#8 - spend an afternoon at Ney Nature Center

this was a day so delicious I could have eaten it with a spoon.

for real.

just 15 minutes down the road, we found a little gem known as Ney Nature Center

Peach helped me pack a picnic while Tulip was taking her morning snooze.

When we arrived, picnic tables greeted us not far from the parking lot - perfect.

After we had filled our bellies with egg salad, watermelon and broccoli, it was off to explore the trails!

These little blue dragon flies were EVERYWHERE!

there were lots of trails to choose from, but we settled on the pond loop trail...

and it did not disappoint.

a nice, easy walk down to and around this peaceful pond was exactly what we were looking for

J made me more than a little nervous crossing a precariously placed 2X4 in order to get out on to this dock, but thank goodness, they made it!

near the dock we found this platform.

Peach decided it was a stage and we were the audience.

she entertained us for quite a while with "Mr. Sun", "The Wheels on the Bus", "Jesus Loves Me" and "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush"

a final bow while Tulip clapped her approval

from the cool breeze blowing in the grass

to the symphony of birds

to Tulip squaking back at them

to dozens of butterflies dancing around our feet

to Peach skipping along the trails

it was one of those days when you just can't decide which part was your favorite :)