Best Day Ever!

I heard this several times yesterday.

We started out, just Caden and I headed out to Sam's club.  We did our shopping and soon, Caden was cranky - feeding time for the Bear I suppose.

Once home, I changed and got ready to do the outside, ready-for-winter chores.  It was tough convincing my kiddos to help me outside, but I did.  What started out as cleaning the porch and clean up the garden, soon turned into a mushroom hunt.
The good ones were scarce, but we had a good time kicking the tops off of the ones we weren't going to eat.
Then we watched and listened for woodpeckers.  We found an area in the woods that had at least two woodpeckers pecking away and we sneaked around, trying to get a close look. Caden worked hard to get close, but every time he moved in, the other woodpecker would begin pecking farther away.

From there we ventured to my favorite part of the woods as a child.  The sun shines through the scattered trees and I took the opportunity to take pictures of the kids in the sun light.  The dogs had a great time roaming free and checking in with us only when they thought we were seeing something cooler than they were.

Further into the woods we went.  Caden spouted a lot of WOW, LOOK, and CARLY COME HERE!  We happened across what we called the Iron Graveyard.  Scrap metal everywhere and such great things to take pictures of.  Caden suggested we call The Picker Sisters.  If they could afford the shipping, I'm sure they'd like it too.  I didn't post every picture, there were a ton, but I think I'll make up a book of them later and surprise my Dad at Christmas.

I know that after time, what is tucked away in the woods becomes a distant memory.  He knows what is there, I'm sure, but he'll get a kick out of the looks on the kid's faces as they discover new, amazing pieces of iron art.

It seemed as though we were getting deeper and deeper into the woods, when really, we were tucked away between a creek, the driveway, and a neighborhood.  Never too far from anything recognizable. . . but they didn't know it.

On our trek we also discovered many places where moose had bedded down and rabbit dwellings.  So funny to think the moose are right there during hunting season!  I love that they have a safe haven.  I'd never happened upon a place where bunnies lived before.  I see them often, especially on our driveway, but I've never been so close to a home.  The kids also found grouse feathers, so we know those were out there this fall too. We didn't see any though.

After that we finished cleaning the porch, all of us, together.  Then I stacked wood while Carly yard golfed and Caden played in the trees.

We topped the day off with my Aunt and Uncle over for a cookout, fire in the fire pit, porch heater lit, some volley ball, and a few crazy videos made by Caden.

Those will be in another post.

It truly was one of the Best Days Ever!  Though I missed Jase . . . it is nice to allow the little ones some of their own memories.