A Little Hike

Since we're new to the area, I thought it might be a good idea to explore the trail parks every chance we get and then find out which are our favorites.  This park was a short drive away, and with water bottles, string cheeses, and crackers, we set off exploring!

I realize that taking the kids out in nature is something I've always been drawn to.  There is so much peace in the freedom of hiking a trail.  We stop to see a broken robin's egg on the path, we name plants (nettles, salmon berry, cedar), we reminisce about past adventures and chat freely, we laugh at the chittering chipmunks, we climb trees, or we stop to take in the beauty of a stream.  These kids have been hiking trails since they were small enough that one was in a handmade sling on my front and the other was in a backpack on my back.  Now, I watch as they carry their own weight and even their own water.    

I think finding time in nature is seriously important for reflection and just getting out of the daily grind.  These kids need some seriousness, they are incessantly SILLY (see below pic of their self designed disguises).

Paper Disguises