Fall is in the air...

I feel like I am coming out of a fog... Micah turned three this past August, Hannah is about to topple over into the first year of her second decade, and everyone else is mashed in the middle... Days are more defined and less like really short months that escaped without notice.

I have always wanted to be one of "those moms". You know the type, they celebrate every holiday with fabulous decorations, unit studies and lap books on the history behind the holiday, art and songs about the holiday. For the last 11 years I have barely made mention of "special" days except to flounder through a woefully inadequate reason for why Daddy doesn't have to go to work that day.

I am still not one of "those moms" but I have found that holidays and seasons are a great opportunity for bringing my children together with their friends and sharing some form of creative endeavor. I am becoming increasingly aware that if we, as parents, are going to continue to limit our children's exposure to TV and computers, iPads and video consoles, we are going to have to give them other outlets for using their time. I have also realized that they are more apt to engage in these alternate activities when it is an experience that they can share with friends and/or their friends also enjoy it and it is something they can talk about when together.

All that to say, we are planning a trip to the park following the Symphony this week. I have organized a picnic and a nature hike culminating in an art project inspired by fall leaves. We will be water color painting some leaves I am drawing, I have ideas of how to use them later but I will share those after I post the finished projects. For now, the works in progress... Only 100 more leaves to draw...