A waltz in the park

Today was one of those nice "family moments".

Well, it wasn't so nice just prior... The day was finally beautiful and sunny (for those who don't live here, it has been grey, cold and gloomy for weeks now). Naturally, I figured it would be nice to get out of the house as a family and head out to Birds Hill Park. We had all been cooped up in the house for the day and what better way to spend quality time together than to enjoy the outdoors as a family? Right?

WRONG! At least according to a teenage daughter, it is. The irony was that I wanted this mostly for her considering she is often stuck in the house with either Isabel, Anika or Ethan crying and whining at SOME point. Thinking I was about to earn some mother brownie points, I looked at her and said, "Ok kiddo, let's get our walking shoes on cuz we're heading to the park."

No brownies here... just a pie in the face! And it must have been SOUR cream pie or something because the look of disapproval was enough to turn the whole point of this outing sour! My darling teenage daughter decides to begin negotiation skills:

"Can I stay home while you guys all go out?"

"Um, no!"

"Well, can we walk around the yard or something cuz I don't feel like going out."

Oh really? And who forgot to give me the memo that the world revolves around teenagers? Ah yes, and then I remember a time not so long ago when I was one... so sorry mom and dad!!! Oh and classic mother moment about to happen, you know, the one where you hear yourself saying the dumbest thing ever and your inner conscience hits itself in the forehead saying "DOH!"

"Well, you sure know how to ruin a good thing!"

Ding dong... who's there? Oh it's the worst-mother-of-the-year awards people... guess who just won another one? Does it end here? Nope... I gotta take it one step further and say: "and you've just been cut off of internet & tv privileges because you just made them more important than your family... so get your shoes on and act like a decent human being."

Oh can you just FEEL the fun we're about to have at the park? Sheesh! Seriously, what takes over us in those dumb moments? Something purely intentioned became a sore spot in an awful hurry.

Anyways, once we got there, we ended up having some fun. It took a bit of time for Mina (oh, pardon me, she no longer likes that nickname...) MELINA to smile and let us see that she was having a good time but at least it was there at all.

As you can see from the pictures, it was a wonderful time in the end. One in particular, Melina and I freaked out about how much she looks like me! (Evil laugh) and I shall call her mini-me!