When I was a kid, my dad took my brother and I hiking a lot. We had all kinds of fun adventures, but I always loved Mission Trails Regional Park, specifically Old Mission Dam.
As Lil’ Man gets bigger, we are looking for more fun outdoor adventures. This last rain storm would be the catalyst for two days of big outdoor fun.
Friday, we loaded up and headed over to to dam. The past week of rain has really changed our usual path, so we got to explore some areas we’d never seen together.
It was a great chance for him to check out new trails, see erosion in action, splash in the cold stream water (there were a couple times we had to jump over streams to continue on, and well, we didn’t quite make it!), and see shells. There are a lot of little fresh water clams that make the river their home, as a result, we saw lots of shells!
We climbed, discovered, and navigated our way through the park for about 2 hours. 
By far the most exciting thing we found was an old, rusted car that had been shot at many, many times in the past. When you area four year old boy, nothing is more exciting than a rusty old car.
After stopping for snacks and water, we continued on to explore nature and hopefully find some cool rocks (another favorite pastime).
On Saturday, we headed over after lunch to the Visitor & Interpretive Center. It was closed, but we checked out the nature flora and the amphitheater. Then we did the loop around the center. It was a fun, easy walk (no pictures, we were too busy exploring).
It’s a quick 1 mile loop with a couple foot bridges and it overlooks the river, which is “raging” (as much as it can here) right now.
If you are in the San Diego area and haven’t been to Mission Trails Regional Park, you are missing out. There is tons of fun to be had and nature to explore. There are paths and trails for every skill level, and there is even a paved path along Father Junipero Serra Trail if you aren’t feeling adventurous, but still want to get outside. Parking is free, admission to the park and Visitor & Interpretive Center is free (but they do accept donations!). Most paths, except the paved road are not stroller friendly. Most paths are bike and/or Equine friendly, and leashed dogs are welcome.
And of course what better 
way to end a fun day of hiking, than with a little park yoga:
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A few weeks ago, Obol sent me two bowls to try out. They are great for keeping your milk and cereal separate right until you are ready to eat. No more soggy, mushy cereal!
But beyond cereal, it’s great for yogurt and cereal (or yogurt and granola, shown here), yogurt and fruit, even desserts like ice cream and cookie topping!
alphs.com, log onto your account, click on Savings, then digital coupons, sort by category (baby).
Recently, rad folks at Moms Meet and Studio Fun sent us a box that Lil’ Man could hardly wait to get into.
These books are ADORABLE! Lil’ Man is getting to the age where he wants a pet, and these books are a great learning tool for him.
We sat down to snuggle on the couch with some soft blankets, cocoa, and read our new books tonight! Lil’ Man said, “NO pictures, please mommy. I has the no-feel-goods!” But I did snap a photo of our soft blankies and books!
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Hewes Family Fun 