

Allow me to gush for a minute. 

Matthan is a special kid. I know every parent says that, but there is something about him. He charms the world. He made people smile starting from when he was a tiny baby. He delights in the world and takes joy in all the little (and big) things, and I have yet to meet someone who has not been sucked in by the delight that radiates from him. We giggle at him sometimes because when he walks he occasionally jumps as if the joyful energy builds up and has to be let out somehow. 

He has a tender heart. He is sensitive to peoples' emotions, especially mine, and he piles on the charm if anyone is crying. 

He can read. Like 150 words. I lost count a long time ago. He reads my texts over my shoulder. 

He loves to make his sister laugh. But I think I'm his favorite person to make laugh.

Today he climbed all over the hill in the back yard picking up trash for me that blows into our yard when it storms. The yard doesn't seem big or treacherous until I see his little 3 yr old body hiking through it. He fell down or got stuck several times and hollered out to me. But he didn't want help. He got really stuck once and couldn't find a way back down the hill to me. And he sounded panicked. I asked him if he wanted me to come get him, or if he wanted to figure it out by himself. 

He said he wanted to figure it out by himself. 

He did not get this trait from me. 

As a mom, my instinct is to jump in and help or take over. And I still do sometimes (because he's 3), but I try to hold back as much as I can. And I'm equally proud that my little boy is growing up and equally sad that my little boy is growing up. 

And he wants to do it himself, but he wants to know that I'm there. 

Babies On The Hiking Trail

A boy and his (my) walking sticks

Hiking with little children has been a bit of a different experience. We still are terrible at estimating the time it will take us, despite our best efforts to plan ahead. We set out to hike Warwoman Dell and part of the Bartram Trail, and didn't make it to lunch until 3pm. But we had a lot of fun.

All bundled up and ready to hike

We parked near Warwoman Dell and hike 1/4 mile to see one waterfall. Then got back in the car and parked past a giant mud hole (so we wouldn't get stuck in it later in case it rained) that made us grateful for our four wheel drive.

First waterfall/uncooperative 3-yr-old

Snug as a bug and ready to hike

The Hubs had gone hiking with Little Man here before and got lost looking for a waterfall. We didn't find it this time either. But we did see this one...

Not the one we were looking for

We ran into some people hiking from the opposite direction and they couldn't find the elusive waterfall either.

Same waterfall, slightly different picture

After checking the time, we turned around and headed back to the car. All of the shedding of the wintery layers as the day warmed up and all the stops for trail mix slowed us down much more than we realized. And then a very patient baby couldn't wait any longer.

Nursing on a log. A momma's gotta do what a momma's gotta do

Same waterfall on the way back. Waiting for the boys to catch up

Carrying Little Man over some mud

Happy as a clam

We made it to lunch in Clayton around 3pm. It was a great day!