Warning--Picture heavy!

Today, S was invited to spend the night at my parents' house so after I picked him up, I took him over there.  We all visited for a while and then I took the little ones to get some dinner.  It was a tad chilly but the sun was shining and I knew a walking path were the wind would be mostly blocked for trees so I asked the Littles if they would like to go for a walk.  It was a resounding YES!  They are just as tired of being cooped up because of the cold as I am :p  So off we went to one of our favorite parks to walk in :)

Some fishermen and lots of birds

When we arrived, I parked near the lake and oh, boy, was my little B ever excited!  There were people out on the frozen lake!!  He insisted we needed pictures.  He has heard of ice fishing because his Dad likes to go but I don't think he really knew what ice fishing meant until today.  He was just in awe of people sitting out on the ice and fishing through little holes.  He kept trying to yell "HI" to the guys out on the ice and wasn't so sure I was right when I told him they were too far away to hear him and he should try to be quieter so he didn't disturb the other people there.  I finally told him his shouting would scare the fish so I could get him to stop screaming across the ice--it worked!  He was worried about scaring the fish so he talked in a whisper until we were further away from the ice fishermen.  Oh, and he thought my first picture of the men fishing on the ice was "too small" and I should go across the ice to get closer.  I showed him how to zoom in with the camera and he settled for that :p 

Ice fisherman close up!

B and Iz were ready and willing to go for a walk on the ice but I suggested we stick to the walking path and while they were disappointed, they agreed ;)

He really wanted a picture with this wet spot.  I don't even know.....

We briefly lost the sun behind the clouds

We'd only gone about six tenths of a mile when they spotted a bench overlooking a smaller lake and decided they needed to sit down and rest :)  I believe they sat still for a whole thirty seconds before they were up and at 'em again.

B declared we were climbing a mountain and needed sticks to help us up

At a little under a mile we reached a pavilion with big binoculars.  They were so excited when they saw the pavilion because they recognized it!  Normally when we walk at this park, we start out at this pavilion :)  The sun was beginning to set and was blinding!  The only way to get a picture was to use the roof of the pavilion to block the sun enough to get a picture.  The sun sure did feel good, though!

Every single time we come to this pavilion, three things need to happen:

• They must run like crazy people back and forth and around the perimeter

• They must sit on the benches.  Usually all of them.  In order.

 

• And they absolutely must look through every pair of binoculars, multiple times.  And while they wait for me to lift them high enough, they must stand on the foot rests :p

 

They really wanted to continue on the trail but I wasn't so sure Iz could make it further and then all the way back plus I could already feel the temperature dropping as the sun dropped behind the horizon.  So off we went back to the parking lot.  One and three-tenths of a mile in total and Iz was fine and ready to go longer when we got back!  Maybe by the end of summer her stamina will be up enough for us to go all the way around the lake :)  We've never made it all the way around!