Sunday Funday

 Today, the girls and I went to Devil's Lake, one of our all-time favorite state parks, and dropped in on a simple owl nature activity.  They made and decorated origami owls, learned about and listened to the sounds from different species, and checked out some wings, talons, and owl pellets up close.  (I realized that it was great horned owls that I've been hearing calling back and forth near our house in the evenings and not barred owls like I had previously thought.)

 It wasn't the warmest day for a swim but we had the swimsuits along, so of course, we all went in for a dip.

 And lined up different colored stones on the shore.

 After we dried off and warmed up, Camille and Sylvia bravely and yet carefully explored and climbed the boulders along the west shore.

 On the way back down the trail, we admired this resourceful little chipmunk who was snacking on a discarded apple core.

 Hunger eventually drove us back to the snacks stashed in the car.  The car ride home was filled with made-up knock-knock jokes and the loud singing of everything from pop songs to I've Been Working on the Railroad, as well as giggly attempts at barbershop-quartet-style harmonizing.  Near home, we saw a gang of wild turkeys and marveled at how well they could fly.  Even the young ones were able to reach the treetops when we startled them out of the road.  They aren't graceful, but they do get some lift.

 Meanwhile back at the homestead, Papa had finished putting up walls on the play house made from odds and ends for building supplies.  We tend to like recycled scrappy projects around here.

The girls were delighted and we didn't see much more of them until the daylight was fading from the sky.  

 The sound of giggling could be heard often.

  The lovely thing about being a connected parent is that the joys of childhood can also be the joys of parenthood.  Swimming, climbing, giggling, singing, blowing bubbles, lining up rocks in the sand.  These shared activities were the highlights of my day.

Now my girls are watching Avatar: The Last Airbender, and they want me to join them, so it's time to go cozy up while they explain to me all of the intricacies of the characters :)

Buenas noches.

*This post is shared over at Owlet's Unschool Mondays