7 Field Trips I Hope to Go On This Spring

I say “I hope to…” because, well, I’ve seen what happens when I try to make concrete plans…

Much of the time I tend to be a perfectly content homebody, but I came to realize a few years ago that I didn’t want to spend my later years looking back with a heart full of regret over all the things I thought would be fun to do, but never did; all the places I thought would be great to visit, but never went; all the things that would be so enriching to see, but never saw.  There will be regrets in this life, I know that, but I didn’t want mine to consist of a long list of the many things we all missed out on because Mom didn’t feel like doing that or going there… Rather than regrets, I wanted a lifetime of experiences, involving getting out and exploring, seeing things and doing things.  I determined to be more adventurous, to get out and do more, to make more memories with my children while experiencing life beyond our 4 walls.  (We actually have more than 4 walls in our house, just in case anyone was worried.)

We started getting out and seeing, doing, tasting, experiencing so much more, and that is something I hope will never change and I don’t think I’ll ever regret.

I’ve jotted down a list of some of the places I intend to experience with my children in the next few weeks and months, just in case there are some locals reading, or someone planning a visit to the Twin Cities and looking for suggestions of things to do…

1. Macy’s Flower Show- Check! Did this one on Monday!  We went last year for the 1st time- loved it and hope to make it an annual thing!  It’s free, so if you live in or near the metro area, head on down, or up, or over… you have until April 11th!

2. Como Zoo- we’ve been going to Como Zoo at least once a year for a very many years now.  It’s still a free zoo, though they do ask for donations, and the suggested donation ($2 for adults, $1 for children) is much smaller than the typical admission price to just about anywhere…  The face of a small child transfixed in fascination the 1st time they see a flamingo, a giraffe, or a sea lion show, or when the lion lets out a mighty roar just when we’re walking by, is almost too precious for words.  I love to watch my children’s faces as much as, perhaps more than, watching the animals…

3. Twins game at their new Target Field-  Hopefully we’ll make it to a Dairy Queen Cap Night with our friends (Traci, from I’ll Take Tea, and her darling daughter and husband- hi guys!)

4. Minnesota History Center- more specifically, the Ben Franklin Exhibit

5. The Oliver H. Kelley Farm- One of our favorite places to visit most every spring, summer, and fall!

6. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden- It’s been quite a while since we’ve been there and it occurred to me recently that our younger children have never seen that great big cherry on a spoon up close and personal.

7. The Bell Museum of Natural History- the only place you’ll ever see me with a Giant African Millipede crawling across my hand.  I’d show you the pics from last year, but they’re on my friend’s camera.  Honest-to-goodness, I really did touch it, and once I got past the shuddering it was actually pretty cool…

I could keep going.  The more I think about it, the more places we’d love to visit, some for the 1st time and some that we love to visit again and again.  I could fill our calendar with outings, but we need our down time too, so I have to reign it in a bit.  That, and we still need to get in our reading, writing, and good old arithmetic.

Minnesota readers- do you have a favorite place to get out to visit?

ps- the new Google Friend Connect widget that I had to start over with after my WordPress move is looking kind of lonely, so go ahead and click on that little button over there on the left- it will make me smile, and I know you wanna make me smile today

Related posts:

1. Spring Tic Tac Toe

Tagged as: Field Trips