Hiking

The kids had off school for a teacher workday yesterday. We had some school projects to get done, but we wanted to get out and have some fun too since this whole upcoming week is rain, rain, rain....

We went about a mile from our home to a hiking trail. Why we had not gone to this one before I don't know, but we will be back. We had a fantastic hike yesterday! Throwing rocks into the river and listening to nature. At one point Meeka and Carson were holding hands and walking together and I was walking with the big kids and we just talked a bot about life and how proud I was of them! I was a GREAT couple of hours carved out of our busy scheudles!

Throwing rocks

These boys just love each other to death!

They thought this tree was pretty cool!

He has so many rocks in his pockets his
pants were falling down

Take my picture!
Take my picture!

This boys shoes are NEVER on the right feet! 

Hiking at Moss Rock Preserve

  Moss Rock Preserve is only a short drive from home and we took advantage of the last 70 something day in forecast, which we were lucky enough to have off from school for Veterans Day, and went hiking. The leaves are in full color and it’s just gorgeous around here right now! Even driving down the road to the grocery store takes my breath away right now! 

Moss Rock Preserve is 345 acres of nature, with streams, waterfalls and the very cool boulder field. Boulder field did make me a bit nervous with the younger kiddos, with all the huge drop offs, but they all LOVED it!!

We got a LITTLE WET, a LOT DIRTY and had an EXTRAORDINARY TIME!

Over the river and through the woods!

I loved catching them helping one another!

The boys!

Cool Stuff!

Say Cheese!!!

Me too, Me too!!

Look at me pose so high up!

With Daddy

And then Mommy

"I found a tunnel!"

I can climb just fine

We are BIG stuff up here!

On top of a high boulder with the beautiful trees in background.

These are photos in our neighborhood. Just to show how beautiful the scenery is around here right now! 

Pure Kid Bliss!

No words necessary….

Tike Hike #1

We do a lot of Tike Hikes through the Five River Metroparks in the Spring and Summer. This was our first of the season. 

BUGS AND INSECTS!

They had face painting supplies for parents to paint their kids faces as insects.
Meeka, of course, wanted to be a butterfly.

Carson searching for bugs!

I painted a Bee on his cheek at Meeka's request.

Walking on a log in the Nature Play Area

Getting' down and dirty.

Touching a toad that this boy found.

They really liked the "balance beam"

And the other one gets down and dirty.

We left filthy, but had a GREAT time!

Our First Trip to a Pumpkin Farm!

On Friday, Logan was off of school for an in service day, so we took the opportunity to do something FUN altogether; we took our first trip of the the year to a Pumpkin Farm!!! Have I said before that I like Fall activities? Well, in case you have not read that, 

I LOVE FALL ACTIVITIES!!!

Corn Maze fun!
We didn't get lost and have to call the cops to come rescue us!

The Pumpkin Barn is right up the street from us. In fact we pass it every day taking Melina to school and we bought our sweet corn there this summer. So why not support our local digs?!?! And it was FANTASTIC!! 

It was the perfect place for me to take all the kids by myself...not to big to loose kids! And it was so much FUN for Logan; he could navigate the corn maze himself! And small enough for Carson to climb slide and have a GREAT time!!

            

Logan was our leader the first time around.
He did great navigating and not loosing any siblings...or mom!

Meeka picked up several ears of corn in the maze and tried to feed them to the pigs.
She was not so sure and kept throwing it in and then it would hit the fence and fall to the ground and she would try again. Each time she got a bit braver and scooted forward a bit closer until she hit the bulls eye.

See what I mean...much braver on the 5th go-around!

Carson enjoyed climbing in the hay and sliding down. He also enjoyed the hay tunnels!

Logan jumping off a haystack. I have to say I think this is a pretty cool picture!!

Melina, Meeka and Sammy Reese coming out from the hay tunnels.

Melina enjoyed petting the mini-horses.

And last but not least what is a farm visit without a hayride. The hayride took us all over the farm and finished by driving right through the middle of the pick your own pumpkin

Everyone got some fresh popped popcorn to go!

     We all left tired and dirty so it was a successful morning!!