A walk on the Wild Side!

(I love our shadows here!)

It finally got above 40 today and the sun came out for the first time all week.  After 2 days at home with a sick kid, we put on coats and hit the door running!  We were actually headed to the Target park (they don't know that) but we took a detour.  I learned long ago to only tell them what is necessary and what they need to know.  If they don't know my plans, I can change them when/if I want to.  I enjoy being the BOSS of the kids more than I should sometimes!  So, on the way out we stopped at our favorite "secret" buttercup pickin' place to see if there were any left to pick.  It's an OLD, like 1800 old, cemetery that is very very unkempt at the top of the hill where you can put your canoe into the harpeth.  It's a little sad to see those graves so disrespected but then again, those folks don't care and the folks that did care about them are also probably in a cemetery somewhere so what will be, will be. 

 After we'd filled each hand with a fistfull of my favorite spring flower, we started down the trail to the river.  My boys think this is far more fun that any playground they could play on and it ensure's I'm totally engaged with them.  They don't need a playground and that's music to my ears!  Not far down the pathway Jackson encounters THIS.

  The questions ensue, "Mom, what kind are they? Was someone murdered here?  Do you think it's an animal of some kind?  Is that a jaw bone?".  Of course I had no idea and my only thought was DO NOT TOUCH IT!  but I made up a great story about it being a deer that had been hit by a car and had ran down to the trail.  It's believable.  

 Yeah, there's nothing mischievous about this stick carrying 3 year old!  I just wouldn't find myself within a few feet of him.  You know, just in case that stick gets out of hand!

 What is it with kids and water.  They are physically unable to resist getting in it.  Jackson is at least careful enough not to soak his shoes before we run errands.  Lincoln hasn't gained that knowledge yet and he took one giant step into the water before I caught him.  Oh, well.  A little water never hurt anyone!  This is the canoe launch into the harpeth river and also the drainage pipe underneath I-40.  My, oh, my what wonderful bits of nature we have at our disposal!  Next year at this time we'll be exploring the bayou.  One can only hope it's half as clean as this is!

 I'm not sure how you're supposed to get into a canoe and launch it from here but then again, this girl is no experienced canoer.  I leave all my canoeing to Jason.  I'm more along for the ride.  You can read about my previous canoe trip HERE.

 On the walk back.  Lincoln discovered shells in the gravel.  He had to point out every single one.  Right before he tossed it into the river with no regard to it's beauty or purpose.  That boy.  He has an agenda and it all leads to destruction.

 Jackson caught this little guy underneath one of the large stones.  He was moving kinda slowly with it being so dreadfully cold lately and the sun only peeking out for half of today.  Jackson LOVES to catch salamanders and this little baby was no exception.  That's Jackson's little hand and thumb so you can just imagine how small he was.  I don't even know how he spotted him but he's got a radar for such things.  We thought it best to let him go since it wasn't the season to bring home salamanders.  Here's hoping Texas has lots of nature to explore because these guys are ready to take it on!

 Then I really did have to go to Target so an after school snack was imperative and I had coupons!  The boys love Sonic but I have pretty much sworn off all fast food because I heard and believe, "if it comes through your window, it's not real food!" but I'm still allowing them to be children so while I ate TJ's whole grain chips and guacamole, I got them cheese sticks and a mini blast.  They had to share it so it was actually an exercise in good character as well.  Now I'm not saying it was successful but a lesson none the less.

A little bit of Nature, a little vitamin D.  It was good for them,  it was good for me!
Savoring the moments for they are only little once and we all know it goes by far too quickly.