Keeping it simple...

I woke up this morning feeling a bit under the weather.

I just wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. 

But then I remembered that I homeschool. 

And that if I am not up for doing work with the kids, 

I really don't have to. 

Its a great freedom that us homeschooling mamas have.

I told the kids they can go play outside. There were tons of butterflies all over the place and I noticed my 5 year old running around the grass with a plastic cup. I asked him what he was doing and he said he was 'trying to catch butterflies.'

We don't own a butterfly net but I felt bad watching the kid trying to catch butterflies with a cup, so I went online and looked at all the different ways to make butterfly nets.

After putting a few ideas together, I came up with the simplest way:

You will need tulle, a wire hanger, a glue gun and a stick. The truth is, you really don't need the stick, my son preferred just holding the hanger by itself.

It took me 5 minutes to put it together. I ended up making one for each of my kids, that's how quick and simple it was.

They were all outside for almost an hour, running around trying to catch butterflies. A few of them caught some and let them go right away.

Their cheeks were flushed, they were having such a great time and I got to lounge on my beach chair and drink my tea.

I have found that sometimes its the simplest things that keep our kids busy for the longest amounts of time.

A box of colored side walk chalk and a clear driveway.

A garden hose.

Swings.

A box of new markers and a pile of white paper.

New books from the library.

Just like we enjoy the simple things in life, so do our kids.

So here's to keeping things simple.

Wishing you a wonderful, restful and peaceful Shabbos,

Always