Friday, October 26, 2012

Our Big Backyard

Our backyard is beautiful right now with lots of yellows and reds, piles of acorns, soft breezes, and beautiful skies. I've got three kids that have played and explored and created a world all their own in this backyard wonderland.
My boys wait all summer long for me to give the green light to head out back and play in the woods. During the summer, it's too hot for jeans and since there are so many briers and mosquitoes I prefer they not play in their shorts - mostly because I'm the one that has to listen to incessant, "My ankles itch!" and "I have a scratch on my leg and it won't stop hurting!" So, when fall comes around with cooler temps and a lot less underbrush, the boys spend most afternoons out back.
Annalyse is usually happy to throw stones in the creek and fill her pockets with treasures. And check out this fantastic treasure she uncovered the other day! No turtle inside, just a beautiful empty shell. My boys were convinced that "it was killed by a bear and that turtle bones and blood were nearby" so they spent the next hour plowing through leaves and looking under logs. Alas, they found nothing but we walked away with this shell that I plan to bleach and add to our nature box. 
During the summer it seems that the washing machine is constantly going because of swim suits and pool towels. During the fall, it seems that the washing machine is constantly going because of the multiple outfit changes in one day. Backyard fun in the woods means mud and dirt and grass stains - in great abundance! Maybe I'll get my laundry break in the winter...?
We are in the last few days of October and are relishing the weather and the colors and the smells of fall. Thankfully, November is usually mild and perfect outdoor weather, too. I'm sure that in days to come, I'll have some pictures of the creative forts my boys have built. Which, for them, a fort usually means a pile of logs and sticks that are covered in moss or leaves. I know it won't be long before they start to ask, "Can we sleep outside in our fort?" and "Can you help us make a slingshot to shoot in the woods?" And, if my instincts prove right, Annalyse will be right in the mix of things wanting to do it all with her big brothers, too.

1 comment:

  1. Last few days of October already, can't be?!! Great pics!! There's not much better for kids than hours spent outside playing, exploring, using their imaginations & finding cool treasures like that turtle shell!
    Oh, and if you ever manage to get a laundry break, please do share your secret!!

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