Woods Adventure

One of the great things about being a home schooling family is when you wake up to a really great day, you can put the school work aside for an hour or two and take the kids for a hike in the woods.

This happened on Monday.  I walked outside in the morning (which is unusual) and it felt like it was going to be one of those amazingly beautiful days. Have you ever walked outside and felt a really beautiful day? 

It smells different, cleaner, more pure.  It tastes good, like fresh crisp spring water.  It feels like soft velvet that has been warmed in the sun brushing against your fingertips. And when you step outside and sense all of these things, you know.  You know it is going to be one of those amazingly perfect, gorgeous days. 

So you toss the schedule into the trash bin and you take your kids for a walk through the golden beauty of God's creation.

We live just a short drive away from a segment of the Ice Age Trail.  This is a trail that crosses the entire state of WI. (you can see a map of the trail in the yellow sign behind Tate)  It is well maintained and easy to walk in all of the sections that I have walked it.

I love the excitement the boys have at the prospect of a woods adventure! Is there anything better to a boy than exploring the woods, climbing rocks, and gamboling over stick strewn paths?

I suppose we could have added water.  And mud!  That would have made it perfect.

No hike is complete without a doggy companion. 

Who else will run as exuberantly up and down hills, over rocks, and through woods, as a dog? 

Since it is early spring here, we only saw a few blooms.  But no matter how few you find, they are still amazingly intricate in their design and beauty.  That's one of the things I love about taking my sons out into the woods.  It gives us ample opportunities to marvel at our amazing, creative, creator God.

And what adventure would be an adventure if you left your sword at home? 

No worries! Seth brought one for all of the slaying or swash buckling he may need to do.  After all, you never know what dangers you may be lurking in the woods.

It's good to know I was thoroughly protected.

I would encourage you to take advantage of the next day that dawns as one of those golden opportunity kind of days.  Scrap the schedule, take the kids out of school if you have to, and go out and enjoy what God has made.

Together.

You won't regret it.