One balmy evening

eighty-three on the thermometer (wait, wasn't it five days ago that there was inch of snow on the ground? why, yes, yes it was.)

full bellies, thanks to this experiment that has a permanent spot in our rotation

one Poppop, selflessly giving up his Tuesday evening to fix our door so that the stink bugs can no longer march unhindered into the kitchen

one Mama, sniffling and sneezing and missing those pre-motherhood days of not suffering from allergies (thanks, boys)

one big boy, showing off his just-shy-of-perfect report card to anyone and everyone, chest all puffed out like a peacock

one little boy, showing off his first skinned knee of the season, and able to easily do so because he is terrified of Band-Aids

one Daddy, golf clubs out, Happy Gilmore-ing golf balls into the cow pasture and beyond, to the sheer delight of both his sons

four haircuts given on a porch alive with activity (hooray for new a new customer - love you Dad!)

dozens of flowers and trees blooming away, giving a little beauty to the neglected desolation that is our home landscaping

one lazy bumblebee, snoozing away on a chair cushion and oblivious to the utter chaos around him

one Poppop, needing to get his work finished before dark but caving to his best buddy's one-more-basketball-game guilt trip

one tall five-year-old, pants around ankles, shamelessly peeing on a tree in the side yard in full view of traffic passing by

one chubby two-year-old, running Taz-style around the yard in nothing but shorts and his bike helmet

one Mama, offering up arrow prayers of thanks to God for allowing her to be surrounded by boys

five winter-weary folks milking every ounce of daylight out of a simply marvelous evening

I love days like this