Shaun Groves
An hour earlier…
An hour earlier…
Can we?
Absolutely.
Because shoes can be bleached.
Clothes can be washed.
Skin comes clean.
And puddles, Summer and childhood don’t last forever.
You know you’ll have to walk all the way home now, right?
Worth it.
37 comments on “What Fathers (And Mud) Are For”
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Lindsay says:
🙂 Look at that little hip attitude up there! 🙂 (Can’t believe how much they’ve grown over the past three years…)
Melanie says:
The best memories are made from mud – obviously.
JessicaB says:
That video cuts off at the best place ever. Snicker.
Beth says:
How beautiful!!! You’re a great photographer Shaun. These will be great memories in the future!
Jill Foley says:
I’m NOT going to let my kids see these pictures.
Shaun Groves says:
Chicken…I mean, mom. ; )
Cindy says:
Kudos for being a Yes! dad. Those are the best kinds! 🙂
Amy says:
Mud puddles and rain puddles are mandatory for jumping in!
kris says:
LOVE this. Time well spent. 😉
Jo Anna says:
Love the Roethlisberger shirt! Was your wife as happy as you and the kids? Laundry!!! But looks like lots of fun.
Shaun Groves says:
That’s not a Roethlisberger shirt! Not a chance.
That’s a Gresham Groves custom Steelers shirt with his favorite number on it – courtesy of a grandfather/former football player.
And, no, I can’t say Becky was excited about laundry. But she tolerates us. (And I did offer to clean it all myself.)
Megan @ Faith Like Mustard says:
I was going to say, ” So…you’re doing the laundry, right?”
Beth Werner Lee says:
And, typical mom, she said she’d do it because you wouldn’t do it well enough?
Bless Becky! Tell her thanks from the other moms who saw the picts today.
ann says:
At first I thought the youngest was staring at her big brother with admiration, but then I realized she was waiting for the right moment to wipe mud on him. (Maybe it was both.)
NWE says:
nice. very nice.
Deppes says:
Hhhmmm…time to delurk 🙂 My kids looked just like this yesterday! Thankfully it was in our own yard. Good times 🙂
Brittany says:
These photos are amazing! What a wonderful time it looks like. You get the fun dad award for the week! I don’t know how anyone could look at these and not be smiling from ear to ear. Thanks for sharing!
Also so looking forward to meeting you and hearing you speak about Compassion at Relevant!
jo says:
Beautiful children, beautiful images, beautiful life.
And beautiful mud…
Joelle. @goldenchances says:
Recognized the custom jersey immediately as I have a football lovin’ jersey wearin’ boy too. He has the Chargers #7, with “Double D” nickname on the back. Also loves mud…. Mom is trying to get there!! 🙂
Ruth Abel says:
Love. I think it is so important to let kids really be kids as much as they can. Mud is a part of childhood that should be embraced! Way to be a great dad.
Lara says:
See now I’m feelin’ all kinds of guilty. I’m not a mud girl. Ok. The challenge is on. I’m gonna say yes to the next mud puddle and wishing kids.
Laura says:
I CRINGED at the sight of those muddy shoes. What a mess!!!! But they certainly are having fun. And the memories will last forever. FABULOUS photos, by the way. =)
Kelli says:
Awesome! Some of my favorite memories as a kid were playing in giant mud puddles then screaming as my mom hosed us off in the backyard.:). That’s what childhood is made of. Good going, Dad!
jenn says:
I grew up in the country and playing in the mud was one of my favorite things to do. I have to admit I even had a few mud fights as a teenager. Now I’m wishing I could find some mud for my daughter to play in. She never has.
RaD says:
How on earth did you turn them loose in all that mud and yet stay clean yourself? I mean the camera can’t get dirty so you had to stay back. But if it were my kids they’d say okay we gave you long enough to get our pictures, now come here so I can get a hug…. and then the mud fight would be on! :0)
Heart and Haven says:
I loved seeing the pictures and video….so funny!
Just today my kids were playing pirates in the backyard digging in our muddy yard looking for pirate treasure. It took every ounce I had to not tell them to stop, and instead allowed them to just enjoy being kids. They had a great afernoon!
Liz Reeves says:
Your younger daughter really got the Groves family genes! She looks a lot like you & Lindy as kids! LOVED the mud farts. My kids will have to watch this video tomorrow. (it’s 1:30am as I type this!!)
sara varghese says:
it a different story in our house “What Mom is for…”
Daddy irons, Mom says “Iron what? wrinkled is good”
Daddy matches, Mom says “stripes and dots all the way!”
Daddy stays clean, Mom says “it’s dirt, not the end of the world”
Mom starts water fights, Daddy screams. Really, but he’s fun
In fact, I was thinking….I would really have to hide this from John if I ever had the opportunity to let my kids do it. He would FREAK.
So fun! Where’s the football???? See what I mean? Makes me want to be a camp counselor again….
Lisa H says:
So much fun! Mud is the best, but even better is letting kids be kids. I love all the pictures, but especially the one of your three standing together. Your younger daughter has so much personality just standing there. 🙂
jess says:
didn’t know if a few armpit farts were going to be added to the mix! 🙂 priceless.
Karen says:
WHAT FUN!!! They will still be talking about this when they are adults! Hope you hosed them off before letting them in the house! 🙂
Angie says:
Summer fun!
Sadly, I first just thought ‘laundry mess’ when I first saw . . .time to break out of the rut around here.
JD says:
This is one of my fave parenting posts. The pictures are beautiful, the moment even more so.
steph says:
Love love love this!!!
Katie @ Imperfect People says:
I hope you hosed them off before going inside….I”m sorry spoken like such a mom. It looks like you guys had a blast! They will remember that!
Elizabeth says:
Quality of pictures are phenomenal! What type of camera did you use?