Family Adventure: McDowell Dam

The last two weekend have been windy and rainy but prior to that the kids and I hiked around McDowell Dam, just east of Bismarck.  We had my Nikon point and shoot along for the kids to take some photos as well as my new Cannon.....

Alex trying a few shots on the DSLR

A few pasques starting to bloom

 

Stopped for a snack.

Picture of each other...

No hike is complete with out a little complaining ;)

Weekend Adventure: Missouri River Nature Trail

View of the Missouri River.

It is unseasonably warm for March in ND, everything is still very brown (best part is no bugs)

Mandan, ND hill sign.

First geocache of the day.

Rip rap to protect the bank from further erosion.

Skipping rocks in the mighty Missouri River.

Finding treasures hiding in the rocks.

Weekend Adventure: Pioneer Park

My kids spend too much time plugged in to video games and the television.  I spend too much time in front of a computer all week.  In a effort to get out and explore the city, region and state we live in I am challenging myself to get out each week and find an adventure.

This week we found ourselves in Pioneer Park, a family favorite.  

This was also the first time turning off the auto shoot and testing the manual settings on my new camera.  Ended up with a mixed bag of shots. 

 We could not locate the geocache that we were looking for,  but frozen creek was fun.

It was an absolutely beautiful day to be out with some unseasonably warm weather.

New Camera

After many months of thinking about buying a new camera and a few weeks of searching the internet and asking my photo snapping friends what camera I should buy.  I took the plunge and bought a Canon Rebel T5 along with a 18-55mm lens and a 70-300mm lens.

First shot out of the box, then the battery died. 

I have not worked with a SLR camera since I took black and white photography class in college back in the dark room ages around 1992.  Since then I have had a variety of digital point and shoots and the past few years have resorted to my phone camera.

Trying out a few shots at home before we headed out to a school concert

We have a few long road trips planned for this year and I really want to get my kids out of the house and do some hiking/geocaching again this summer.   

One can only sit still so long waiting for mom before one must goof around. 

 I am ready for this adventure. 

My girl....

Birthday Weekend

Our little Abby turned 4 on Sunday.  All gone is the toddler that she was just a few months ago,  it is all big girl now. 

I made her a Lalaloopsy cake

and she loved it....

We played outside in 80 degree weather in the melting snow pile that was still in the back yard....

Abby filling her Mr. Piggy watering can with snow

And snuggled up with our new pup, a 4 year old yorkie named Beau....

Brant and Beau

My sister Sara and Beau

Happy Spring!!