Parks...

I love, love, love taking the boys to spend time in nature...especially if it involves water of any kind. There is something about the sound of running water that is so peaceful to me. I took the boys last week to a park in Dacula called Maple Creek Park. I was really excited because I thought surely Maple Creek Park would have a creek running through it for the boys and I to explore. So we enter the park and the playground is in the front. The boys played on it for a few minutes and then we headed towards the back of the park. Keep in mind that this is a smallish city park that was enclosed by a chain link fence all around, making the park U-shaped. Not wonderful but still, we were outside and we were on a hunt-a creek hunt.

So we get to the back of the park and there are some trees and a lot of mucky land. Too bad I was wearing my brown leather shoes. I was also carrying Benjamin because I thought it would be a short walk and I wouldn't need the baby carrier. So we find like a little inlet but nothing that seemed like a true creek. We notice that this inlet runs underneath the chain link fence---a-ha! The big beautiful creek ran just along the outside of the fence! We had been tricked---defrauded---beguiled---cheated---:) :) :) :)

I didn't see any no trespassing signs so I let the boys crawl underneath the fence where the inlet portion of the creek ran under neath it. There was just enough room for a child or a petite adult to fit under. I began to reason that with prayer, I could fit underneath as well. Of course I have no pictures to prove it but I did make it underneath without slipping onto the rocks and water, while holding Benjamin.

It was worth it. The creek was beautiful! I even let the boys get in it in their shoes! Then those crazy boys asked to take off their shoes and wade and I said yes again! The water had to have been freezing! They had a blast though. Those are the moments where I feel like my boys are getting to be boys and REAL learning is taking place. I feel they are in the perfect classroom and all is well.

So the next day we decided to explore again another new park, Freeman's Mill. It was even more beautiful than I had imagined! It is located in Dacula, which is in this area primarily flat farmland. To get to the park you turn on a street that takes you through that flat farmland into all of a sudden rolling hills and beautiful forest. It's like your all of a sudden in the North Georgia Mountains. At least that is how it felt to me. We had a lovely time!

The boys favorite thing---throwing rocks into the water! What is the fascination?

Now my sister Ginny could take this picture and it would look like it belonged in the National Geographic---didn't turn out so special for me... I'm trying to take creative pictures :)

Benj-ee-mon.... That is what I call Benjamin. I know it's bad.

Take a look at the size of those nostrils---when he stretches out his nose they get so big! I think his nose is soooo adorable! He has just launched a rock into the water... He threw with such force that I feared the momentum would launch his own self into the creek---yikes!