Simple Pleasures

OK, OK I know it has been a while since we posted anything. That's a testament to just how much we have going on this summer! While I'd like nothing more than to spend a long time detailing our trip to Mississippi, our Friday nights listening to music at Seaboard Station and the recent visit with the Ashland grandparents, I can't. Too much time, pressure and way too many pictures to sort through. Instead, I'll tell you about the simple pleasure we enjoyed this past weekend...a nature walk with Virginia.

Sunday morning rolled around quickly (how does Sunday get here so fast when Monday-Friday takes so long?) and with bellies full of waffles, Tres and I decided we needed to head out to nature and get some exercise. I packed up a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and we headed to Lake Crabtree park.

V, armed with nothing more than a magnifying glass and a paper bag to collect treasures, was extremely excited. See how excited she is to have her picture taken on the way to the trail?

T led the way to the nature trail and we searched for close encounters of the wild life kind.

Luckily, since we built this hike way up to V to convince her to leave the TV behind, we found lots to look at...

Slugs in a tree!


Caterpillar nests!

Deer!

A frog!

A spider so big it could eat a cicada!

Butterflies!

V was enthralled by it all. Until Tres mentioned we should be on the lookout for snakes. Then she decided Daddy's shoulders provided a much better view of nature.

How long would you have expected a 3 1/2 year old to tolerate such a hike? My guess was 15 minutes. Nope! V lasted over an hour on this trail and actually protested having to go back to eat lunch.

Good girl! She's ready for Girl Scouts already.

We had a great time and remarked at least a dozen times on the way home how great it was to 1)get out of the house and into the woods 2)enjoy a completely free activity and 3)not see any snakes.

Ahh, the simple pleasures in life.