For Livia Day—our annual celebration of adopting Livia—we do something as a family. Though our girl really loves getting presents, we’re thoroughly presented out by the time June 26 rolls around and boy am I glad we mark the occasion with activities instead of things. This year, after hearing Liv ask to light a fire multiple times, we opted to roast s’mores on Livia Day. Nothing says crazy new neighbors quite like a fire in almost 100 degree heat. Our daughter, however, loved it. She’s become a professional s’more maker after Camp Sonshine, though in all honesty, it’s best to stand at least five feet back when she’s holding an 18 inch metal skewer with a flaming marshmallow on the end.

Lessons learned while making s’mores with our eight year old:

1. We can be too uptight and controlling. Liv didn’t fall into the fire nor did she burn anything. We’re learning to let her do more things on her own. Sometimes parenting isn’t about what you say, it’s about keeping your mouth shut.
2. Marshmallow and chocolate wash out of fabric. They stain it, too. Who cares. Life is short!
3. Two marshmallows combined with a few small squares of chocolate in between a broken graham cracker is one marshmallow too many. (Pass the Tums.)
4. The fire pit should be moved off the patio area and into the open yard. Yeah, that seems obvious. Nothing caught on fire that shouldn’t have, so all’s well that ends well.