Exploring and Letterboxing at the Botanic Garden

Today was the perfect day to spend at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden--a nice, cool day after several days in the high 90's (I think we even hit 100* once).  We enjoyed a picnic lunch by a pond with a healthy turtle population, and the boys shared quite a bit of bread from their sandwiches.

Red-eared slider

We also did some nature study, checking out different plants and collecting leaves and other plant specimens for our plant unit.

checking out honeysuckle (again)

Nature study!  He's drawing a swamp rose.

Brennan drawing the fountain

Aaron got some really good pictures:

 There are a bunch of letterboxes hidden in the garden, and after lunch, we had a great time tracking some of them down--I think we ended up finding seven.

Great family time--what a wonderful way to spend the afternoon!  Oh, and Aaron got a kick out of a bumper sticker we saw on a van parked not too far from us:

*grin*

River Legacy Park and Science Center

I love how many incredible and inexpensive learning activities there are in the Fort Worth area.  Aaron's brother's family found this one a while ago, and I've been wanting to check it out ever since.  We finally went a couple of weeks ago, and it was wonderful!

River Legacy Park is in the middle of Arlington, and it has beautiful paved walking/biking trails, a playground, open fields, and more that we didn't get a chance to explore on this trip.  The boys loved riding their bikes while Aaron and I walked.

After we had made plans to go, it occurred to me to check and see if there were any letterboxes in the area--there were three listed actually in the park!  So we added in a little letterboxing as well.  We found two of the three.   I think we were in the right place for the third one, but it was missing.

We didn't have nearly enough time for the second part of the trip: the River Legacy Living Science Center.  We'll be making a trip back out there before long, I'm sure.  The science center had exhibits about various animals native to the region, terrariums and aquariums with all kinds of native critters, exhibits about the land and different things that impact nature (weather, human activity, etc.)  They had kid-friendly microscopes and leaf and bark samples to explore, science-related toys to play with, animal track information plates to do crayon rubbings, and more.  You can check out binoculars and go on the trails around the center to do bird watching (we didn't have time, but it's definitely on the to-do list!), and they regularly offer nature walks guided by naturalists and other organized activities.  And all free!  They do have a preschool and they offer other fee-based classes and programs as well.  Here are a few of our pictures from the first visit.

The Great Outdoors

I am SO glad the weather is finally starting to cool down here (highs in the low 90's--it's still hot, but much better than 100+!).  We've spent more time outside this week than we have in a LONG time, including two outdoor activities as a family.  On Wednesday we went to a local park on our second letterbox hunt, with Daddy along this time (but alas, the camera stayed home!)  It took a little searching, but we finally found the box!  The stamp was a Jolly Roger, which is fitting, since this Sunday is international "Talk Like a Pirate Day!"  The boys were fascinated when we saw a couple of trees that had obviously been gnawed by a beaver.  When we walked the trail around the lake (well, large pond, really), we saw the beaver's dam, and judging from the scuffle and splash as we walked (noisily!) up, I think we narrowly missed getting to see the builder himself!  We enjoyed some of the porch-swing style swings by the lake and the boys played on the playground for a while.  It was hot, but not unbearable!

Today we went hiking at Lake Mineral Wells State Park.  The boys and I had hiked this trail when we went camping with our MOPS group there last year, and we've been wanting to go back with Aaron ever since.  It's a beautiful area, and the trail we hiked has lots of rocks to climb on. 

And lots of rocks to throw in the lake.

And really cool lizards eating lunch.  

We saw two of these guys!  I haven't spent the time yet to look it up and figure out what they are, but they were the biggest lizards I've ever seen in the wild, and they had really interesting markings!

It's so much fun watching the boys have fun exploring and discovering.  And of course, heaving really big rocks into the lake! *grin*