Wednesday Walk Update

So I've walked twice a day every weekday except one since last Monday the 12th.  Some days have been lengthier and others are just a quick stroll around the block -- it depends on weather and energy and how late a start we're getting.  Overall, though, I'd say that I'm starting to actually look forward to our walks.

Maybe it's because it's nearly autumn and the weather is not so hot anymore, but it's not yet too cool.  Maybe it's because I know that this is something good for me and for the kids and when I see my doctor next time, I can actually give him the news that I've "taken his advice" (though I don't give him any credit for my decision to do this - so nah-nah-nah).  Maybe it's because it breaks up the school day and makes everything seem a little better.  Maybe it's because our neighborhood is blessed with great sidewalks and walking trails and it's fun to explore new places with the kids.

I don't know what it is exactly.  But I like it.

Today, I took a longer than usual walk with our 1st and 2nd grader (O & J) and we went down through the arroyo and over to the furthest playground that could still be considered in the vicinity of our neighborhood.  The way there was very exciting for the kids and we saw so many fat, grey squirrels, I couldn't believe it.

The way back was less exciting except for the part where we found ourselves in a Parks & Rec dumping ground for old playground equipment and stuff.  Although once we realized there was no way out at the other end of it, we had to retrace a lot of steps and the kids started whining that we needed someone to pick us up in a car.  I doubt they'll forget all the cool junk we saw though -- they will, however, soon forget that their legs were tired and we were gone on our walk for over an hour.  Good stuff.

Eventually, we made our way home again and started up their class work, including their Nature Journals where they record some of the fun nature-y stuff we saw on the walk.  I'm sharing them here because I adore some of their drawings and I think you might get a kick out of them, too.  I loved how O kept verifying with me how many legs his creatures had so I knew he was being scientifically accurate, even if the drawings aren't so much.  At least he knows the count.

O's Journal Entry today - he remembered seeing two each of bunnies and lizards.  Or in his words: "lizarp."

J's Journal Entry, part I - she saw two lizards as well.  But instead of drawing both, she just wrote a big backwards "2."

J's Journal Entry, part II - she also documented seeing 200 (backwards) squirrels.  I'm not sure it was quite that many, but there were a lot in that part of the neighborhood that we'd never really noticed before.

And forgive me for being lame and not knowing how to properly insert these photos all fancy-like in collage form or something.  Just as this is not some of their best artwork, but rather quick sketches from memory about things they saw, these are just quickly posted scans of their artwork amidst my usual busy day.