It was 95 degrees in the shade at the National Arboretum, and sweat and dirt mixed to form a wonderful sort of camouflage effect on my daughter’s face. A penny for her thoughts?
Just another “day in the life” of my kids (with their friends!). One of the highlights, in fact, of their lives.
The ice cream truck!
So incredibly cute– I adore them both, Danie!
Oh Danie, love the different perspectives and what a quintessential childhood moment. Love it.
Soooo adorable!!! I love that first one. Such a classic image of childhood. Love the colors on your blog!!!
My children have recently discovered hopscotch. It started with a hopscotch rug they saw one time, and then one day I realized we had never actually taught them to play hopscotch! Sacrilege.
Yesterday, while we waited for my son to get home from a playdate, my daughter and I got the chalk out. I thought we would practice numbers, but she really just wanted to dump out the box of chalk and fill it back up.
This game was, apparently, absolutely hysterical.
Finally, big brother came home and we we drew the hopscotch game (an especially tricky variety, in fact). My son’s glower at me had nothing to do with me taking pictures (for once), and everything to do with my suggestion that the stone had bounced off the 7, not the 8.
And with that, I leave you with best wishes for Passover, Easter, and apparently US National Tartan day, according to a good friend of Scottish heritage. Who knew!
- Danie Smallwood
these are really cute Danie! I need a sidewalk to teach my kiddos hopscotch- we have never done it either, whoops ;)!
In March, my ClickinMoms 12 month challenge group was focused on “The Way I View…Happiness.” When I thought about it, I imagined going to the park, getting pictures of my kids with huge smiles…. But in the end, these were the pictures that most spoke to me. Just hanging out together at home. Basking in the glory of the cherry blossoms tree that has bloomed early behind our house. Just…being.
Be sure to check out Laura’s view of happiness next! This is a circle, so click through the links and you’ll end up back here. 
Danie, those are just gorgeous. Your kids look like they are having so much fun. Simple, easy innocence of childhood. <3
Love these, the trees are beautiful, love that room, and your kids are so precious.
Those are stunning! I love it!
Beautiful photos of beautiful kids. And what a great art project for them…
Oh my goodness Danie my kids would LOVE this! What a beautiful room and window and what a good mommy you are to give the kids a chance to get a little messy. The images are lovely of course too!
this looks like such a fun time for your kiddos!! (& I’m a little bit jealous of the light & cherry tree, beautiful!)
Forget about a nanny cam. Hire a photographer to babysit and read their blog a few weeks later, and you’ll get to see it all. 
This is my best friend’s little girl. We were playing a very rousing game called “No, silly little one, don’t crawl off the couch!” It went something like this.
Me: “Okay, baby girl, you sit right here on the couch…”
I grab my camera and back a couple steps away from the couch, madly trying to focus in rather low light.
Baby girl: laughing hysterically, diving for the edge of the couch
Me: throwing camera to the side, grabbing baby girl. “No, silly little one, that’s not that game! You don’t crawl off the couch while I’m trying to take your picture. Okay, let’s try again. You sit right here on the couch….”
It was a little exhausting, actually (and don’t worry, she was never close to falling off!!!!), but so worth it. These are actually the pictures from round two, where I discovered that she held still better with a bottle. It’s all about trying to be more clever than the almost-one-year-old!
Danie that is so cute! Thanks for showing us!!!
by Danie