happy fall

so we have this really cool nature walk area right by our house. you can walk down the sidewalk and suddenly you are on a dirt path surrounded by trees. it's gorgeous and secluded and makes you feel like you are out in the forest (and yet close enough to home to run back for preschool bathroom emergencies).

since we are wrapping up our little learning unit on creation, i figured it would be the perfect opportunity to enjoy God's creation (and collect little fall-ish items for my pumpkin men).

so i had just found the perfect little tree with itty-bitty pine cones when i hear the commotion.

there are all these birds flying through the air shrieking, and running on the ground below them was some sort of coyote/wild dog/crazyanimal.

and it was just about to intersect with the boys, who happened to be running up ahead of me.

so i start running for them yelling, "stop! stop!" (as if they have ever listened to that command) and panicking slightly, like how am i going to fight off a wild animal but knowing of course that i totally will because these are my children...

and i'm running as fast as i can all the while hearing ella screaming "mommy! mommy! mommy!" because i pretty much left her in the dust since the boys and wild animal were in front of me...

and i see it getting closer and closer and this whole time i'm still yelling "stop!" (yet haven't begun to think up ways to beat them later for still not listening to me...)

but then...

the thing runs the other way and we are safe.

minus all the emotional drama this has caused.

because by now, ella is in hysterics. and mason finally realizes something is wrong so he's yelling "up! up! up!" and clutching at my legs.

and ella is sobbing, "i don't want to do a nature walk anymore! i wanna go home now!"

(i told her to put the stick down for the picture. she said, "no. what if that thing comes back. i'm going to kill it." right, honey...)

and mason is crying and i'm trying to calm my heart down.

and bennetts all, "so mom, which way now?"

um, home.

and then bennett realizes we are heading home and he starts crying, "i don't want to go home..."

and he's throwing this ridiculous fit and i ask him, "bud, did you see that animal?" and he stops mid-cry and looks me all matter of fact and says, "yeah, but its gone now and i'm sure someone killed it already. can we go in the tunnel?"who says homeschooling isn't full of adventures...