Last week, my family and I headed out for a big adventure… in our own backyard. [ Shop Naomi’s girls eyelet dress for your own backyard picnic! ] Sounds simplistic, and maybe it was. But truthfully, we’d barely been outside together as a family all Summer. We have crazy schedules that keep us from enjoying tons of time together, just the four of us, and the idea of a backyard picnic just sounded like so much fun. Sometimes the simple things really are the best things. So we spread out a cute picnic blanket, popped an adorable teepee up, and voila… backyard picnic!

I was so excited to partner with Life Cereal for this project as they launch their new ad campaign, “Enjoy All of It.” It’s all about elevating and enjoying everyday moments, like family picnics, which we have a tendency to just breeze through without appreciating how happy it makes our kids. So they sent us this amazing picnic kit to help us create the backyard picnic of our dreams.

I told Naomi we were having a party, and what two year old doesn’t love a good party? She couldn’t have been more excited. I could barely keep her away as I was setting everything up.

As life around her continues to get crazier, I’ve realized how important it is to stop and enjoy the little moments that make life so unique and special. It’s so easy to get caught up in worry and stress… almost too easy. I am definitely guilty of not taking the time to enjoy all of the good things in life when they’re right in front of my face. My husband will atest to the fact that I am a worrier, and I have a tendency to skew negative when I’m looking at the bigger picture.

But ever since having my second daughter, I have truly been counting my blessings. In spite of the intense, physical work of having a 2 year old and a 7-month-old, I know that I will long for these days when they’re gone. I will miss the spontaneous hugs, the intense giggles, the baby baths, and yes, even the back pain from carrying my little peanut up and down the stairs. I will miss our backyard picnic when my girls are headed to parties with their friends and they don’t want to hang out with mom anymore.

No one has ever said to me, “man, I’m so glad my kids aren’t little anymore.”

So in the spirit of appreciating where I am in life right now, we stopped out busy lives — even my husband — and enjoyed the beautiful weather, with delicious treats (like these Life Cereal cupcakes and bark from Dulce Desserts!) and fun activities.

I can’t tell you how often we’re going to be able to do things like this. It’s a real rarity and a real treat when we get to. But I know that I will appreciate life and enjoy all of it every once in awhile.

Vendor List:
Photography: Snapshots by Ailee Petrovic
Girls’ outfits: Blue Leaf
Floral design: Tamara Menges
Cupcakes and bark: Dulce Cakes and Sweets
Calligraphy sign: Kristara Calligraphy

Display pieces: on loan from Sugar & Cloth

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This post was sponsored by Life Cereal, though all words and opinions are authentically my own.