into the woods

Today I'm here to share a double page layout featuring Ali Edwards' March Story Kit (Magic).

The left side is just a photo enlargement with a title (love these plastic words!), a subtitle (a chipboard shape) and a couple star sequins:

The right side is a grid based layout with a story underneath:

It's a story of one of our trips to a nearby forest (Medvedevsky for you guys from Orel) that happened back in February.

We took a backpack with buns and a thermos of hot black coffee, put the kids into their favorite sleigh and went to ride the hills (which in the forest are just huge). Alice fell asleep on the way.

When we got to the forest it was full of snow, sun and magic. The path was blocked with branches and fallen trees, so Sensei had to clear the way (and George was watching him in fascination). Gradually we got to the hills, and Sensei and George started riding, and then, when Alice woke up, she joined them, too (I was taking the pictures as usual). Then we had coffee and buns, then went hill-riding again, and on our way home Sensei and I couldn't stop talking about how wonderful it would be if we went to the forest more often, and what we should do to make it happen.

I've always loved going to the woods. When I was a little kid, my grandfather used to take me mushroom hunting. We didn't talk much (he wasn't much of a talker), but just being together and learning forest secrets and soaking in that beauty was awesome. Those trips were so special to me.

When I was a teenager, I used to run to the woods all by myself and pretend I was an elf (yes, I know... but anyone can remember some awkward things from that age, right?) and talk to the trees and all.

When I fell in love with my martial arts teacher, and we got married, and went to live in Moscow suburbs, we trained in the woods nearby. Woke up at dawn, had a cup of tea and ran to the forest where Sensei trained me and taught me till I could hardly breathe. And then we went home, had breakfast and went to work.

And now, when we're a family of four (and hope to become a family of more so there as often as we can (like every day).

Forest is a beautiful thing. It always has some mystery in it. The air is different there, and the light, and the sounds. It's never boring. I can't think of a better place to go for a walk with kids, really.

Well, it's not the exact translation of the journaling (I sort of got carried away), but you get the idea. Thank you so much for looking!

Do you like going to the woods?