Hawthorne Park with Seven of the Grandchildren

Hawthorn Park is just blocks from our home, so the grandchildren and I visit it often.

September 12, 2013

The seven grandchildren ready to go. Charles, Douglas, Jacob, Aaron, Diana, Wesley, and Charlotte.

 

First a stop at the "Cookie Store." This bakery is too handy - only 2 blocks from our house.

 

Look at all the cicadas up there.

 


The branch was loaded with cicada exoskeletons.

 

This leaf must have been a hatching place for some insects.

 

The children love to HUG trees. They like to see how many of them it takes too encircle the tree. Here it took just five. Douglas was not needed.

 

Jacob, just turned 7

 

Aaron, 4

 I got pictures of four of the other grandchildren on another day...

 

Charles

 

Wesley

 

Diana

 

Douglas

A neighbor's yard was full of leaves just begging to be played in.

 

Diana

 

Aaron

 

Throwing leaves is the best way to celebrate FALL!

 

We always pose with the park signs.

 

The shoes come off so they can play in the sand.

 

Jacob says, "Look at me, Grandma."

 

Wesley jumps.

 

Charles jumps.

 

Cousins Aaron and Diana, both 4, love to swing.

 

Charles takes Charlotte for her first trip down the slide.

 

Aaron

 

Aaron gives Charlotte a push on the swing.

 

Douglas was disappointed that some of the kids stopped playing Star Wars with him.

 

The kids made a discovery in the sand.

 

Charlotte loved being in the sand. She only tried to put it in her mouth once.

 

On the way back home.

 

Let's pose for one more picture.

A Walk to the Library - September 13, 2013

A walk to the library sounds like a simple, quick trip. However, not for us. The walk is a little over two miles and it took nearly two hours. Of course, when the walk includes my curious grandchildren it means much to investigate. We had a beautiful, cool fall morning for our trip. Join us...
 


Wesley loves bugs. Actually we all enjoy watching them, but Wesley can't pass them by...especially cicadas. Last week we collected LOTS of cicada exoskeletons on a walk. So today, I told Wesley we would not be collecting more. That did not stop him from pointing out all he saw and carrying on a few for awhile.

 
 

A spider in a grassy web. The children has such good eyes for finding these kinds of things. I so enjoy seeing the world through them.

 

A grassy hill, even a small one is a wonderful spot to take a rest.

 

It was their idea to line up by ages for a picture. They are constantly saying, "Grandma, this would be a good picture." I guess I have trained them right. Diana 4, Wesley 6, Charles 8, and Douglas 10.

 

A grassy hill is just made for rolling down. Diana and Wesley even had to try rolling UP the hill.

 

Charlotte, 10 months, napped for almost the entire walk.

 

Cookie Break! We had picked up some cookies at the start of our walk.

 

Diana is enjoying a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie.

 

This shows just how slow our walks can go. This couple caught up and PASSED us!

 

Don't forget to look UP when taking a walk.

 

or you might miss a beautiful sight.

 

One must always take time to stop and smell the flowers.

 

Even the sidewalk must be investigated when something looks different.

 

It even felt different. The children noticed how smooth this section was.

 

I love how they cluster together. I often wonder what they may be talking about and what exciting conversations I may be missing.

 

Douglas got a ways ahead and "patiently???" is waiting for the rest of us to catch up.

 

The sun is beginning to warm up the day. Douglas has shed his sweatshirt. He and Diana pose on a step.

 

These walls were just made for walking on...weren't they???

 

Stopping to check out the apple tree. And there is ME...at least its my shadow.

 

The children wanted to pick up all the apples, but we left them.

 

A dead bird.  We left that too!!!

 

Another wall to walk.

 

LEAVES!!! Lots of leaves. It makes such a cool sound to walk through them and hear the crunch, crunch, crunch.

 

There is one block that has the most wonderful area in it. The boys think this would be such a fun place to live...with all the trees, valley, and places to explore. They also LOVED the huge house that sets on this particular property. They figured it was big enough for each of us to have our own rooms, with rooms to spare for such important things as a TOY ROOM.

 

Finally at the library and Diana shows Charlotte her favorite thing to play with here....the horses.

 

The children made some new friends. Is this some of that "socialization" some people are so afraid our homeschooled children will be missing out on?

 

Charlotte seems to be enjoying her first time playing at the library.

 

Wesley shows Charlotte the real treasure of the library...BOOKS!