Another Week Outdoors

Last year we spent a week visiting different parks or beaches every day. It was such a great week that I've been wanting to do it again this year. Last week the weather was cooler than usual but beautiful and our schedule was clear so we decided to plan another week outdoors. After my weekly trip to the grocery store on Monday, there was still enough day left for a trip to the park. Dominick and Aravis rode their bikes with my husband and Xury and I met them there in the car. 

 We played on the playground and the raquetball court for a bit and then headed back to the house just as it was getting dark. Aravis had been asking to have a fire on the patio for awhile so it seemed like a perfect way to kick off our week.

We ate our dinner

Played some games

And finished it off with S'mores.

Next, we decided to explore our new town. This was good for my soul. Having lived for nearly ten years in a major metropolitan area, not only was there lots to do but we had spent years discovering it all. When we wanted something to do, we had a lot of choices. I sometimes feel claustrophobic here like I'm trapped in a tiny box with nowhere to go, so it was liberating to find there's more here than I realized.

We visited a new playground 

where the kids had races climbing this play structure.

Then we visited a really great nature preserve.

It contained five different ecosystems so each trail was different.

We hiked several trails, 

sometimes fast

and sometimes slow

We visited our local botanical gardens.

 (Picture by Aravis)

Climbed this cool tree

Felt the sun on our face

Climbed

Enjoyed the view

Jumped

And explored new paths

We saw an assortment of wildlife, during the week, like this alligator

and this short tailed hawk

And this.......heron of some sort? 

And pelicans (can you see it?) 

While we were at the botanical gardens, a hawk flew right over our heads with a fish in its talons. The hawk was squawking loudly with a vulture hot on its tail, presumably trying to steal the fish. It was very cool to witness.

All in all, it was a very nice week and the kids are already asking about doing it again.  I don't think we'll wait a whole year this time.