Whiting Forest

Since our Dow Gardens annual pass gets us into Whiting Forest as well...
And since my nephews convinced me it was totally awesome...
But since they couldn't go with us earlier this week...
I convinced Aunt L to go with us because it was "totally awesome."..

We went.

And the twins thought it was totally awesome...

So, it was.

Aunt L demonstrates the kiddie chairs to entice them inside for a great photo!

M and I find a baby frog, one of two creatures on our walk.

 The other was a butterfly who "showed us the way back" M said.  There was also a strange sound that I suspect was a squirrel, but the kids said was a bear!  Winnie the Pooh, I hope, because I am not down with walking with bears.  

This was an interesting feature positioned directly over a swamp.

C was hot, sweaty, and happy to get into the AC and remove his shoes!

Peek a Boo!

"I'm King of the Castle!"

 N insisted on wearing his 2 day old BK crown through our Whiting Forest hike, despite his head sweating and wilting its points.  Perhaps he knew there was going to be a castle-shaped fort over which he would reign?

I told L that I plan to make a 2013 Summer Bucket List just so I could put this at the top and cross it off.  So that, as my FIL would say, "You can say you've done it!"

I've done it!

Of course, the kids LOVED it, so they will likely be begging to go back!  At least it's free now that we all have the pass...