Legacy of Light: Ice Cream Pickle Cake

Today's conversation with my 3-year-old grandson Cohen went something like this:

Me: Cohen what do you want for your birthday?
Cohen: I want a super hero party.
Me: I know, your mama's going to throw you a super hero party isn't she? What super hero are you going to be?
Cohen: Well, I like spiders, so I'm going to be spider man.
Me (clarifying my first question): What do you want Grandma to get you for your birthday?
Cohen: Well . . . I want cake and ice cream.
Me: Really, you just want cake and ice cream?
Cohen: Yes, that would be good.
Me: What kind of cake should Grandma make for you?
Cohen (very sure of himself): I think I would like ice cream pickle cake.

This little conversation stuck with me all day. There is something profound about talking to a very articulate 3-year-old. Not only did his answers delight me and fill a few minutes of my life with innocent humor, I also recognized that guileless little children have figured out a mantra to live by that most adults have forgotten: "Keep it simple. Make it fun." I think it's we adults that complicate their lives and lead them to believe that everything has to be bigger and better than it was yesterday or the day before or last year. Think about the memories you have as a child. The ones I remember most vividly are simple times spent with my family at home--doing the Charleston with my mom or the polka with my dad, lip syncing to the Chipmunks, going on a bear hunt on Thanksgiving, or just watching the Disney movie every Sunday night while Dad pops his family famous popcorn upstairs.

I recently went on a fantastic trip to Disneyland with my sister and her three girls. I am a self-professed Disneyland fanatic and felt sure my expertise in all things Disneyland would make this the most memorable trip ever for the girls. I asked one of my nieces what her favorite thing about the trip was, and guess what was number one on her list--swimming in the pool. Amazing! It's the simple things that make the best memories. Sometimes we offer Disneyland when they would be satisfied with a swim in the pool! (This is figurative of course. Despite this discovery, Disneyland is still my happy place.)

The media is filling our minds with an explosion of new technology, the latest and greatest expensive toys, and Pinterest ideas that will knock your socks off, and out of love and devotion, we make every exhausted effort to give our kids what we think they want. Sometimes we even feel like we just aren't good enough. But take it from a wise three-year-old--sometimes a simple super hero party and an ice cream pickle cake will do just fine, because let's be honest, all our family and friends really want and need is for us to put down our own technology and give them our time, attention, and love.

Now if I can just find a recipe for ice cream pickle cake . . . . .

Here's the link to a great video:

You Never Know How Much Good You Do