Wandering...

Today we woke up to sunshine, and I knew it was time for an adventure. Yesterday was snowy and wet for most of the day and I was just itching to be outside. So, I gave the kids some options ( the gardens, the farm, or the park). They chose Red Butte Gardens and so off we went! Well, it was actually pretty slow going getting out the door this morning.

For example, as I was trying to round them up to get dressed, Sam came up from the basement with his shirt stuffed full of "babies". He asked me to tell him if his baby was a boy or a girl:) As it turned out he gave birth to two octopus, a guitar, and a sea turtle! Three boys, one girl. I mean, how can you rush things like that?! Haha.

So, we made it out the door and drove through Subway to pick up lazy picnic food. Had a great picnic and decided to walk down to the pond. Got distracted by a field and ended up on this wonderful series of trails that I had never seen. We got to walk through the forest at the gardens-what a surprise! We walked and walked, this being our first Spring "hike". I just love walking through the trees with them. I mean really, it's one of my favorite things in the world to do. To hear all of their commentary and questions, to breathe the fresh air and get exercise together, to see the wonder of nature through their eyes. Love it. While we were walking, Sammy tripped and scraped his knee. He let out a cry and then quickly followed it with ,"Shhhh, look at that!" I got down to his level (still on the ground from falling) and tried to see what he had spied. It took me a moment but right at his eye level was a moth or butterfly that blended in exactly with the shade of the twig it had landed on. I still don't know how he saw it!

Another moment I loved was when I let them run a bit ahead of me. When I caught up with them Amelia was laying on the ground on her tummy and Sam was kneeling beside her. She said, "I fell." I said, "I'm sorry, did Sam come over to help you though?That is so sweet Sammy!" She said, " No, he thought I saw something great and came to see it too." Oh my, that made me laugh! They were just there talking when I walked up.

Oh anyway, I treasure days like today. Though we were all tired afterward and the evening culminated in quite a dramatic dual meltdown (several days in a row of naps have been missed and I think it all caught up with them), it was so refreshing to be in nature together again (I know snow is nature but...) and to feel the sunshine on our faces. I look forward to many more Spring and Summer hikes to come!

Time for this mama to go to bed early ...the kids were conked out by 6:10pm:) Jen