Brain candy.

I haven't forgotten about my personal homework.  I'm working on it, but really want to take my time.  Until then we have been enjoying this fabulous little appetizer of Spring. The sunshine, any sunshine, is such a treat.  We're happy, excited, ready for the days.

BigBoy is such an Outside Kid.  He would rather be outside playing than just about anything else.  Sassy? Not so much.  She's pretty content doing just about anything, anywhere, at any time.  Don't get me wrong, she loves to be outside, but doesn't absolutely CRAVE it.  NEED it, like BB.  He's busy. all.the.time. Unless he's cuddling with Mama. He needs to get busy outside. a lot. create his world of people and things with leaves and sticks and whatever else he finds-- with or without his friends.  And he can do it for hours on end.

I'm loving my latest read Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder.  It's about how we've really lost our connection with nature, how natural spaces are disappearing from our home environments and how kids needs unstructured outdoor play.  We are so fortunate to live in the Kinda Country.  We have fantastic neighbors AND a large, mostly fence-less yard, connected to other non-fenced yards.  next to a horse pasture. and the Mini Lords of the Flies gather the second it's warm enough to play.  I love that my kids have this as their playground.

And that we can go about two miles to this fabulous natural park.

And that we live in the Shenandoah Valley, surrounded by this.

I've never been a Nature Girl, quite the opposite growing up in suburban Los Angeles.  A world that is segmented into more private, protected spaces than you can shake a stick at. I never in a million years would have thought we would have ended up here, surrounded by a whole lotta nature, but I wouldn't change a thing.

But back to the book.  It's a fantastic read.  A great follow-up to Free-Range Kids.  One of my Intents is to read more.  Not necessarily parenting/ kid related books, but lots of different styles for ME, for my interests and enjoyment.  My Twilight Experience really reminded me how much I love, and miss, reading for pleasure. Though I may not devour 600+ pages in a day about unstructured, natural playing, it's great having some brain candy.

So what kind of brain candy do you have going on?  Are you trying to pick up a book more often? What are you reading?