The Perfect Day

Some might say that the perfect day is one in which something spectacular happens.  Maybe you spend the day in some exotic place or you shake hands with someone famous that you greatly admire.  Maybe you eat some exquisite cuisine prepared by a world renowned chef,  get invited to a party for the elite,  or see a moving live performance.   My idea of the perfect day may sound quite ordinary to some, but I've learned that the greatest, most precious moments in life happen on ordinary days,  in ordinary places.

The perfect day for me begins with a sweet, wet kiss and an "I love you momma". A tiny little body crawling into my bed, wrapping pudgy little arms around my neck.    On the perfect day, I open  my eyes to the loving gaze of an amazing man whom I greatly respect.  Such a day is filled with the excited giggles of my little ones and the flirtatious teasing of my lover and my friend.   There is no need to go far to have a fabulous time.  All it takes is a trip to the neighborhood park, to the local restaurant, to the corner ice cream shop;  holding hands, telling jokes, laughing till our sides hurt,  sharing stories,  exploring,  learning, and loving. It doesn't require weeks of planning, traveling long distances, or  hundreds of dollars.   In summery, the perfect day for me is spent enjoying precious moments with those I love the most.

Yesterday was the perfect day;  a day spent romping around a nearby park, exploring and enjoying nature.  Then eating pizza at our favorite local restaurant and finally, arriving home to crawl under the covers for bedtime stories.  Yes,  there was a scrapped knee, some whining and many potty breaks, but those too are ingredients of my perfect day.  Kissing a boo-boo and wiping a tear, teaching independence and easing their fears,  how sweet it is. 

 

We went to Palisades Interstate Park.

It borders the Hudson River, with a view of New York

and the George Washington Bridge.

 Beautiful winding road

Beneath the George Washington Bridge

 Steep wall of rock

Shots of the George Washington Bridge taken from the park

Huge fallen tree kept from falling down the mountain side by another slender tree

 Taking a stroll towards Ross Dock

 Long climb up Carpenters Trail

 Up steps, through tunnels, and up more steps

 Breathtaking view from the top

Rain!

 Waiting out the rain under the trees

 Beautiful rainbow after the downpour

Bike riding in a large empty parking lot

 Yummy Cugino's Pizza

 Mmm-mmm good!

Lovin' mommy and daddy's comfy bed for story time

What is your idea of a perfect day?  

Down The Shore

Wanna know what we did for Mother's Day? We went down the shore.  This, I've learned, is how many here in New Jersey say they are going to the beach or to hang out on the boardwalk.  Having lived 5 hours away from the nearest beach my whole life, I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have such beautiful beaches less than an hour and a half away from our home.  I took this picture myself, as our beautiful day was nearing it's end. 

But wait, I am getting ahead of myself.  Let's back track a bit.  When we stepped out onto our porch, after running around the house for a few hours, getting every one ready to go, and dealing with a slight pluming problem,  we were greeted by a gorgeous, sunny and breezy spring day.  

Hmm, very sunny.  To quote her directly, "The sun is looking at me!"

 Quick, take the picture!

We piled into the car and headed over to my Aunt Julia's house to drop off the Grannies. (They've been sick with a cold and were not feeling up to an outing.)  We then passed by and picked up our friend Rene, who went with us and acted as our tour guide for the rest of the day.  Although we've lived here 9 months already, there is so much we still have not seen.  Rene took us the scenic route, so the ride was a very nice one, although some chose to forgo the sightseeing to pursue more "relaxing" endeavors.

  These coastal towns have the most gorgeous homes, with wrap-around porches, manicured lawns, and loads of character.  Here are just a few of the many we saw, along with other neat things we caught glimpes of outside our car window.

We then stopped in the quaint little town of Point Pleasant to browse through some adorable shops they have there.  One of my favorites?  This one.

For lunch, we had Federico's Pizza.  Finger lickin' good!

After lunch, we continued our ride down the shore to Seaside Heights Boardwalk. This boardwalk is one of many that line the Jersey shore, with concession stands, carnival and arcade games, and rides.

One of my favorite parts of the day?  Watching my children have the time of their lives.  It's fitting for a mother to enjoy the sweet pleasure of hearing her children's laughter on Mother's Day, is it not?

  

Although I missed my mother very much, this Mother's Day was unforgettable for me.  I'll leave you now with a picture of me holding my three precious treasures.

So, what did you and your family do on Mother's Day?