In 1492...Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue

Because it was Columbus Day today, normal class was not in session for my students and me and I found myself home earlier than normal to a wonderful sight. After getting out of my car pulling up to our house, I was greeted by three neighborhood girls gleefully playing in leaves on our front yard.

As I got closer to the girls, they exclaimed, "thanks for letting us play with your leaves!" to which I replied, "you are so welcome!" This bringing a smile to my face, I knew that we needed to get Ellie outside to experience the feel of fall and crackling leaves. Then, it became a family affair. Jed and I were out there with the neighborhood girls and our other neighbors came outside to join in. Jed busted out a leaf blower to really get things "blowing."

Ellie was enthralled with everything. She couldn't stop staring at the girls and moving her hands and feet across the tops of the leaves.

We eventually decided to put her into the fast growing leaf pile to which she was also very interested and excited, looking around, moving her body, shrieking. Lovely. Of course we couldn't help but busting out the camera. But, who couldn't help wanted to remember such a wonderful moment on a fall day?