She Wants to go Back to Her Favorite Place

Gotta love a husband who gets the idea to pull over in front of a one lane bridge and hunt for a spot to splash in the river.  We followed a group of teenagers in bathing suits, tiptoed past tossed beer cans and vulgar bridge graffiti, and waded barefoot through mud and water spiders.  A strange journey that opened up like the secret garden to a fluvial slice of heaven.

Everyone knows in their heart the real recipe for happiness is sunshine and a space to frolic.  Kids proved this to me Sunday afternoon cause even Kaio, who's been having the most horrible week.  Who wallows in misery and defeat on a constant basis.  Who seems to believe the world exists to serve and torture him.

Even our goth in training was pure joy in this place!

Almost as soon as we found the spot, Nala declared it her Favorite Place.

 "Mom, I love it here!  This is my favorite place!  I don't want to go home!"

Then Monday:
"Mom, I want to go back to my favorite place.  Mom, I miss my favorite place."  Is all I heard come out of the cheery little princess, dressed in a butterfly dress with rain boots.  

We went for a nature and art walk in Reston.

Kaio spotted a strange bug:

Nala wanted to take it home as a pet.

She drew a picture of it.  Which really looked like black squiggles.

What do you do with a strange beetle?

Take him to the Walker Nature Center for the beetle guy to play with.
He identified him (or her) as an Eyed Click Beetle

He was able to convince Nala to let her new pet go free to hang in it's favorite place.

Now Nala changed her tune:  "Mom, I miss my pet beetle."

It's always something.