Little Miami

We have been planning this day for a long time...canoeing with Jen, Haley and Owen. Little did we know that Uncle Timmy would be joining us...what a treat! I actually think he didn't trust us on the water with his kids. Look at them...all smiles and laughing...this must have been at the beginning of our trip...just kidding. Speaking of the beginning...here is Jen trying to figure out how she is going to wear her PFD and carry her purse all day long. That was just the beginning. In another part of the room, Michael, the expert river guide, is giving Haley and Owen a lesson on which vest to choose, what kind of paddle to pick and for them not to be scared because the water isn't that deep and Emmy would swim with them...not to worry, we have it all covered. So we were lazily floating down the river, I love to look for just that great photo op to catch nature at it's best. I am paddling while Emmy is resting in the middle of the canoe...I asked her to take come pictures for the blog and to be sure to catch the camera if we should capsize. This trip we see geese, fish, a mother duck and her duckling swimming along the shore, several blue heron, little snakes swimming in the water WITH US and tons of turtles sunning themselves on the rocks and logs. I see a huge turtle, one of the biggest I have ever seen, and I paddle quietly over right up next to it. Emmy has the camera poised...ready to snap the greatest shot ever...this is what we ended up with...Hey, Em, National Geographic called, they say call them back when you actually get a picture of something.
speaking of Emmy...she loves to float down the river...as skill that she learned from all those White Water trips to WV...here she is with the kids teaching them how to do it. ( For some laughs, check out the "Floating Along: vidoe). The only problem was shallow water and big rocks...the kept bumping into them. The kids loved it, you could hear them laughing all the way down the river. We stopped on a "sandy beach" and had a picnic...Jen brought enough for an army...we had just the bare essentials, enough to rev us up for the rest of the trip down the river. Michael and Owen posed just long enough for me to take this picture. I know Michael would rather be dropped off at the top of the river with just his PFD and lunch and he could swim his way back to the canoe livery. I think he must be part fish. Emmy just about tossed him out and let him do just that. Sarah is becoming the real outdoors man. She loves to kayak. This trip she had it the entire trip. She only capsized it once. But good old big sis, Em, had to help her drag it up on the bank and flip the water out... either were too happy about that. This is my favorite place to take pictures after coming off the river. Every trip we take our last shot here. Haley and Owen had a great time and are ready to go back. Michael thinks we are going back today. Emmy and Uncle Timmy say it might be awhile until they go back. Jen and Sarah, I think would go back next week. I think the next time I go it might go by myself so I can get some of those National Geographic shots and maybe do a little fishing.