Nature Journaling, the kid way

For his science class, J is to make a nature journal. I decided it's a good project for all of us, so we began looking at nature in our yard. There are a lot of interesting things to be found close to home. We've seen some awesome things in our yard. Okay, okay, I really didn't want to go anywhere so I took the easy way out. I was being lazy. I admit it. We will explore other natural habitats soon, but our yard works for now. So off we go, out the door, three kids and one camera. We're ready.

After a few minutes we're left wondering what happened to nature. The kids are quickly bored of photographing leaves and, quite frankly, so am I. Where are the bugs? Where are the birds? the snakes, even? Is a quick glimpse of one tiny green lizard asking too much? How many times, when I'm in a rush to get somewhere, do they become fascinated by some random creature in the yard? Creatures, oh creatures? I can't say I blame the creatures actually. I've been known to hide from the kids myself from time to time.

Hmmm...okay, speaking of...where are the kids? Whose journal is this anyway?

At least one of us is enjoying nature. Nothing more natural than a horse back ride in the late afternoon.

We'll just take a few flower pictures,

some leaves,

and a fern. As N informs me, they are prehistoric plants after all. We'll call it a day.

Hey, I think I hear an airplane.

When you live on a flight path for the airport this is part of nature, I guess.

Serenity, Now

Vacation. A little weekend trip. The very sound of it seems inviting. Unless you happen to take your new travel trailer on her maiden voyage on the hottest weekend of the entire year. It was hot, I tell ya. The Bigs did ride their bikes a lot, we transported the Babiest around in the stroller a lot, and we sat inside the camper. A lot. I guess I don't need to tell you how small a seemingly pleasant-sized 8x31 foot trailer feels when it's 106 degrees outside. Inside the Bigs are sent to "their room" with their Nintendos, which worked out really well since that is second to eating as their most treasured life event. D sends himself to "his room" for a well-deserved nap.

Now, the Babiest doesn't like videogames (yet) and he especially doesn't like naps. So what does he do? He runs. A lot. Back and forth inside the camper, along the aisle, he runs. But he's not alone in this enjoyable adventure. He has his not-so-bright dog joining him on his jog. So picture a toddler and a 40 pound dog racing back and forth, giggling, shrieking, and falling down laughing. Add to that the beep, beep from the games, zzzzzz from the nap, and the drone of the air conditioner, which growled at us constantly for traveling on the hottest weekend of the year. Yep, really small.

Now I feeled compelled to say it was one of the best trips I've ever had. The kids were a joy, D was relaxed, and it was so nice to be able to camp again. I really missed it throughout the years. Getting back to it was the best thing we've done in quite a while. It's even better with kids, too.

This was such a pretty little scene. I couldn't resist taking a picture. That's someone else's boat, and the bathhouse. Pretty, and functional.

We took a few walks too. It was nice and calming. I had to take the picture from behind. Otherwise you'd think I put my kids through the paper shredder. We had a ferocious biking accident, a nasty fall, and some general incidents. I darn near went through my entire first aid kit. I'm now putting together a more substantial first aid kit for the next trip. I'm thinking I'll use one of those shiny metal pickup truck tool boxes that stretch the entire width of the truck bed. That should do us through a couple of days. For long trips I can stop for replenishments along the way.

This was not even remotely the prettiest sunset I've ever seen, but the Babiest shrieked so much when he saw it on the water I simply had to take a picture for him. I wish I had the video camera with me, or a camera that recorded sound so you can hear his excitement. It makes me smile just remembering it.

Ham and Ah-boons

First words are so special. Especially when they are used in the correct context (like calling Mommy "Mamma" and not "Dada" which sends a new mom over the edge). So M decide he likes "ham," which is anything that may enter the mouth--food or not. Thankfully most things he refers to as "ham" are food. Since he eats alot...and often, we hear the word alot...and often. HAM...HAM...HAM...HAM and when he's sleepy it's more like HAAAAAAAAAAAM. Give the poor baby some ham already!



Notice the closeup of the shirt.


Yes, the child does like ham.


He also likes balloons, or as he prefers, "Ah-boons." And they come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and variations. In fact, I made him a screensaver for the computer with about 50 different ah-boon pictures scrolling by. He loves it. It's now on all computers in the house. He can't figure out why we don't play it on the tv as well. We read books about ah-boons, we look for ah-boons when we shop, we see ah-boons on the computer, and we watch for ah-boons coming out of the party store when we sit at the red light. He will even sit and watch the entire High School Musical 2 because he knows there is a scene with ah-boons at the very end. Then he shrieks and dances and wants to watch the movie again.


When he has his very own ah-boon to drag around the house life is perfect...except when ceiling fan meets ah-boon. Then life becomes very sad. Until the ah-boon is rescued. Those must be made of steel, not mylar. It will stop a ceiling fan in it's track, or orbit, or whatever way a ceiling fan moves. It's been around for weeks with a lot of abuse, er, I mean, use. I'll be glad when ah-boon meets ah-trash can. I've missed using the ceiling fans in August. Whew it's hot!

What exactly am I doing?

Since hearing about them, I've been a bit intrigued by blogs. Intrigued in a "why on earth would an ordinary someone do that?" sort of way. I was perplexed about the notion of "talking" to no one in particular. If I have something important enough to say to someone or a group of someones, I'll just email them (or go 20th century and *gasp* call them on the phone). So on I go with my merry little life...

Recently I came across a neat concept--Project 365, or something like that. What a great idea! And yes, I've been hiding under a rock because apparently this has been around for a while now. I'll take at least one picture a day to document my life for all eternity. Okay, only the best parts, of course. And it motivates me to take more pictures of my family, which I've been a terrible slacker about recently. And familiy and friends are always asking for more photos of the boys. And I'm all digital so it really doesn't cost me a thing. I'll start at the beginning of next year and do it consistently all year, every day. Next year.

Now back to the blogging thing. I've viewed lots of photo blogs and decided this is a great idea for me. I am not a writer, which I'm sure is becoming more apparent as you read this! But I can take pictures. And I'd love to save the family from the drudgery of downloading emailed pictures, especially if I send pictures every day. That could get annoying to the email list. Of course, there's the idea of saving tons of virtual storage space throughout the world where my pictures are saved on my hard drives, then saved on the hard drives of those receiving them through emails. So I guess it's my own way of saving the planet by eliminating digital clutter. Yeah, that's it, I'm doing it for the environment.

Again, I'll start at the beginning of next year and do it consistently all year, every day. It's my OCD personality coming out that I must begin something at a logical beginning point. Fortunately I'm trying to step out of my box and put such thoughts out of my mind.


So here I am, stepping out and beginning my photo blog on a day that's not the first day of the month, or the first day of the year, or even a special day like my birthday (which is very special, I might add). Though I am beginning it on a Monday, which is the best I could do about stepping out of that box!

Thanks for stopping by!