Pirates and Scalawags

Recently, we have started a new tradition in our household.  It's really quite simple - every day at dinner we ask one another what the best part of our days were.  It's been amazing to hear from one another what types of simple things make our days.

For example, several weeks back we had a really big day.  We'd gone to an indoor inflatable play area, then eaten at McDonald's for lunch, then gone to the Y for me to work out and Sammy to play.  When we got home, he was hungry, so I helped him to make his very own peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  That night, while eating dinner, Sammy shared that the best part of his day was making his PB&J.  Isn't that amazing?  Of all the fun and elaborate plans I'd made for the day, the best and most memorable part for Sammy was making a PB&J.  It's a huge reminder to focus on the small things in life, and make the best of every moment you have.

Today, on the way home from church we stopped at the Mary Jo Peckham Park to let Sammy play on the playground.  It was the day of their Kidfish tournament, and while we'd originally wanted to go fishing in the duck pond, we didn't have enough time before nap to get home and get all of our fishing gear.  Instead, we stopped off to play and to walk around and see others fishing. 

There's a certain piece of the playground that looks like a ship.  Sammy calls it his pirate ship, and he loves to pretend on it that he is the captain, and all others are his scalawags.  When we asked him about his day today, the best part was "telling those other kids that it was MY pirate ship.  And then they said it was THEIR pirate ship.  But I knew it was MY pirate ship." 

Oh, Sammy.  I'm so glad that was the best part of your day.  But really, baby - it's EVERYONE'S pirate ship - we're all just looking for our next big treasure!