Autumn time is fun time...

A few days ago we went for a walk down to the pond at the end of our street and into the adjoining woods.  It was one of those perfect fall days with the crisp cool air that is just right for leaf jumping.  We picked cattails and whacked them on the ground, releasing their seeds into the air.  My son could have stood for hours at the edge of the pond tossing in small pebbles while I tried to unclench and let him enjoy himself rather than imagine his drowning in 1 ft of murky water.  Then we went into the "scary woods" as my daughter calls it.  Marching around in the tall grass we saw yellow butterflies, beautiful fall leaves, and the tracks of something that may have been a raccoon (a Girl Scout I am not).

This day reminded me of the importance of taking small moments to spend with my children, letting them just "be."  As a mostly-SAHM you would think I would have all of this time to spend with them but the truth is there is laundry, dance class, grocery shopping, playdates, kitchen clean-up, and about a 1000 other things to do all day that involve not being tuned in to my kids.  Not to mention the daily "Can you just give Mommy 5 minutes, pleeeeassssee?" time that I comes up.  Surely I'm not the only one!

 
 At the doctor's office today for my daughter's 4 year check-up, I watched her sit up and answer the nurse's questions like such a big girl.  She is growing up so much and it is amazing to watch.  I am glad I took 30 minutes to walk in the woods with them.  The laundry was still there when I got back but so what?  I need to remember to take more time for things that don't have anything to do with "getting stuff done."  I hope I always make time for a walk in the woods with my children, and I hope they always want me around for their walks in life.