into the world of audio.

My boys have never really enjoyed children's museums. But science museums? Love. And I love having a family membership. Because no matter how often we go, there is always something new to look at even if the exhibits don't change.




The older they get, the more they focus on the details, they stand and read the screens, or move to areas they were not that interested in before. This trip we spent time in some of the familiar places. They love the robotics, flight simulator, aquarium and submarine. They love the bed of nails, the energy independent house, the touch tanks, the large ship hanging from the ceiling.




And then we ventured into the audio/music area for the longest ever this weekend. We banged and played and watched and listened. We made music. We made noise. We saw sound. And we learned about sound and the history of audio recording. While they still don't really care about the Les Paul guitars (Who is Robert Plant? Why is a signed guitar behind glass?), there is a lot of cool stuff in there. Keyboards, guitars, drum machines, funky interactive music consoles, sound wave generators. Not to mention a recording studio.

Like mother like sons.

flying.

My guys were a bit under the weather all week with colds. We had some dark rainy days, which were perfect for curling up on the couch, reading and snuggling. They were feeling better this weekend and so we were able to get out for some beautiful fall color and country drives. We also got to play with some new toys.



They are boys. We often find ourselves with remote (or solar) powered robots or cars, balsa wood airplanes and gliders, fancy kites, or ... anything that flies or drives fast!


The helicopter actually flies better indoors than out, which will be perfect for winter!

Back to healthy boys, back to our routine, back to ... fall!

adventure.

Saturday we woke to perfect weather. Sunny and cool. We told the boys we were going on an adventure, packed up the car and headed out. And oh, what an adventure we had.

Our first stop was a county park in the woods with a big sandy beach and spring fed lake.


The boys cast on an empty sunny beach with practice weights on fishing poles, saw where a spring bubbled up from the sand and fed the lake and watched the water lapping against rocky outcroppings.


We saw butterflies and dragonflies and birds.



After a lots of casting and playing, we told the boys we had to head out to the next place on our adventure, packed back up and hit the road.

Our next surprise stop was at our at our very favorite hiking trail at our favorite state park.


We hiked a steep cliff of rocky stairs down down down into a waterfall oasis. Filled with ferns, caves, a clear pool and rambling creek.

There was a lot of rock hopping, frog watching, stick finding and cave exploring.

And of course plenty of hiding behind the waterfall.


In this beautiful place fall has already arrived, and golden leaves drifted down around us the whole time we were there.


We walked down the trail beyond the waterfall oasis, hiking along a mossy fern covered creek bed.


We looked at animals, trees and moss. We crossed bridge after bridge, and climbed fallen trees. We felt bark, and moved fuzzy caterpillars to safer spots.


We hiked and wandered and went back to the waterfall. As we climbed the steep stairs out of the oasis, the boys said they never wanted to leave that magical spot. After passing creeks, watercress, fields of goldenrod and galloping horses, we headed out for our next stop.


We drove past Frank Lloyd Wright, stopped in a small town cafe, and visited another county park high atop a hill. The boys spun and climbed and ran and skipped.

We looked out at fields of gold from up high. We counted silos, we watched the patches of sun move across the landscape.


We listened to the wind.


As we headed back for our last stop near home the boys talked about their favorite parts of the the adventure. A sobbed, never wanting it to end. He wants to always take the scenic route. He wants an adventure day every week. My boys said it was the best day of their entire life. Of course they say that every day. And that is how I like it.