While Waiting for Summer

There's something special about having a Saturday where there is nothing planned. 

A day to do anything, or everything and a day where the weather actually co-operates.

 It's been a long while since we have spent any quality family time together, just the five of us - all five of us. And Saturday we had that chance.

It wasn't spent at home, herding children to their toys (which they refuse to play with, and I always wonder why we keep).

It wasn't spent in front of the t.v or Wii.

 It was spent in creation. Exploring, playing and watching the world around us unfold in beauty.

 3 hours of hiking and eating (of course!) and finding tadpoles and snails and water spiders and chives.

 The warmth of the sun beating down on the rocks, the chill to the water - which felt great on our hot and sweaty feet.

The peacefulness of the morning giving way to the heat of the afternoon.

 I love that my kids- all 3 of them - are capable of making hikes like this.And that they enjoy it as much as I do.

I have been exploring a website - Superior Hiking Trails and have found a lot of different trails to try this summer. I really like it because they are rated from easy to difficult and it gives you the round trip in Kilometers.

This hike to Silver Falls was rated difficult, yet the kids managed, without whining and complaining. I have found one to a bat cave (and if we go in July to September it is supposed to be when the bats swarm! How cool would that be to see?!) That one rated difficult too but it is not as long of a hike so I think we will attempt it at some point this summer.