I could sit here all night just listing all the reasons I should be stressed out and some of the reasons that usually get to me the most. My “to do” list is always hanging over my head like a heavy limb after a bad wind storm. On most days I manage to pretend it doesn’t bother me and live by my heart, but then there are those days when I let the guilt creep in. Why do we beat ourselves up because we cannot do the impossible, which is cram 149.5 hours of projects and chores into a 24 hour day? I’ve even daydreamed about being someone that never needed sleep. That way I could whiz bang around the house while the children slept, cleaning, paying the bills, balancing the checkbook,catching up on that book I’m reading, finishing all the laundry, grading homework, making meal plans, getting dinner started the night before, laying out the plans for the week, organizing every nook and cranny, sewing,finishing up my NYI CS4 homework and projects, taking a much needed soak in the tub, painting my toenails, exercising, coming up with a plan for world peace, etc. etc.… You get the picture. But, alas, I get tired and am so very overworked anyway.  I’m not a robot and I have only limited amounts of energy after a full day with a houseful of children and so many responsibilities it makes my head whirl. I am woman, hear me yawn. **sigh**

And so, I decide to take a break from all the fretting about all that needs to be done  and look at my pictures from this last Mother’s Day. The weather was so beautiful that day, it would have been a sin to sit inside, so out to the yard we all went. Some of my children and my nieces decided that our “still very young and muddy” lake needed to be broke in.

Before we knew it, there was a mud fest that brought smiles and squeals of delight to a very messy group of children. I probably enjoyed this mother’s day more than any I can remember.

 There is just something so primal and much a rite of passage about playing in mud and water. It brings out the kid in most people if they will at least let their guard down long enough to allow it.

Shame on you as a parent if you cringe at the idea of allowing this type of wonderful childhood fun for fear of a little dirt behind their ears!

Even I held back as long as I could and then decided that I had to at least get in up to the knees. If the muddy water hadn’t still been a bit chilly, I’d have probably taken a swim. The kids made it look so warm and summery, but then kids are still experts at making just about anything look easy and fun.

I look at these pictures and I can smile,and feel relaxed and refreshed just thinking about how sometimes we all just need to “let stuff go” and have some frivolous fun…even it its just a romp in the mud.

Oh, and the clean up afterwards was a delightful screaming blast too! (due to the ice cold water from the hose)