Today, in an effort to switch up our routine of staying in pjs all day, we took a hike at Seven Bridges Park.
It was pretty chilly, so we got on our hats and mittens (and leg warmers where applicable), and drove just south of the city.
We started out on the trails on top of the bluff, and explored interesting pieces of wood, leaves, holes in logs, and other “nature treasures” as my kids started saying.
The path we were on led to some steps, which led to beautiful Lake Michigan. Even though it was cold, the kids got busy right away with exploring the edge of the beach and finding rocks. We found endless patterns and designs in the rocks, and worked on our rock-skipping techniques. Ted happens to be pretty much a champion when it comes to things like juggling, catching M&Ms in his mouth from very high distances, and skipping rocks. So even with the waves, the kids got to see some serious skill.
Little A rolled around in the rocks and seemed to think she was making snow angels. I swear I could see her absorbing the damp air into her soul.
Ted and I played as adults play. He practiced his long jump while he thought nobody was looking, and I showed my kids how I got the school record at discus.
S was a sight to see, just tromping along in her leg warmers, pacifier, blankie, and wet shoes from trying to imitate her papa jumping over the water.
The big kids went up and down some stairs that S deemed too steep, so she greeted them with open arms at the bottom.
Ted and J crossed a log bridge, and I have no idea what my son is doing in the photo. Something awesome, no doubt!
Oh! And I caught this moment on camera…Little A slid down to the creek and had a hard time getting up. Her big sis handed her the walking stick and pulled her up. Man, that was heartwarming.
I’ll leave you with some of the treasures we found. We’ve been doing a lot of doodling with shapes and forms at home, so we are storing some of the patterns in our brains for the next art session.
Thanks for reading, all. Lots of love and peace to everyone out there.
A. Storm
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