Free Time

In the middle of all the craziness going on around here (i.e. new baby, girls starting Pre-K today, summer winding down, etc...), I have managed to squeeze in a little free time for just Me, Myself, and I. Maybe it's because I'm an only child, but I absolutely crave time alone. I love my friends and being active, but I do love times of solitude. It clears both my mind and my soul.

Thankfully, this past Saturday, Mike could tell I was in need some of that "Me Time", so he told me to go grab some coffee or go for a walk or do something to get out of the house. I quickly jumped on the opportunity, so I grabbed my purse and headed out the door for an hour so. First I went to Target. I love that store. If I go there with the girls I don't have time to wander around and browse all the different sections. So I spent a good while just meandering and looking. I ended up buying a black tank top that was on sale (my first non-maternity purchase-- yay!) and I did a good deal of people watching. I saw a few interesting scenarios:

1.) I saw a woman in the food section shopping while balancing a box of cookies on her head. She was completely oblivious to me watching her as she perused the selection of crackers and other snack foods while she very skillfully balanced the cookies on her head. I was impressed.

2.) Another woman was walking around wearing a pastel pink straw hat with a long pink ribbon that came off the hat and hung way past her rear end. She was obviously very confident in her hat choice for the day. And I liked that.

After Target, I headed to Sonic for a cherry limeade chiller. If you live near a Sonic, please go have one today. They are really good and slightly addictive. I sat and sipped my chiller with the windows rolled down and my i-pod on shuffle. The wind picked up and made the nearby tree branches dance to the music. Even though there are thousands of songs on my i-pod, sometimes just the right selection comes on. A little David Bowie, a little Frou Frou, and some Explosions in the Sky. If I could show someone a video of the big moments in my life from birth to now, Explosions in the Sky would have to be the soundtrack to go with it. If you've seen the move Friday Night Lights, you will recall their music. I love it. Anyway, I just sat there and let my mind wander, reflect and take in the moment.

I was only gone about an hour and a half, but the time spent just to myself-- being observant, thoughtful and calm-- was so worth it. And when I got home, I had these three beautiful faces waiting for me: