In this day and age of a diagnosis for everything, there really is such a thing called "Nature Deprivation Disorder". I don't know how you actually go about diagnosing or treating it, but I know I get to feeling it every now and then. So do our kids! So, after a particularly stressful week, we headed towards the coast for some real, live nature.
Yep, even the youngest "child", Belle, got to go.
(She's got a little carseat that puts her right between G and Nat)
She was so happy about it and that makes the kids happy, too.
As we were surrounded by the beauty of the redwoods, Kurt and I tried to impress upon the kids how grateful we are for living in such a place as California. Even though we grumble and feel the pains of the high cost of living and the crowding, we live in a place that people from all over the world travel to come see. And we are 40 minutes away!
The trip was very successful in relaxing everyone. Our sweet daughter, Natalee, whom usually runs from the camera, was jumping up on stumps and in front of plaques and saying, "Take my picture!" Here you see her awesome redwood walking stick. We had to purchase hers at the gift shop. Gehrig was given one by Uncle Denny - it used to be Grampa Dick's -
except I can't envision him using it because it's s-h-o-r-t. G spied it last time we were up there - he's our stick-lover. When I showed the kids how you could purchase inexpensive little medallions at each of the various state parks, they thought that was a pretty cool way to spend our summer - collecting medallions.
I say it's a great idea!
We are looking forward to many more hikes to fill up that gap in our souls
that can only be filled by nature.
1 comment:
How fun, Annessa!! At first I thought you were at Muir Woods - the scenes reminded me of that. WE took the boys there right before we moved and Joshua was floored by the huge trees. I love summer when the kids can be outside all day long (Nathaniel tried to go out at 730 this morning but it was still a little cold. By 9 he was good to go...I just have to drag him in at dinner time.) Loved Gehrig's post too.
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