Found our new treasure

[swellmomma]

Background: We moved to this location about 1.5 yrs ago now. Since then we have missed certain aspects of our lives in the city such as the proximity of the lake that used to be by our house. In our town there is no lakes, no rivers etc. I am in a tiny rural village in the middle of the prairies. aka everything is flat flat flat. We can't even go sledding in the winter. The next town over there is a provincial park. We had not been to it much before last spring as that is where the soccer fields are, and now the scouts meet in a building in it. Even then the most we had explored was some trails through the woods. We have missed the chance to do nature walks and studies around a lake all times of year etc. We also have missed the chance to have a proper basement where the kids could run and play and be loud etc. When we bought this house it was 300 sq ft smaller than my last one and the basement is more like a dug out cellar that someone cemented it is short, bad steps, leaks like crazy.

 

Today I got sick and tired of the bickering and squabbling etc. We do not use the playground in town often due to the bully issue so I announced we were going to subway for lunch and then for a walk in the woods at the provincial park. Well guess what we found, the town trout pond. Which is really the size of a small lake. In the summer is it stocked for people to go fishing, but has a path all the way around it and will be perfect for that peice we have been missing AND off to 1 side is a large shack. THis shack is unlocked all the time. It is for public use. It has a huge open space, plus 3 picnic tables, electricity and a wood burning stove and you do not have to book ahead, first come first served! We spent 2 hours in there today out of the wind playing british bulldog, red light green light, what time is it mr wolf, tag etc. I have found our new hide away! We can't go during the week anymore because I have a new toddler starting next week and not enough room in the car to take her, but a couple weekends a month we are going to take crafts and games, and jump ropes and balls and wood and snacks etc and spend a whole afternoon there. Go hiking in the woods or exporing around the lake and then have snacks, and play loud gym/outdoor games, and hang out in the warmth of the wood stove. (this shelter is fully enclosed so different from the picnic shelters we see around). I am so excited. Not about having to the the outhouses down the path but about having a sheltered place close to a good nature study location with enough space for the kids to be kids and burn off some energy rather than in my tiny house. I am aiming to go there on the weekends the big kids are home with me, and the weekends they are with their dad I will continue to take my little kids to the indoor playground we have a membership at (the bigs are too old to be allowed to play there).

 

I just had to share. I am so excited to have found this place today and while I am wishing we knew of it sooner, I don't know that we would have appreciated it or been so excited about it sooner.

Edited January 5, 2012 by swellmomma
should have spell checked the first time, yikes

[Catwoman]

:party: :party: :party:

 

It sounds great!!!

[Jean in Newcastle]

Wonderful, Brandy!

[happi duck]

That's cool!

[*********]

Aw Brandy, how neat! Your little town sounds so quaint. :)

[Mothersweets]

That's awesome! Having a place for the kids to really run, be loud, etc. is such a lifesaver. Have fun!