Exploring our own backyard

Sometimes it takes having visitors to get out and see the things in your own neighborhood/city! We were lucky enough last week to have Brian, Natalie, Toby (age 4), and Sophie (age 2) come to visit on a relatively warm day, which was enough to prompt us to finally check out a local nature center we had heard good things about but not yet explored. It was great--and free! Here are a few photos...

Andy & Simon, as we explored one of the many trails

Toby got to try out cross-country skiing. I was so impressed--I never would have guessed that a 4-year old would be able to stay upright and actually manuever skis as well as he did! Sophie really wanted to try too, but they didn't have any boots or skis to rent small enough for a 2-year old.

Inside the nature center is basically a mini-museum, but better: you can touch everything! Here Simon got to explore various rocks, pieces of wood, and fossils. They even have a life-size model of a T-rex skull with a sign by it that says "please touch gently".

Sophie, checking out some of the big fish in aquariums lining the walls--they also had snakes, turtles, and other creatures to watch.

Simon was inspired by Toby skiing, and all the cross-country skiers on the trail, to try it out himself--all on his own he found himself some sticks to use as ski poles and starting "skiing":

(For those of you unaccustomed to Simonese--he says "Hi Mommy, I skiing with these sticks")

So next time you come to visit, remind us to take you to the nature center!