Family, Friends, and Fun!

Today's Friday Finds come to you from my heart - for your heart. And it's a great way to gear up for Valentine's Day!

Well, actually, it's YOU who will be doing the finding today - I found mine on Saturday. Confused? lol Read on!

Family. Friends. Fun. Those are the finds - for both of us.

This weekend we headed out of town for the weekend. We stayed at a hotel with a waterslide and had plans to celebrate our daughter's birthday with Laila'a family.

Saturday morning after breakfast we went and hit the pool. We had it all to ourselves. It was 2 hours of sheer fun and laughter. Our little guy, 5, discovered the courage to attempt the waterslide alone for the first time. It was magical. As soon as I caught him, he said, "6 more times, okay Mom!" (note there is not a question mark, but an exclamation point - he was not asking, he really was exclaiming!). Kaia discovered the joy of a very shallow pool in which she could touch the bottom of almost the entire thing. She practiced the swimming she was learning in lessons and she shrieked in delight (mock fear!) as I swam toward her with my hand poking up like a shark fin.

After nearly 2 hours, we were as wrinkled as prunes and before we got back up to our room, the kids were already asking when we could go back to the pool.

I found a renewed sense of fun, frivolity, and excitement as we splashed and swam together. I have an incredible family and I'm so glad to have spent a few hours of uninterrupted family fun with them.

I also happen to have incredible friends. As it turned out, our daughter was under the weather, so we skipped a large part of our birthday plans and spent the entire time, instead, with Laila and her family. It was so good to see them all again. The kids haven't seen each other in months and there was no shortage of celebrating their short time together. I know that Laila and I relished our child-free conversation, and I'm pretty sure I can say that our hubbies were grateful for adult conversation and cold beer.

I found something simple for the second time this weekend - a reminder of how lucky we are to have really great friends. I think it's fair to say that most of us have many friends, but few really close friends. It's those friends we must be thankful for and cherish.

So go ahead and find these things again. Find time for your family and friends and celebrate them. Buy a cake, send a card, pick up the phone, or give them a hug.

Let us know your renewed finds. :)