my greatest treasures

It was a normal Sunday night. Aaron was putting together some shelves for the garage and I was washing the dishes left over from dinner. I glanced at the clock on the stove which read 6:04 pm. One more hour left of light. I abandoned the remaining pots and pans and quickly dressed the kids, packed them in the car and drove towards the beach.  

They raced up and down the dunes which is always endlessly entertaining for them and then we headed closer to the shore. We played in the sand and ran in and out of the waves until the last sliver of light finally disappeared below the horizon. By the end of it they were soaked and covered in sand. I carried them on either hip all the way back to the car and threw them straight into the bath. 

It was simple and unplanned but that night is one that I will treasure for a long time. I will hold onto the images of my daughter dancing and twirling in the orange glow of the sunset and of my son gripping my hand and shrieking with delight we ran into the waves.

Being a mama can be tiring and there are some days that can make you go all kinds of crazy. But then there are moments like this that remind me that these two are my greatest treasures and that the dishes in the sink can wait until tomorrow.

photos taken with my iphone5