The outdoors



Sometimes, kids need time just to be.



No appointments, no 'playdates', no scheduled activities or long drives in the car.

Sometimes, kids need just to be outside.




Immediately after breakfast, Noah said "I play outside! I play outside!" and I thought, yes, let's go for it!

After forty days and nights of rain (or thereabouts) and a joyful, but exhausting, weekend preparing for and celebrating Isaiah's baptism, I agreed with Noah that we all deserved some peaceful time in the great outdoors.

I love that in the few hours we played in the yard, we managed to draw with chalk, wildcraft clover blossoms ("mmm, clo-der, EAT!"), spot an airplane to much excitement, study some slugs and wood bugs, and carry wood from the woodpile into a little red wagon.



Such simple pleasures, and such joys to not only Noah, but me as well.

How nice it is to give myself permission to slow down, enjoy the fresh air, and actually play with my children instead of fussing over the next meal, load of laundry or grocery list.

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