Welcome to Day 16 in the 31 Days Series It Works for Me!
One of my favorite books is Sarah Ban Breathnach's Simple Abundance. It's such a great daily read to help you focus on mindful appreciation of blessings in the everyday.
Sarah upholds the tenth year of life as the year when you are closest to your authentic self.
The purest form of you: before the world comes along and tells you that you can't ...
before your dreams get a little air knocked out of them ...
before your opinions are significantly influenced by who's around you.
When you know what you know.
When you know what you're about.
When you suck the joy out of every day and life's pleasure runs deep.
'Try to travel back in time and imagination.
See yourself at ten: at home, at school, and at play.
Where did you live?
Can you see your house or apartment, and the street?
Walk through the rooms in your childhood home.
What did you bedroom look like?
Who were your friends?
Did you have a best pal?
What was your favourite colour in the crayola pack?
Did you play a musical instrument?
Can you recall the scent of Play-Doh?
What were your favourite foods?
What subject did you like in the fifth grade?
Can you recall yourself at ten?"
Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach
I love the sentiment, and I wanted to put a marker in each of my children's lives
so they could remember with clarity,
"that's what it was like to be TEN ... to be so much ME."
So, LtDan and I devised a plan to take each of our kids on a very special trip for their 10th birthday,
just Dad and Son, or Mom (and Aunt!) and Daughter.
It was SO much fun to plan the trip in secret, and devise a crazy way to reveal the details.
On Ben's birthday, LtDan took him to San Antonio.
They flew in for the weekend, and spent the day at Schlitterbahn, a massive water park.
Now, as fate would have it, not only did Ben and Dad bond over a fantastic time at the water park, they also bonded over a 24 hour stomach virus. LtDan showed Ben how to have a good time but also take care of yourself when you're sick and away from home.
Good times :o)
Nathan, our resident musician and music lover, flew with LtDan to TampaBay to see
a NewsBoys Concert. That was Nate's first concert and he LOVED it. They had (nearly) front row seats, and he and LtDan were hoarse from singing along.
The Newsboys are an awesome Christian Band ... such great music with catchy lyrics
and packing a message for Christ.
Abbie's 10th came next, and she and I flew to California to spend a weekend with my sister, who is not only Abbie's aunt, but shares the same birthday.
Sandy and I took Abbie to lunch at the American Girl Bistro, and then spent a day at Disneyland.
Let me just say ... if you haven't been to Disneyland as an adult, you should go.
It is really and truly a happy, happy place.
We had an absolutely magical time!
LtDan took Aaron to the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas, for the weekend of his 10th, and Aaron was kind enough to share the fun and invite his siblings to spend the day with him at the indoor water park and also let us stay for dinner with him. The water is Aaron's happy place. He LOVED it.
The Great Wolf is a really fun, family friendly place.
All our kids look back on their 10th Birthday Trips with great fondness, and we do, too. I never want them to lose sight of what it was like to be ten.
When I was ten, I loved riding my bike, roaming around outside barefoot, climbing trees, and reading.
What about you? Do you remember your ten year old self?
Doing up the 10th birthdays big ... it works for me!
Oh this is such a great idea!!! My oldest son is turning 10 right after Christmas and he could use a special trip away with dad. Loving it. Will talk to my hubby tonight about this!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you do, it's a memory maker for sure! we had the inspiration just before our eldest turned ten ... it has been SUCH a fun family tradition!
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