My mom made incredible forts for me & my sister when we were little. She would use every sheet in the house and create forts with numerous rooms that spanned the house. I will always remember her forts growing up. I still like forts. My kids do too. There is something about hiding underneath a random hanging sheet that makes the world disappear.
I found my kids on the front porch building a fort. It was a very windy day and they were taking cover together in their handmade fort. There is not much in life I enjoy more than seeing them play together…happily. When I see them enjoying eachother as much as I enjoy each of them, well…my cup overflows.
They invited me to come inside.
Forts still make the world disappear. While I hunkered down under that old ladder covered in a quilt, I listened to them laugh together. I laughed with them. Sometimes I don’t slow down enough for that…to really belly laugh with them. To close my eyes and fully take in the sound of their laughter. To study their little faces and soak in the cuteness of a baby tooth grin.
My oldest, being very much the oldest, drew out a battle plan. Bad guys were going to attack their fort and they needed a plan of action. Each had a role to play. They were all crucial to how the battle would play out and victory would be claimed.
She prayed for victory and protection. (not really, I have no idea what she is doing, but it looks like praying!)
In the end, they decided it was too windy and it was better to stay in the fort and cuddle with me. The only time they ever ask me to lay down is when they’ve built a fort. I could handle a fort every day. My forts may not be as incredible as my mom’s were, but I hope they remember me inside their forts. I hope they remember cuddling on random piles of pillows under strung sheets and laughing together.
I hope I remember these days too.
by AshleyAnn
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Danielle - Beautiful. My mama heart grew just reading these thoughts of yours… we are going to make the sheet fort of our dreams this very weekend! Thanks once again Ashley for reminding me to slow down & cherish our children.
giozi - what a privilege to invite you to their fort
amy cornwell - What a beautiful reminder today. Precious, precious, precious. Thanks for sharing!
Celia - So Sweet!
kelly - aww how fun.
elizabeth - forts are awesome! i had fun making them as a kid, as a 23 yr old and i cannot wait to built them with my own kids. these pictures are great and i know your kids will appreciate them when they are older.
Kelli - Beautiful.
Shannon Phillips - Forts are the best, especially when they are filled with laughter.
cailan - once again, inspired. Time to get out the sheets…even though I just neatly folded them all in the closet.
Stephanie - I love that he actually wrote (drew?) out the battle plan. Looks like you were all in very good hands.
jenny - Absolutely precious
kristin M - a great reminder that things don’t need to be neat all the time. life in a fort is just…….better!
Flossie - What a sweet post! Yesterday, on my day off, I had about 50 things that I needed to accomplish, so I drug my almost-2-year-old around town all day. The weather was unseasonably beautiful, but instead of playing outside we were in and out of stores, completely missing the sunshine. Even with all of that, I still only accomplished about 40 of those “must do” items. And the world didn’t stop turning. This weekend, we’re totally building a fort.
Keryn Egan - Everyday I wake up and go searching for your latest blog post. It never fails to give me the biggest uplift to my day – you’re better than coffee, my dear.
Thank you for sharing your lives with us all. It warms my heart to think that some day I will be the mother to a family that will make me smile as much as yours does.
God Bless.
cinback - Some of my best childhood memories are of building forts. The fun was always in planning and constructing them. We loved being in them after they were built, but the highlight definitely was in their creation.
Brandi - I’m with Keryn. You are better than coffee! Every day your blogs make me happy from the inside out. Such joy in your writing. ?
Jessica - Sweetest post ever! You made me tear up.
Shelby - Definitely teared up! These are the moments to soak up! So sweet
Amy - Wow, these pictures are absolutely amazing!
Ingrid - I adore that last pic
rachel - how fun! and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture of YOU on your blog? I mean, your kids, yes, but you are rarely seen!
Becky - These are adorable – what fun!
vada m wetzel - As a grandmother and retired infant caregiver my admiration of you is boundless.your blog is the first I read daily.Now to the question that I am sure most of your followers have wondered.When? When will she offer prints for sale of those adorable shots of her children? After all,she is a photgrapher and all…..I am sure seeing a print of Firecracker in her various forms awesomeness would make big bucks that you could use for the glory of God! I understand you are a little busy right now but many of us need a daily reminder to smile..life is truly good,I would delight in mailing a card with the snapshot of Firecracker having her toenails painted by her brother,Just sayin..
Laura Putnam - Thanks so much for this post – I read it last week and did not think too much of it. I walked in my daughter’s room the other night to find both girls in a fort – something they don’t normally do- instead of being uptight about the mess, I layed for a few minutes (before being too late for an appointment) and then they slept there that night – I said nothing of the mess, never asked them to pick it up – they just did it when they were done. i am so thankful I was not a nag for once – so thank you!