Nature Walk and Collage Book!

Sigh........this picture makes me all kinds of happy.

I join the ranks of moms who are always wondering if they're doing it right. While I don't believe in self-praising or constant pats on the back, I do think it's okay to reflect sometimes and say you know what, I'm doing all-right. 

That's what this picture does for me.  I don't see laundry piles, dreams unfulfilled, a dirty house, or chores to be completed when I see this photo. 

I see a happy, creative, fancy little girl having quite the adventure.  A summer well spent so far.  

 Anna Ruth and I (and I predict Betsy Grace too) are quite the adventurers.  Give us a wide open space with grass, flowers, dirt, and leaves and we're as happy as we know how to get.  One morning at breakfast I had the idea to go for a little nature walk and collect things on this orange plate.  Once Anna got the concept down that I wanted her to put the items on the plate her enthusiasm took over!  She wanted EVERYTHING to go on the plate! 

 Of course in the middle of all that adventuring we just had to stop for a blackberry break. 

Anna Ruth eats the blackberries when they're still red!  She grabs handfuls of them and eats them all at once.  I know you're on the edge of your seat wondering if I washed these before giving them to her.....

Nope.  To be honest-I feel like coming right out of my back yard they're so much safer than the fruit at the grocery store where who knows what has been sprayed on them. 

After our walk Anna Ruth stuck all of her unique finds onto a piece of contact paper I'd previously taped to the table, sticky side up.  She loved smashing each item down!  I showed her how to rub each item smooth with her fist. 

And that's where her interest stopped. Literally!  

You all know I'm a sucker for honesty.  Can't stand sugar-coating.  I made this last picture look neat because I thought I'd pin it, and maybe other mama's would use the idea for themselves.  

But don't let that pretty picture fool you.  :)

After Anna Ruth stuck all the neat items down I placed another piece of contact paper on top of the original one, sticky side down this time (to sandwich the items in).

Then I cut the contact paper sheet into small pages, and sealed the edges of each page with duct tape.  Last, I quickly poked a hole in the top corner of each page and strung them together with string. 

I'm waiting to see if Anna's interest will return for her pretty little nature book.  

If not, I'd say she had a good time creating the book and doesn't the process count just as much as the product? (that's a teacher thought for you)

Happy book-making!