Loving Summer!

After what felt like a very long school year, we are now well into our summer vacation. Halfway through our second full week and the kids are already bored and looking for something to do. No, the chores from Mom's list are not considered acceptable material for filling time. Darn it. I have a lot on that list.

We have had some hot and humid days but the past two have been heavenly. Just what summer should be. Warm enough with a pleasant breeze and low humidity. The kind of day perfectly made for being in the great outdoors.  On Monday, for our Family Home Evening,  I decided that we should go for a stroll in the woods. No, it cannot be called hiking because my kids didn't want to do that. We went over to the Sugarland Run area and walked on the trails. We tried to find a few geocaches but were only successful with one of them. We shied away from the other two we were looking for due to a yellow jacket nest and much poison ivy. Not worth it. But we did have fun finding the one hiding behind the blackberries that are just starting to ripen. As the sun started dropping and the fireflies came out we had fun chasing and catching them on the walk back to the car.

Loved the crossing of Sugarland Run.

Exploring the cache.

The firefly she caught all by herself.

Tuesday morning, as I was cleaning up the breakfast dishes and wiping down the kitchen, I was trying to figure out what to do with the kids on another perfectly gorgeous day. It was much too nice to be inside. I knew I wasn't going to get away with another "walk" in the woods. Fortunately a friend called and had a suggestion. Even though I knew the kids would object, because it involved walking in the woods, I accepted the invitation. I used a giant pry bar to get the kids out of the house, but then they had fun.

We drove out toward the Potomac and went for a stroll down to the river. Once there, we found a nice set of rocks. Armed with nets and bucket we decided to see what we could find. Our first discovery was in the parking area. There in a large, muddy puddle was a frog. We tried to catch it but we were not as fast as the frog. It disappeared into the mud and was wise enough not to show his face while 7 kids were after it. Down by the river we saw a snake, snails and minnows, as well as some fearsome creature that we don't have a name for. It had a lot of legs and was ugly. The kids spent plenty of time splashing around, collecting rocks and shells, waving at the kayakers. All returned home wet and dirty. Just the way they should in the good old summertime.

Rocks in the river. A perfect summer playground.

Watching for the snake he was trying to catch.

We don't know what it is but it lives under a rock in the Potomac.

It would have been a great nap if it had been more comfortable.