Nature Drawings

Today was a home day that required a lot of work and chores. Lots of me working along with the kids to do chores, occupying the kids while I got stuff done and trying to rest so I didn't collapse in the midst of it all!  However the sun was shining and I wanted to do a fun little activity in the midst of one of those 'mama's gotta take care of business' kind of days - they can always be reclaimed with just a few special minutes of focused fun with Mum!

I armed the kids and myself with pens and note pads and we ventured outside to do some drawings of whatever natural creations we came across. I had been thinking that while Lily loves to draw things from her vivid imagination, which is wonderful, it might be fun trying to actually draw the things we see around us. A chance to marvel at the beautiful creation God gave us, and look a little more closely at the treasures contained in our own backyard. Sharpening observation skills and all that good stuff is just a nice bonus!

Lily was right on board and had a wonderful time hunting around the backyard choosing out the most wonderful things to sketch - flowers, leaves, twigs and grass. She was so enchanted and enchanting as she drew so intently and carefully, the utmost concentration and care in  her sketches. Her exclamations of wonder and joy as she examined every leaf for differences and intricacies was just gorgeous. My expectations of Eli were fairly low, but he did enjoy roaming around, scrawling on the paper and picking a few leaves and flowers! It's an interesting season being the younger brother, exposed to so much stuff at a higher level, with opportunities to participate or simply play at his own level. He is doing just fine :)

I was thankful today, that in the midst of a tiring, mundane, 'gotta get stuff done' kinda day, there was time out for a little fun together. Just like we can be surprised at the wonder in a leaf or petal, we can also find precious moments to delight in every day with our little people!

This is a drawing of a spider-web we spotted attached to a tree. Spider-web with tiny spider in the middle.
Little tree to the right and 'Lily when she was a baby' admiring the web!