Saying Yes to the mess

Wednesday couldn't make up it's mind if it was coming in like a lion or out like a lamb.  It would flash flood, down pour, and gust wind for 5-10 minutes, then be totally blue skies, warm, and beautiful for the next few minutes, with another storm surge behind that! It was pretty enough to watch from indoors -- where it was dry.

But at 1:30 the hail started, and I couldn't help but grab my boys to go run outside and investigate! (Alana was napping)

"It feels pokey and wet!"

These little balls of ice were "slippery, melty, and cold!"  It's so fascinating that even though it was warm out, ice could still fall from the sky!

Of course this segued into splashing in the puddles...

 

Which naturally transformed into getting a little dirty...While Addison invented finger painting with every piece of sidewalk chalk he could find to dissolve in the puddles,

 Carter found quite a good mud puddle to sink into.

 And just look at that sky!  Blue Sky + White Clouds + Threatening Gray, all at once! I loved it!

 (It was down pouring again within minutes of this picture)

And as fun as this afternoon was for the kids, I must admit, I felt soo soo soo good to let my guard down and just let my kids play and splash in the rain and puddles.  We were having a yes-day moment. And it felt so freeing.  So safe.  And so much easier as a mom when I could say 'yes' instead of saying 'no' all day.