December at Grandma’s (Pt. 1)

My Mom lives in the perfect grandma-land. It is different from any other place our boys know, as we don’t get to see such open spaces on an everyday basis. Yes, we walk practically everywhere in our neighborhood, and that is a definite perk of where we have chosen to live. But some days the countryside, with its wide open spaces, fresh air, and endless creatures and curiosities to discover, beckons me.

Deer bone

And so I guess we started a little family tradition last year with our nature walk. And December is the perfect month for a nature walk, I’ll have you know! This year it was not too cold, just a bit damp,but we bundled up anyway and headed out before the rain.

Dried milkweed pods

My Mama

Look closely…

Black walnut-chucking contest: Andrew won.

Big Baby.

I feel it when we pull into the driveway. A sense of calm. Despite it usually being noisy from some visiting child or barking dog, my mom’s house is still, quiet. I always sleep like a log in this house. And even though I was not raised in this house, it is still, in a way, home to me. Just because she is there.

And there is always a muddy puddle with some rocks nearby… which is all a little boy could ask for, of course.

Last year, we enjoyed a snowy walk through the woods… which would have been wonderful this year, but because there was no snow this time, certain little boys were able to be brave.

And smell the smells of the woods, and the creek, and the earth.

And before we know it, there will be three running, jumping, exploring little men tromping through these woods. Thanks for the walk, Mom! We clearly enjoyed it.