We celebrated a windy fall day with leaf art.

They collected fallen leaves and the last of the flowers and we brought out some black paper. They formed buildings and animals and people with leaves. They loved it. At least it didn’t involve glitter.

I love fall.

I love the smell of the leaves and an autumn drizzle dampening the browning grass.

I love all things pumpkin.

He who controls the {pumpkin} spice rules the universe.

Here are some random pics of my kids doing printable fall activities:

We’ve lived in some places where it was mild year-round, so the leaves are special. And the crisp air and boots and hot cocoa or PSL. I love the cycle of dying so there can be rebirth.

Not so much looking forward to the winter and snow and shoveling and slushy muddy mess, but there’s a season for everything.

There’s a season for everything.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

For us mamas in the trenches of motherhood, we often long for a different season.

We think: when this morning sickness passes, when the baby sleeps through the night, when the toddler potty trains, when the preschooler learns to read, when the grade schooler masters long division, when we pay off this debt, when we get a better minivan, when the tween finally gets through algebra, when we move to a nicer house, when the teen learns to drive, when the house is empty…then what? You pray for weddings? grandkids? freedom? travel?

Don’t wait on a someday. Some Days are death to faith. Some Days may never come. Some Days are the lies we tell ourselves because we are slaves to fear. Live now. Experience life. Do life with your families. You’ll never get those seasons back.

What season are you in? Relish it. Sure, you’ve probably heard that before and it’s hard, Mama, when you’re down in it. But we’ve all been there. We’re all mamas together.

Reach out to another mama in a season you’ve already conquered. Help her. Pray with her. Pray for her and her babies. Don’t wait to be asked for something. Be proactive and offer help: a meal, take her kids to the park for an hour, pick up a few necessities at the grocery store, have your son or husband cut her grass or shovel the snow off her driveway and sidewalk.

Be the nudge.

Shine your light into her dark places. Nudge her to realize that she’s loved.

Don’t listen to the devil’s lies that you’re all alone and no other mama feels like you do, has those scary thoughts you do, wonders if you’re good enough. You are enough, Mama. You are more than enough. Look into the glistening eyes of your babes and realize they see Jesus shine out, even when you just don’t feel it.

And if you wanted crafty fall activities like this post “should” be:

• Links to some Fall Tot Packs.
• Here’s our fall sensory bin.
• Here’s my autumn Pinterest board with lots of activities pinned.
• Learn about Johnny Appleseed
• Visit an apple orchard and pick apples!
• Apple Tasting with graphs
• Leaf crafts
• Leaf nature study and art
• Favorite Fall Book List
• Leaf Unit Study from The Homeschool Scientist
• Toddler Fall Unit Study from Untrained Housewife
• Fall Unit Study from 123Homeschool4Me
• Fall Unit from Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Fall is a fun time of year!