Salomon Farm Park- Walk Thru Summer 2015

What a beautiful day today to take a walk and explore a new place!  With some shopping to do, we headed to Ft. Wayne and decided to make our first stop at Salomon Farm just off of Dupont, north of Ft. Wayne.  The trail was asphalt, so it was perfect for strollers or biking, but also made a very nice and smoothe walking trail for us.  It was 1.8 miles in length and was heavily traveled, so we weren't worried about it being unsafe.  It was one big loop that went around the farm and the YMCA.  It also connects with the Pufferbelly trail that is also a walking/biking trail that goes on into Ft. Wayne more and connects with some other trails.  This is definitely an area we want to explore more and maybe with our bikes next time.

If you are there during business hours, there are real nice indoor bathrooms that are available and you can meander around the farm to look at their gardens and animals.  It was rather an enjoyable walk just checking out their little homestead and seeing what they have growing.  It's also very pretty this time of year with many spring flowers in bloom.

Here's a little glimpse of our walk today.  The sunshine felt so amazing and the views were enjoyable too.

 The sign said, "don't pick the flowers", but we were sure they didn't mean the dandelions that were vastly covering the green lawn. :)

 A little football fun while they waited for all of us to finish our sandwiches we packed.  Never leave home with out.  

 There were some big frogs around this pond.  Alegra wanted a picture of them but of course the little siblings ruined those photo opportunities.

To the left is the Pufferbelly Trail and on the right is the Salomon Farm Trail Loop.  

Get outside and enjoy the lovely weather finally making its way to our part of the country!

Bathroom Remodel- It is finished....well, almost.

We finally completed the bathroom remodel project!  Well, almost.  We still need doors :), something for the toilet paper, a few more things on the walls, and eventually a light over the tub.  

Jonathon has worked so hard on this project.  He's given us many, many memories and great stories that we are still telling people.  All of my amazing ideas for this bathroom that I really didn't think he could do, he totally conquered and mastered it.  From the stone floor, to the cute little shelf, to the tiled shower, he did it all and well!   Enjoy the before and after pictures.  We sure are enjoying the real thing finally done!  

 After

 Before- these two bathroom became one big one.

 The gutted out bathrooms before plumbing and pipes were moved.

 It's coming along with drywall on the ceiling, a beam put in place for looks, and all plumbing and pipes in the right places and working properly.

 Installed corner, jet tub and building the surround for it.

 Time to put up the walls.  Reclaimed barn siding.

 My cute little shelf I requested for my jars of goodies and the towel.  He did an awesome job building just what I was hoping for.

 After some rearranging, I moved the cupboard from our dining room up to the bathroom.  No money spent and it fits just perfectly!

 The view of the vanity, toilet, shower, and tub to the right.

 Jonathon wanted a copper sink, so he got it.

 I wanted a dry sink, so I found one at the auction barn for $45.00.  It was my extremely happy moment with this project since all the ones I had seen were $400 or more.  What a blessing!

 I said, "Can we put stones on the floor and have them come out of the shower a little to look like it flows out into the bathroom?"  He said, "Who do you think I am?"  So, he did it.  :)

 Isn't this shelf lovely?  :)

 My happy place of relaxation.  Now to just get some doors to lock everyone out. :)

So, there it is.  It's what we've worked all winter on and wondered when it would ever get finished.  All the supplies are finally purchased to make the doors, so I see that getting accomplished in the near future.  I love how it all turned out and am so blessed that we were able to find auction items, clearanced items, and repurpose things we already had around (the shower curtain rod was old copper piping that we tore out and replaced.  Jonathon bent it to fit as a rod, and it works wonderfully).  The inside projects are coming to an end, which I believe my husband is grateful for.  Now for the outside.  That may have to wait a couple years.  We need another vacation.  :)

Lonidaw Nature Preserve- Walk Thru Summer- 2015

We started our summer walking program with my mom and her sister, Aunt Betty Jo, joining us.  What a great day to get out, get sunshine, air, and some movement in and start our Walk Thru Summer program.  Since we wanted to attend a bird program at the Kendallville Public Library, it was on the way to stop at this nature preserve before heading to the library.  Lonidaw Nature Preserve is a great place to hike with some hills and some flat ground.  You can check out the link to see what the characteristics of this preserve are.  We've hiked here before, so I knew it would be a nice little trek to squeeze in to get some movement in our day.  

I apologize that most of the pictures are of Saphira.  Wait, why am I apologizing?  She's perfect picture material.  :)  My camera ran out of batteries with the first picture Josiah tried to take, so we are using all of Alegra's photos and she does enjoy taking pictures of her littlest sister.  

A short hike with a little bit of hilly terrain makes this trail perfect for pumping the heart while enjoying nature and all the flowers that this woods holds.    

 At the top of one of the hills and this mama was tired.  :)

It took us close to an hour to complete the trail.  It may not have been a long hike, but it was a good one to start our program on.  Besides, any bit of walking and movement is good for the body and God's creation is good for the soul.  Get out and walk in the woods!  We are hoping that we will have other families join us throughout the summer.  Let us know if you want to join our hikes one of these days!