The other day I found myself Opening the Little House for the girls, which I realized has become much like Opening the Cabin or Lake Home for other families. The only difference is that the Little House is just the linen closet in the hallway and the space they play in is no bigger than your average appliance box, but they LOVE it.
It felt like dejavu when I opened the door, pulled out all the floor pillows, moved the beach towel bin downstairs and vacuumed it out, because I have done this for three years now. It has become an extra special place to play when the seasons turn cooler through the end of spring when our energy gets directed outdoors more often than in.
The funny thing is that it's beautiful outside, but I felt this familiar harried energy from the children the other day...they wanted to be indoors, I was making dinner, and I heard small branch with it's dried leaves fall onto the concrete of the front step and HEARD the fall. I HEARD that it was time to Open the Little House. And they moved in within three minutes.
A backpack with extraneous clothing ( one never knows when they might need a change of clothing four feet away from one bedroom), the Little House baby, shoes for when you're a Big Girl, some "snackers", books, and a pillow to lean up against and sit down upon. It does look a bit crowded in there once they have their necessary provisions, but I guess if I were to gather those things that provide me comfort: books, the appropriate journals for the time, a good writing pen, music, a pillow, a cozy blanket, my house slippers, and a light to read by, it would look a bit lived in. BUT, that would never happen, because, Big People are almost never invited into the Little House. IF you happen to receive the super special invite, you might like to know there are several rules to be followed, and if you don't follow them just so, OR, if you happen to crack a smile at the serious level of play going on, you will promptly be asked to leave, for there is no messin' around with the Little House.
There they have spent the past three afternoons happily playing while I make dinner. It is the nicest of sounds until Annie wants the phone (i.e., wooden block they have markered to make it look like a phone), takes it from Sunny, Sunny loudly reminds Annie that it's hers at that moment, Annie leans into bite Sunny, Sunny screams more loudly than necessary though doesn't move her strong and quick body more than a nano-inch away from Annie therefore allowing the bite to actually happen, in which case Annie starts crying because she hates being reminded of her gentle and kind ways while sitting on mama's lap for a minute as Sunny continues to play...then, I have to say, it does get a bit loud.
What do you find yourself doing that marks the beginning of fall?
