For the past 3 years we have started our Christmas season with a trip to our church camp for Sleighbell Weekend, see our first one here, and our second one here.
This year, we met Aunt Kim again for lunch and a museum visit about 1/2 way there, she bought them head lamps – they thought they were great and wore them all weekend!
Here is Tobin checking out how this mechanical car works
Then, we hit another state park for a short hike, it was pretty small and not very rustic but we enjoyed it anyway.
And, then we made it to camp in time for some tree decorating
And, a game of Connect 4 with Wayne-he swears Tobin beat him fair & square!
We have driven past this bird sanctuary dozens of times, because of the Sleighbell weekend, they were giving away tours. There was no success seeing any birds from the indoor viewing spot,
so, we decided to head out on one of their trails, a guide wanted to come along-he had some serious nature knowledge, here he’s telling the kids about the woodpecker that is responsible for this missing bark
We really saw nothing!
I really always want to see an owl, I’m fascinated with them BUT they are basically nocturnal so never have much hope of seeing one. As we’re walking, he tells us he brought us this way because there was a bobcat sited recently-well I forgot all about the owl and was looking for a bobcat, how cool would that be, realize I am the girl who always wanted to see a bear on a hike;)
Well, we finish our hike and really have seen nothing, some squirrels and a few birds in the distance, when all of the sudden, they spot this!
A snowy owl-I was SOOOO excited, the guide has never seen one here and there it sits on the barn right across the road from the sanctuary:)
A kept trying to get closer because I didn’t have my zoom lens, and he got annoyed and flew off-but LOVE this shot too. We were all (including the guide) very excited, just made my whole weekend!
Off to town after that, I bought a pair of boots from my favorite shoe store (surprised I don’t have a picture).
The kids made some cookies
And, we waited for the parade, it was cold
There are no motor vehicles in this Victorian inspired parade, so these giant horses pull this huge tree on a sled-which this year came close to taking us out! We had to get out of the street quick as it was skidding towards us
Back at camp, Kris & I worked on a puzzle
And, we left early in the next morning to get Mari back for her Christmas concert
Camp looks pretty desolate & lonely this time of year . . .
We LOVE this weekend, it’s such a great way to start Christmas, spending time together, getting out of the materialistic bustle that consumes so many during December. It gets our heads straight and prepares our hearts to celebrate the amazing birth of Jesus.