Summer Magic

Thanks to Plum Organics for sponsoring my post about fun kid photos and the stories behind them. Enter Plum’s “Babies for Yum Caption Contest” on Facebook and you could win a $100 gift card or Plum goodies.

One beautiful summer evening, we packed up a basket of food  and headed to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens for one of its Family Nights Out.

While our supper was delightful, it wasn’t what caused the rapturous look on my seven-year-old daughter’s face.

This is what Punky was watching- the Nashville Ballet’s performance of “Borreguita and the Coyote.”

Afterward, the dancers asked all the boys to come onto the stage to learn a few ballet techniques. This was as far as Bruiser made it before running back to our blanket.

When it was Punky’s turn, though, she eagerly took the stage and got into fifth position. My heart beat faster at the sight of my daughter’s years of ballet lessons, actually paying off!!

And I may be biased, but I believe her coyote impression was first-rate.

Afterward, Punky posed for photos with the dancers.

And the kids even agreed to pose for a few photos with their adoring fans.

Having raised two stepdaughters, I’m all too aware of how quickly childhood passes by. What you don’t see in these photos is that Hubs met us at the gardens exhausted after a long day of work. What you don’t see is that I worked for hours on our picnic, which the children proceeded to eat without comment.

What you do see is the way we’ll remember this evening- as pure magic. That’s why I love taking photos. They’re like real life- only better.

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.