Life doesn't slow down much, but occasionally we remember to take a moment to slow down and enjoy the sweetness of today. So we packed up the car and drove to Buda to take advantage of the little cabin that we get to use at Twin Oaks Ranch, an EFCA retreat center.
We enjoyed roasting marshmallows, picnic breakfasts, a hammock by the creek, canoeing, and playing foosball in the game room. Even schoolwork is more fun when you get to do it in the chapel with giant windows overlooking the creek!
One of the evenings, we picked up some cupcakes at the food truck park and found a spot by Congressional Bridge. Shortly after sundown, we enjoyed the beauty of millions of bats flying out from under the bridge to swirl around the evening sky.
The next morning we visited the Austin Science and Nature center, where we had fun exploring all the outdoor exhibits.
The coolest part was the trade center, where you could bring in interesting rocks or specimens and trade them in for new natural treasures. We didn't know about the trade center ahead of time, so we hadn't brought anything with us, but the man at the desk was nice enough to talk with Naomi and Johnathan about the limestone rocks they found outside and show them how it bubbles when you put a drop of acid on it. He gave them credit to trade for some rocks from the "Cool Rocks" bin!
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