I used to think every moment with kids would be one to cherish. But…look, some moments are more cherishable than others. These, then, are my secret favorite things that I cherish that maaaaaybe you do too.  If we’re being honest. 😉

1. When I have both kids buckled into their carseats but we haven’t pulled out of the driveway; in this moment, they are safe and aren’t going to get into anything they shouldn’t, or fall off of something, or skin their knees, or run away from me in the parking lot. In this precise moment, I have no worries. Bliss. 
2. When we go for a walk and come across zero dogs. I LOVE DOGS, we have a dog, we love our dog, but so many people are irresponsible regarding their dogs, and aren’t honest about whether they bite or not (I always have my older child ask, “Can I pet your dog?” before lunging, but I have had people say “Yes, but she bites!” — that means no!!!), or are used to children (the other day we had someone say of course, then handed my daughter dog treats and turned to me explaining they were training the dog to be good with kids and like whoa whoah, hold on ma’am, to me, that says the dog is not *currently* good with kids, clarify please!).  Removing the stress of trusting other people’s assessments of their dogs is nice. (And yes, there are times when I’m just like, nope, we’re not petting the dog, don’t even ask. It’s sadly becoming more frequent.)
3. When I have put away all the snack flotsam and jetsam and have at least five blissful minutes before I am asked when we’re going to eat next.
4. Encountering a wide open field in which my children are allowed to play, with nary a road in sight into which they would otherwise bolt.
5. Playgrounds with fences all the way around, hallelu.
6. When something hilariously simple and uncomplicated entertains my kids for an hour; a bucket of water + two paintbrushes, for example.
7. Knowing we have a week’s worth of apple juice in the house.
8. Saying yes to things just because it’s easier, I can, and I’m tired (pop tarts, cinnamon toast crunch, Saturday morning cartoons, etc)
9. Belting along to the music in the car, even if my kids say, “Mama stop singing.” If I want to sing along to Imogen Heap, I’m gonna!
10. When the kids are in bed and my partner and I have “adult dinner” which involves, basically, a second secret dinner after “family dinner” where we can eat peacefully and talk instead of shoving food into our mouths as quickly as possible between bids for attention, knocked over cups of milk, and requests for being done, being DONE!, mama dada DONE.