Walking with friends

Since Phil had the rare opportunity to play golf today, the boys and I took a hike over at Lake Elmo with some of our neighbors. We opted for the longest trail and even made a wrong turn at some point, so ended up covering over 4 miles. The hike took us around a lake and was at times quite hilly. Much of it was along prairies but there were also some nice wooded areas that provided some much needed shade. We did not meet many other walkers (where are all those outdoor-loving Minnesotans hiding?) but did cross paths with quite a few horseback riders which the boys thought was pretty neat. We also got to see quite a large snapping turtle that was busy digging a nest on the side of the trail. The boys really all did a terrific job of walking for a large chunk of the way - except for Kai who snoozed happily in the stroller. Eventually, they just couldn't move another step - fortunately, there were enough strollers and backpacks to push/carry them back to the cars! Now, both boys (yes, even Noah) are napping and the house is so quiet and peaceful!

Stopping for refreshments

Noah and Ollie found some reserves of energy for the last 1/2 mile or so and decided to abandon the strollers. They spontaneously grabbed onto eachother's hands - sweet!