Hiking

We’ve been getting out and about on trails in local parks at least once a week for about 5 weeks now, and we’re really having a great time.  Monday we went with Cousin Jess, who lives in town and has Mondays off.  I didn’t take any photos on the hiking trail, but the park we chose has a beach and a playground, too, so we took advantage of those and I took some photos there. 

Someone had made a driftwood tepee.  Too good an opportunity to pass up! 

Naomi had already been in and out by the time I got there to snap some photos. 

It was 50 degrees or so, but the wind on the beach made it pretty chilly, so we didn’t spend a ton of time there.  But the mountains and the water!  So gorgeous. 

Sim and Naomi are on the top of that rise.  They would have been happy to spend much longer on the beach, breeze or no breeze, but Felix and I were getting a bit too chilly. 

Sim was thrilled to find a piece of driftwood that looks like a crocodile with its mouth wide open. 

One of the benefits of homeschooling is that one can visit parks when everyone else is in school.  This particular Monday at 11:45 was pretty crowded, though, because of Presidents’ Day.  So the kids had to wait in line for the salmon slide.  You can see Hannah waiting at the bottom of it for Tess to slide down.  (And Sim at the top, grinning at the prospect of his turn coming.)

And there’s Tess!  This is the only slide I’ve seen on a playground that draws such a crowd!  The thrill of the dark tunnel, perhaps? 

We are really blessed to have some seriously gorgeous local parks with trails for hiking.  Because of Felix’s age and naptimes, we don’t drive very far very often for outings (it would take a while to get into the mountains to hike), but this park is only about 10 minutes from home.  Other nearby parks with trails abound.  We’re hoping to take good advantage of them this spring!