Saying Goodbye to Muscatine

We moved away from Muscatine, our home sweet home of three years, about two months ago.  Before that, Joel went back and forth for a while between our home and Des Moines after he started his new job.  Thankfully, he was home on the weekends, so we tried to do some fun activities.

It was perfect weather one day for a hike.  The best place to go was the state park a few minutes from our home, Wildcat Den.  We love this place!

Once within the boundaries of the park, it doesn't feel like you are in Iowa anymore.  Even the humidity seems to dissipate a little.  Stone hills soar around us as we walk on the dirt trails.  Plants grow on every horizontal surface these stone cliffs have to offer.  The landscape is lush and green (although the leaves weren't all the way out when these photos were taken).

The kids never tired of climbing rocks and exploring new crevices.  Everett's main goal seemed to be to discover a secret cave.

It was at this park that Ashley decided she wanted to be a mountain climber when she grew up.  But why wait that long?  The angle of this picture makes the ascent look quite dangerous but it was very safe.  Ashley, however, felt the euphoria of risk and would have tried to climb to the very top if we had let her.

She was pleased to "summit" in the middle.  "Now I'm a real mountain climber!" she'd exclaim periodically that day.

This tree was my favorite of the day.  The spindly root-web is fascinating and breathtaking.  Everett was impressed by it, too.

Walking on fallen trees is always a highlight.

After walking through a lightly-forested grassy field, we stumbled on a hidden bend of the sandy creek people like to wade in.  I don't think many people get to this part; there is no trail and there are plenty of animal tracks leading to the water.

It was the perfect place to stop and eat our trail mix.  James made sure to add lots of sandy flavor to his.

William had to gulp his drink down before venturing into the water.

Ashley didn't bother finishing her snack before she gave it a try.

And it didn't take the kids long before they discovered the deliciously messy, sandy sludge at the bottom of the water.

They would have played in it for hours and hours.

What is it about kids and mud?  Maybe I should go stick my hands and toes in it sometime and see if I can remember what all the gloppy, tactile fuss is about.

Ashley didn't want to leave the water.  She loves water as long as it doesn't go above her waist.  She panics every time her face gets close.  She took swimming lessons this summer (level one) and after I watched the teachers try to certify her to move onto the next level, I just laughed.  The teachers would hold her by her sides and ask her to make the swimming motions, but even though her face was still far from the water, Ashley screamed bloody murder each time until they righted her again.  The first time she did that, the teachers stopped immediately in alarm, thinking something was desperately wrong.  When they realized the problem, they looked at each other and I knew right away what they were thinking--I'm not sure if we can get her to pass this one. . .

They did try, and so did Ashley.  She tried very hard.  But the screams kept coming and a few days later at the end of the swimming session, she brought me a note that said, "Ashley, you are a great kicker!  See you here next time!"

Ashley didn't seem to mind that she did not pass level one.  All she knew is that she was done with the pool for the foreseeable future.

All that is to say, the knee-deep creek was the perfect water for Ashley.

 Thanks for all the fun, Wildcat Den!  We will miss you!