Potato Creek State Park

I'm always up for an adventure. I love planning them, and I enjoy executing them even more. It is, of course, so much more fun to share the said adventure with others. I was really excited about getting together with my friend Stacey and her kids. Crazily enough, it took us two years and our good friend Katie's move to get us out together. Pathetic! I felt like such a dolt that it took me that long... However, in self defense, every time I'd try to get together with Stacey, Katie would usurp my spot and foil all my plans. Yeah, that's right. I'm laying the blame on the defenseless abandoner.

Anyway, after packing my Toyota Sienna FULL (yep, we actually fit three carseats and three boosters into the back along with a stroller, lots of bags/backpacks containing picnic lunches, towels, and water) we headed out. Potato Creek is said to be 12 miles from South Bend, but takes 30 minutes from our house. I was super excited we actually got there before 11am! (It took about 20 minutes to pack the van!)

I remember thinking "I can count to six, right?" every time I turned around since I was trying to keep track of all of our kids. It was harder when they could get away from us, such as going up the spiral stairs to the kids section inside the Nature Center. Thankfully we only lost Zoey once- and that for just a moment.

When we finally made it back to the van with all 8 of us, and we got buckles and latches and seats arranged, with backpacks stored, water bottles out and camera ready, I put the van into reverse to head out to the trail. Looked up. Put the van into park. I turned to Stacey and said, "Uh, this is the trail head!" She looked at me and we both busted up laughing! I couldn't even move I was laughing so hard! Of course the chorus behind us was "what are we doing" and "why are you laughing"? Stacey recommended we drive around the parking lot just to feel like we actually could use the fact we'd just buckled six kids in, but I thought "Why? They'll be even more confused if we don't go anywhere!" They were thoroughly confused and bit exasperated. I guess they just couldn't see the humor.

That should've been our first clue. We should've stopped, hauled out the food and goodies and fed the hungry pack and then attempted a "hike". Ooops. Well, we learned our lesson...

The lack of humor endured when Stacey and I encouraged our older kids to get up close and personal with the wildlife habitat. We'd started on our hike. Zoey and Megan were feeling a little hesitant about walking into the forest. Poor Ethan was "bit by a tree". I don't know where or how, but he had some huge welts on his arm! Already, Jameson and Zoë --

SIDENOTE: Yes, we were all very confused during these hours together. Thankfully when reading you can see that Zoë and Zoey are two different girls, and you know that one is 5 years old, blond, bossy, and loves being in charge and the other is 3 years old, polynesian looking (liker her dad), is not so fond of getting dirty, and is like my Megan in that she's a "Glamour Girl". It was hard to call to task one of them because the other (who was invariably closer, but behaving at the moment) would always feel attacked. We tried switching to middle names, or using just "Zo" for Zoey, which helped. I'm sure we'll find a solution eventually.

Anyway, Jameson and Zoë ran ahead and walked down to a green scum-covered pond. I had Miranda in the moby wrap on me, and Stacy had Megan, Zoey, and Ethan clinging to her arms, hands or legs, all three very timid and seemingly unhappy about the bugs, the rocks, the uneven ground, and so on.

Stacey and I saw the frogs swimming below the scummy surface and were trying to get the kids to see the animals, but they were having a hard time. Jameson walked over to one side and a bunch of frogs jumped in so I encouraged him to go back to see if more would jump. Zoë joined him and before I could shout out, Jameson had stepped in muck and Zoë had leaped in and quickly out again thus losing her shoe and stepping with her sock in the deep muddy mess. Zoey and Megan were freaked out by the mud, Zoey especially since she got some splashed on her shoe. Jameson and Zoë spent the next 10 minutes arguing about whose fault it was that they got messy. I was grateful Stacey was rolling with the punches, and not takin' a hit. She was so cool about the whole thing!




Stacey retrieved the shoe and got all the kids settled down. It was rather impressive. I hung out on the trail laughing & filming the whole escapade.






After getting to the lake, and reassuring the kids that not every dark patch was muddy, we were able to wash Jameson's shoes off, and headed out on our hike. Whew!


The girls and Ethan are watching as Jameson climbs out to wash the mud off his shoes.




The two oldest started out and got ahead quickly. Zoë was the map reader and Jameson was the pack leader. They actually did an excellent job of picking the right trail and leading us back to our van. I don't know if it was luck or if they actually read the map. The other three had a bit more difficulty. Ethan and Zoey wanted to be carried, and all three of them had to have their hands held nearly the entire trip. They were not interested in a hike for hiking's sake. They didn't like the bugs that flew into eyes, noses (Ethan insisted there was a bug up his nose!), or bit arms and legs. They did enjoy seeing the few butterflies on the trail, but there weren't any wild animals to see. Although the weather was warm and pleasant in the shade of trees, and we only walked a mile, the younger group was none-too-thrilled. I think they were hungry.



After a picnic lunch, we changed into swimming suits and drove (yep, buckles and all) over to the beach at the lake. I was feeling sad that we had to leave soon to get back for Zoë's swimming lessons, but the kids seemed just fine with having only 20 minutes to play in the water. The made the most of it!

Jameson and the girls practically ran down to the beach. He was sweet to hold hands with girls. We lugged all our baggage, kids included, down to the beach, but before you could shout, "Sunscreen!" they had already hit the water. Of course, all the kids loved the water, enjoyed splashing and playing and were sad to leave. Still, they were great about getting out of the water when we had to leave.

Miranda really was on this trip with us. She was glad to be held, and I think she was excited to go to the beach, too.

Zoey took a while to warm up to the idea of going into the water. She walked back and forth along the edge of the water, watching her brothers.

Ethan took a while to warm up to the water, too. But he enjoyed sitting in it up to his waist.







Megan was nervous, but as soon as she got her feet wet, literally, she dove in, figuratively.









Miranda? I think she'd have crawled across the beach to reach the water. I was afraid she'd feed herself a little extra protein and bacteria, but she didn't! She loved splashing, getting her face wet (gasp!) and digging in the rocky sand and letting it slip out through her fingers.















Zoey and Zoë lent itself to a lot of confusion. Zoë ended the day saying, "Just call me Karen!"

Megan was very ready to help Miranda play in the sand, although the younger one thought she knew enough to not warrant the extra help.

See? Ethan did get wet! He just had to scope it out and make sure it was ok.

Jameson and Zoë had no problem getting up to their necks in trouble. They splashed each other equally, although the girl got tired of it faster than the boy did.

Even Megan and Ethan enjoyed splashing each other. Just be careful, though...

What goes around, comes around.

Yes, she takes after her father, the little water baby! She was so excited and had so much fun in the water! Her's was the only, but a very loud and hearty, protest of leaving we had.

My Twin Cousin once said that there is nothing like hearing a child's laughter, unless it's your own child's. She later added to that saying the only thing better than that is if it is another of your own children making your child laugh. I have to agree... it is truly the best sound in the whole world.

Thanks for making this day so fun and so special! I'm glad that I've got a new "outdoors" buddy and that our kids get along so well. It's amazing! Whoddathunk that six kids (four girls, one under 1, and the oldest 7) and two moms would have such a blast!