A Hidden Gem

The kids and I found a little hidden gem right around the corner from us.  I'm sure most humans {especially those with kids} in the surrounding area are fully aware of it.  However, after living in this house for 5 years...I've just found it.  Or more like just gotten around to actually taking the time to make a visit.

After Jack's most recent obsession with all things in nature i.e. animals, geography, minerals, insects etc., he included the Nature Center on his "Summer List".  Amidst other outdoorsy things that either I have no interest in attempting {this is where Daddy will come in} or that I just don't see how we can fully include Maggie.  So this was one that was worth a shot.

In hopes of making this enjoyable for all parties included, I had to keep the several forest trails on the grounds a little secret.  Tried that once with Magpie in tow {compliments of Jack's recent summer list} and won't be doing that again for another 365 days....at least.  As you may have noticed there was no blog post on that little adventure teeth pulling session.

But, I am happy to report that the Nature Center was a whole new and wonderful experience.  Who knew? {again, probably everyone in the surrounding county, but me}  The center had several hands on activities which included a Nature Exchange with lots of goodies, a variety of forest and river animals, and we even got to enjoy the "Creature Feature" led by one of the staff members.

The "Creature Feature" was the driving force behind the day and time I chose when mapping out our summer activities.  I was for sure there wouldn't be much to do at the center so we better go when something was actually offered.  And I was for sure that the creature featured would be a bird or a fish or at least something likable.  I was wrong on both accounts.  There was plenty to do with or without the "Creature Feature".  It just turned out to be an added bonus.  And the creature was far from likable.

It was a snake.

Have I ever mentioned my severe phobia of snakes?  Well, if I haven't, I despise those things.  Like make my heart race, loose my stomach, and want to gag kind of despise.  My kids get the biggest kick out of it.

Luckily Grandma was in tow.  So I went for a nice scenic walk in the aviary while my Mom hung with the kids and that nasty reptile.  I have no pictures.  But, I do know that both Jack and Maggie did the whole two finger touch thing.  Brave little ones if you ask me.

Now on to the enjoyable parts of our visit {for me anyway}.

The lower level of the center contained a few exhibits and animals.  And of course, Jack was our guide {map in hand} everywhere we went.

I seriously fell in love with this fuzzy guy.  Yes, I do posssums, but not snakes.  I could have watched him eat his breakfast all day.  However, his bowl of slop reminded me a bit of Lucy's most recent finger food sampling.  Yes, she is snubbing baby food and wants the real stuff {but, that's a whole other post}.

Also on lower level was the Nature Exchange.  Love the concept of this area.  The kids earn points by either bringing in items from nature, reading books on nature and logging it, or completing the scavenger hunt on the grounds.  They can use their points to "buy" a plethora of natural goodies located in the bins.  And as you can see it also has a microscope which Maggie was extremely intrigued by.

Jack and Maggie participated in the scavenger hunt.  These are two of the items on the list...a hole in a tree where an animal might live and chewed up acorns. If we came back with pictures our points were doubled.  Cha ching for me...an excuse for those two wild things to stop for the camera.

Also on the grounds were a few animals.  This beaver and his well structured dam being one of my favorite.

The kids are already asking me when we can go back and Jack has already started collecting his nature items to exchange.  I have a feeling this may become a regular stomping grounds for the Cibula kids.

Now I just have to find a place to squeeze it onto our summer calendar...again.  Thank goodness for erasers.  It seems I check something off their list and they add something.  We may have to follow the nature center's business plan and call it the "summer exchange".  Our two month calendar can only hold so much.

Loving summer so far!  How 'bout you?