Down by the river

I took the boys to the river this morning.  I so miss living near the river.  I didn't like our neighborhood, I hated our house, but I loved that I could walk 100 feet and feel like I was in the middle of nowhere.  Maddie loved it too.  Poor girl...

We walked the bike path to the walking bridge over The Des Moines River and then found a spot where we could go creek-side.  During our walk Harrison talked all about the types of animals  that lived in the woods and what they were doing.  He quizzed me on what types of animals lived in the woods and then I tried to scare him by telling him there were probably some cougars and bears in there too.  He let me know he felt very safe.  Cougars and bears only live in zoos.  I guess we will be reading some habitat books on animals in the wild and watching some more Animal Planet this week.  

Down by the river started out just like I thought.  'Let's throw sticks in the water!'  Bennett and Harrison quickly depleted the supply of sticks in the immediate area and went to throwing sand in the water.  What is it about splashing water that kids enjoy so much?  Anyway, I found a tree trunk and just sat down and watched them play.  I'm not usually very sappy but it sure was nice just to sit back and watch them have fun.  They are two little boys with no cares in the world and I am enriching their lives by letting them throw sticks!  To me this is how fun is supposed to be.  Nature, dirt, bugs, water, etc.  Harrison learned that the sand next to the water was too wet to build with, but the sand up by me just slipped through his finger tips.  Right in the middle worked perfect.  Bennett learned that you can not pull tree roots out of sand very easily.  It is better to ask Mom to help you or ask Mom to help you find more sticks to throw in the water!

  

A crew team went by while we were there.  This excited me very much because I keep telling myself that I am going to check out the Des Moines Crew Club but I never do.  Harrison didn't understand why they couldn't go fast enough to have a water skier behind them.  Much to his excitement a boat and water skier came by a little while later.  This was also very exciting because with the boat brought big waves.  I loved the look on his face!  We are going to Florida next week to stay with my brother and sister-in-law and I wasn't going to push to go to the ocean.  But now I might have to!  It was just too cute seeing the boys watch the waves and seeing how excited that made them!

Harrison said this leaf looked like a heart.  Then he looked at me and said "I love you, Mom."  I never tire of hearing that!