Leaf pile

I've heard it said often how much kids take away-sleep, money, etc. 

Only looking at that tiny 1% of the equation simply isn't true. 

My children haven't taken away from my life at all.  

In fact, all my best lessons about joy, trusting God, wonder, imagination, living in the moment, prayer, curiosity, and delighting in things for the simple pleasure of fun have all come for my girls. 

They have no concept of gathering "likes" as many as the leaves, 

no mindset that includes a social media status. 

They are just simply delighted, begging me to rake up the leaves so they could jump in them. 

Lessons from the leaf pile. 

Playdough Cupcake Party (and a quick photo lesson)

Good morning! The girls and I have kept up our afternoon activity sessions for a few weeks now and it is really fun! Fun for us all I should add.  The new conversations that pop up with the placement of a just a few new things or ingredients always astounds me.  It doesn't take much to stretch my girls' imaginations.  I must tell you, we don't do a fancy or scheduled activity every single afternoon.  I used to try that and it just stressed me out even more on the days I didn't get everything set up in time.  So this time around I've said "bye-bye" to all that drama and just work activities in on the days when it's do-able.  This particular afternoon I grabbed this tray I really like from Dollar Tree and filled it with trinkets and items to combine with play dough for a Cupcake Party!

The girls' faces just lit up when they saw me step out onto the back deck with this fun tray!  I particularly like this tray (seriously, only $1 at Dollar Tree) because of all the divided sections.  Perfect for so many invitations to play.  We most often do activities like this outside, for now at least.  Come winter I imagine we'll have our table covered in kraft paper a lot to help with the mess.  

I mean seriously, it is so precious to watch the girls play!  

This cupcake making business is serious stuff! 

Here's a quick photo tip of mine, or at least a personal favorite.  Photograph the hands. "The hands?" you ask.  "Why the hands?".  Just trust me.  The hands change.  The hands are the ones that hold ours, touch, reach, learn, worship, explore.  The little dimples on the knuckles won't always be there.  Hands matter.  Hands are precious to me.  I always photograph the hands. For the best storytelling result, focus only on the hands, letting the rest of the background blur.  

The items I put out with the play dough were fuzzy balls, candles, and beads.  

How can you set up an invitation to play for your big or little ones today?  

Now grab your camera and find some precious hands to photograph! 

Autumn and Apples (the little things are the big things)

Last week I sat up and took notice of the fact that autumn was indeed here, according to my schedule at least, but things on the outside looked rather brown and dusty.  Our country trees just weren't bringing fall like I daydreamed of, so time to take things into my own hands.  Box of apples in hand, I ventured outside with my camera, determined to tell a story with a few photos of what autumn 2015 looks like around the Torbett house. 

I continued to click throughout the week, capturing snippets here and there of the narrative that is fall.

Moments like a date with Daddy to pick out new jammies turned into dance parties..

Anna Ruth lining up the mini pumpkins just exactly like we did last year on the exact same windowsill, because "Mom, it's what we do!".

We are big on traditions around here, what can I say?

Autumn has meant taking the extra time in the kitchen to try our hand at new things, savoring the time it takes.  

Autumn afternoons on the porch have also become a favorite thing,

even when we're doing something as simple as exploring the similarities and differences between an apple and a pomegranate.  

After looking through these tiny, everyday moments I felt that familiar well of tears jump up into my throat.  I've long ago stopped judging a photo by what all the books tell you to pay attention to.  Instead, I go by the feelings,  the well of tears.  My "best", most favorite photos are those that make me feel the most.  The ones that remind me of Betsy Grace's hand sitting on my leg, side by side on the front porch step.  Or the BIG grin of Anna Ruth's as we're playing chase through the yard, or traipsing around and following wherever her imagination takes us.  And my oh my, how it takes us places! 

The little things truly are the big things. 

It sounds like such a cliche' thing to say, but I find it rather true.  If a sense of wonder isn't cultivated in our everyday, seemingly "ordinary" lives, we'll never make it to the other side.  The other side where miracles, magical memories, and mountains of merriment await.  

Here are a few "little things" we are counting on this autumn…….maybe you can too?

And I'll see you on the other side of ordinary!

1.)  Buy a bushel of apples from the local produce stand

2.) New jammies!

3.) Winter shopping at the thrift store

4.) Bake a pie

5.) Leaf rubbings

6.) Pumpkins: Carve, paint, decorate

7.) Host a fall party!

8.) Light candles…everyday

9.) Open the windows

10.) Camp! 

11.) Build a bonfire

12.) Host an outdoor dinner party…even if you and yours are the only ones invited!

13.) Roast marshmallows

14.) Load up a stack of books to read this winter

15.) Sign up for an online art class

16.) Visit a pumpkin patch

17.) Try a new board game

18.) Take a long bubble bath

19.) Rest!  Dive under those warm covers for just a few more minutes…

20.) Drink hot tea

21.) Explore a new seasonal fruit or veggie

22.) Take food to a friend or neighbor in need

23.) Babysit a friend's kids for a kind favor

24.) Paint leaves

25.) Bob for apples

26.) Go for a hike!

27.) Sketch the changes you see outdoors

28.) Send some happy mail

29.) Create a nature spot in your house….inside :) 

30.) Have a hayride

31.) Plant some succulents to keep you company in winter

32.) Cut/stack firewood

What else would you add to this list?

Our afternoon adventures (leaf rubbings and modeling clay)

Sometimes my personality feels like an odd mix.  On the one hand, I rather crave unstructured, serendipitous moments.  A little spontaneity, if you will.  Of course, it also took me several seconds to recall the word "spontaneity", lol.  I was sitting here thinking how much I like when things aren't so planned and thought "What's that word again?"  

So I suppose that proves the point that a little bit of planning does me good too.  It's the former teacher in me I suppose.  This summer the girls and I were footloose and fancy-free.  If we had a schedule, it was purely based on fun.  Then along came school and we got our acts together a bit more and I found myself dreading the late afternoon.  A time when it's not dinner prep yet, but not the energetic level of lunch activity either.  

Memories started to trickle in of how enjoyable it always is when I put a little extra thought and effort into this particular time of day.  So one morning while the girls were at school I made a list of about 25 activities we could do at home.  Easy things that required very few materials and most things you'd have around the house or could buy at Dollar Tree.  Then, you guessed it, I stocked up at Dollar Tree.  My, what a change that bit of planning has brought!  We now look forward to late afternoons.  Most days I have something fun waiting for the girls after rest time.  Not every day and that's ok.  

It's a time I can give them my full attention, with house chores put aside for the moment.  We talk, ask questions, play, wonder, and experience new things together. 

This particular day I put out a try of modeling clay and nature finds, then read to them from a book of poems. 

In Betsy's own words, on the left "A blanket!" and on the right, "A airplane!"  

Anna blew me away by drawing this sail boat!

A different afternoon we made simple leaf rubbings and then transitioned to trying weeds and grass and whatever we could get our hands on.  

And of course, a romp around the pasture never, ever gets old. 

This little dreaded time of day has become a delight. 

How can you change your routine up a bit to add more delight into your day?