Do you see what I see?

So, back when hubby and I first bought our house six years ago, I remember asking the neighbors if there were good walking trails around and one of the first places they suggested was Two Ponds Wildlife Refuge.  

I had no clue what a Wildlife Refuge is, but it was about 6 blocks from my house and sounded like a good place to take a walk.  So, I went and walked through the gate and saw a deer staring right back at me!  I took a picture and walked on thinking this is where the deers are!  No joke.  No really, that is what I thought!  Looking back now, I laugh!

We have gone back countless times and not seen any deer (except one time walking on a path looking onto Two Ponds and saw one from afar).  There are however, ducks, birds, snakes *shiver*, toads, skunks, bugs, butterflies.  It is all natural so sometimes you see them, sometimes you don't.  However, you can always take a map or flyer of the Refuge that shows the animals which I am fairly certain convinces Blake he saw them, or at least that yup, he knows they are there.

Today, we were driving home from our morning play date and passed the Refuge.  Blake asked if we could go back after Piper's nap.  I said "of course" and so, we went.

First of all, I have to mention, Brother can do a MEAN balance on his Strider bike!  Now, if we could just figure out how to get him on his big-boy-two-wheeler...

He can also find TREASURE with just about anything, including a paper washer of some kind, a coral rock and a shiny parrot sticker (yes, my parrot loving boy, found a parrot sticker in the weeds!)

I don't think I could ever tire of this view!

Upon entering we found a half eaten apple and Blake decided it was most likely a squirrel.

 Blake's favorite part, all of it!  Piper's favorite part, the DUCKS!

good thing I have a good tour guide to help read the map and determine our route!

parrot sticker...

I will NEVER tire of taking pictures of my kids!  Look at 'em, they are so stinkin' cute!

trying to decide which trail to follow

a "duck house" aparrently to watch the ducks from afar without disrupting them, OR a "house to live in" according to my kids 

 If it looks HOT, HOT, HOT..........................................................................that's because it WAS!

 Daddy even surprised us after work!  The kids were so excited, both ran up to him, Piper running so fast downhill, she ate DIRT.  It happens to her more than most...today on the paths, it was like the girl hadn't walked a day in her life!

Grass on the sidelines of the large pond


Before we sent off on our adventure, I printed this Scavenger Hunt from Pinterest!  Blake LOVED and we found all but a few items!  Here are some of the things we found!  (some on the scavenger list and some just "super cool findings") 

closest thing CO sees to a "tropical flower"

from the Hunt list, a leave that has been bitten

all kinds of berries

This picture is hard to see, BUT in the leaves were these green UGLY pokey fat things, still not sure what they were but based on the look on Blake's face, he was not a fan.

more berries, larger and purple

bright red

"pokies" aka cactus.

what I assume to be a spider egg?

some HUGE berries that looked a LOT like Plums!

We came home, I made everyone some Ice Cold Lemonade and tacos, dunked our feet in the kiddy pool and called it a night.

After 5 hours of sleep last night, a head cold, Cooper with an ear infection (which leads to lots of head shaking in our bedroom at night), two kids, Heritage Square and being caught in a surprise hail storm...

I. AM. BEAT

Kendra out!