Be Fun

Leaf collecting is an annual tradition around here. Not as a planned event, its just what my girls do. I wonder why? At any given moment there are boxes and baskets of nature collections in our yard or garage. Usually its their rocks, sticks and flower dead heads. Those usually get dumped into the woods when they least expect it. Other times its my birch logs and winterberries.

 

 

(If those get dumped into the woods when I least expect it, there will be blood.)

A couple years ago I did save and press some of their leaves. We did the good old iron-leaves-and-crayon-shavings-between-wax-paper craft and hung them in the windows like stained glass.  But this year I was inspired to do something like the examples in this book my sister gave us last year:

So several weeks ago when there were still actually leaves on the trees, and colorful ones at that, we traipsed around our property to collect different shapes, sizes and colors. But it happened very briefly and with much fear and trembling. After a few bee and wasp incidents this fall, my kids are literally afraid to play outside. It's been a battle all fall just to have them get fresh air.

They were much happier pressing their loot in huge reference books. A few days later, we set to designing and gluing.  Here are our masterpieces:

Their mice:

My turkey:

Oh my word this is so fun. I declare this craft an annual tradition. You should too. It's not too late for this year - we still have a big bag full of colorful of pressed leaves. Any takers?

And speaking of fun...

Something convicted me a couple weeks ago to have more fun each day with my kids. Not just doing fun activities but to be a fun person to spend time with. To be goofy and silly and laid back and laugh a lot.

I'm home with them all day every day and sometimes I get into a rut where all I do is bark out orders from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed. Mom is manager. Mom is drill sergeant. (Please tell me you identify!)

But mom should be fun too. So I literally put "Be Fun" at the top of my day planner that following Monday. My oldest daughter must have liked it because she took it upon herself to write "Be Fun" on Tuesday too.

She also added "Games." So then I just declared Wednesday as Fun Day altogether. The plan was no seatwork and no curriculum. Just playing educational games, reading and getting our craft on. (When you homeschool, you can do that.) Okay, I confess, we may have thrown in a game of Sorry too. And the weather may have dictated that I paint my front door Tropical Orange that day too.

Anyone else need a reminder to Be Fun?