Discovery's final flight...

Another moment captured only because we live where we do, Discovery's pass over Ellanor C. Lawrence Park on its way to Dulles, and then to its resting place at the adjacent Udvar Hazy Smithsonian Annex.  We caught 2 of the 3 passes it made over our area.  No prize winning photos here, but it was neat to be able to witness history while my daughter played with other lucky but oblivious kids on the playground. :)

The great outdoors...

The weather continues to be beautiful where we are, and recent photos definitely have been skewed toward nature and creature scenes...

 Pinwheels have begun to accumulate in our yard...

Lots of maple seeds this year, lined every crevice... 

 Frying Pan Park equestrian events, 04.14.12...

 Same day, reptile theme b-day party at ECL...

 Local lizard today at BRMC, Little Brown Skink?

 Local snake enjoying the weather as well...

 Lots of use of our new butterfly net today...

 The hawks circling at the top...

 H posing in a "cave", today for the first time she walked all the way up the hill on her own power, without having to be carried, we were pretty proud of her.  :)

 B spotted this gorgeous Luna Moth on the way down...

 More of the unfurling ferns...

Black Ground Beetle?  The last non-human thing we saw on today's walk before crossing back over the tracks to the parking lot...

2 years ago, this day, 10:25 AM...

We miss you, C.  Without our 4th, we somehow feel even less than 3.

Easter...

A relaxing day for us this year...

 Egg hunt at home...

 Dyeing hard boiled eggs...

Bull Run Mountain Conservancy...

 Daddy's shades...

 H helped Daddy get his exercise in...

 Nascent ferns...

 Proof that trains still run on the old tracks by the mill...

Hope's Hedgies, Egg Hunts...

Lots of fun this week for the kids, one big benefit to living where we do is that there are many activities geared toward preschoolers, I don't recall having access to as many enriching and entertaining activities during my childhood as what H has enjoyed here.

Like story time at the library with Hope's Hedgies...

They were tiny, adorable, and they made toilet paper rolls (aka, hedgehog toys) look so much fun...

 Then off to Egg Hunt #2, the Chick-fil-a hunt...

 They had temporary tattoos...

 Face painting...

 Large bunnies...

 And cows...

 A field of eggs, the calm before the swarm...

 And the mad dash, over quickly but plenty for all...

 Bounce play areas were set up to enjoy before and after the hunt...

 The Chick-fil-a hunt was nice, easily 1.5 hours entertainment with all the activities offered, a few parental tempers flared due to the stress of the number of people and the lines for activities, but still overall fun.

 H earned her White Belt in this week's Little Ninjas class, one of 3 beginner classes she is taking currently.

H finds a golden egg in our 3rd and most certainly best hunt, a few families in the neighborhood put on a wonderful lunch followed by a classic backyard egg hunt (with actual hidden eggs, versus a mad dash to grab against the masses).