Simple Pleasures

Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that make me the most happy. I’ve always wanted to live somewhere in walking distance of shops and restaurants. Where other people are out walking and chatting in the streets. Maybe even close enough to a neighborhood bar or pub where you can have a few drinks and then walk home rather than have to worry about who is going to be the designated driver.

I don’t live in that place yet. Maybe someday.

But there is a little shopping center at the entrance to our subdivision that has a few restaurants. I absolutely love to walk up there! I don’t know what it is about that experience, but it’s just something that I really enjoy. Maybe it’s because walking to dinner is not the norm in most suburban neighborhoods in America, so it makes me feel a little bit exotic and like I am living in the kind of place I’ve always wanted to…like Europe.

Last weekend Nathan suggested we walk up to one of the restaurants for dinner followed by dessert at the frozen yogurt shop next door. It didn’t take any convincing at all! I quickly strapped Annabel to my chest,

and we took off.

We had a great dinner out on the patio since it was so nice outside.

We even took some of Annabel’s homemade baby food with us so that she could eat dinner with the grown-ups. She did awesome and had a great time watching all of the big kids run around the play area. I’m really looking forward to the days when we can walk up there and she can play on the playground right outside of the restaurant after dinner. I think she’ll love it!

For now though, she has to stick with playing at the table with daddy.

I don’t think she minds though.

After dinner we walked next door and got our frozen yogurt for dessert and proceeded to eat it on a bench in the park area out back.

It was the kind of simple, family night that I always looked forward to when I imagined having a kid of my own. Nothing all that special, yet so completely special at the same time.

 

Category : Life