Butterfly Gardens and Outdoor Fun 2013 Part II

After lingering at the Butterfly Garden, we travelled to Echodale Park for a picnic lunch and a little boating. Traditionally, when we do picnic meals we purchase fresh baked buns and them load them with sliced meat, cheese, lettuce and sometimes tomatoes along with mayonnaise. We add to the meal, potato salad, potato chips, and carrot sticks and usually a jug of chocolate milk. Dessert consists of baked goods. That is our tradition and we always have food left over to take home. I love it because it is easy, affordable, everyone gets full, and we get to enjoy a natural setting in whatever area we are in. This time it was Echodale park - one of our favorite places that is relatively close to us.

Once we had finished eating, we began to play. The kids changed into water attire so they could get wet. We got out the boats and the air pumps and inflated them. We found a convenient place to put them in the water, and the boating adventures began. I, personally was not feeling up to boating at that time, but I thoroughly enjoyed playing the part of the family photographer as everyone played. Three people were in the kayak and four were in the raft. That is all the life jackets we have, so we could only put seven on the water at a time --- ho--- that was everyone but me!!!

Boating is a new adventure for our family. Only a few short weeks before Chad invested in two inflatable boats and we have put them to good use. This was their second debut. The two boats kind of followed each other around a bit on the water, separated, and came together again. Then everyone switched up the boats they were in, and off they went again. Pretty soon we had more that wanted to play IN the water that ON the water, so we pulled the boats out of the lake and went over the hill to the swimming area. It was a very nice and pleasant evening. What a wonderful family day!

I cherish the good memories that come from days spent like this. The summer of 2013 was filled with lots of fun family activities. Time that builds family bonds, and nurtures common ground and interests. Moments that everyone can look back on and smile, content in the knowledge that they love doing things together - even if they don't always get along, or see eye to eye. These are beautiful days and I am so grateful for Chad's foresight in purchasing the boats that have added to our fun this summer. I have a feeling that they will fill the pages of many blog posts yet to come. What a joyful prospective!