#simplefun

Trick o' Treating room by room.

My days have been very busy of late. Partly school has been demanding and El Padre has been super busy and traveling. But in addition when Easy-Teasy joined our family I realized the big kids needed more time with Mommy. So we built special time in each week. I had thought of doing this in the US with our children, but I only imagined bigger things like going out to breakfast or ice cream with a kid as special time. Since those things aren't available here, we started special time with each of the big kids one night a week after the other two "go to bed / read in bed."  The children get to choose what special time will be: baking pie, reading books, playing a game, making a craft, creating a costume, etc. 

It has made for long days - certainly not getting done with kids activities until almost 9pm. But over time I have realized how much it has meant to our children. They jockey over who will be first this week. They talk about their special time all day before it happens. Even though it has made me very tired some weeks, there is no way I would get rid of it. 

The tablet propped up on the laptop, watching Steelers!

When I started thinking about this #simplefun it got me thinking about other ways our fun is so very simple here. Our children have become expert wall, tree and door climbers. I guess it replaces rock climbing walls for us. #simplefun Trick or Treating door to door in the house for maybe 10 pieces of candy, although they have never been exposed to the real thing so they don't know any different! #simplefun Cracking rocks at their own rock quarry. Making bows, arrows, sling, and dolls out of stick, old cloth, and yarn. #simplefun   We have a subscription, which allows us to watch the Steelers games a day late on a 6X8 in. tablet screen - good delayed gratification! #simplefun 

We still miss so many things especially fall, hiking, bouldering, going to the movies, exploring in nature, but we are grateful for the #simplefun God has put in our lives at this time.

-- La Maestra