Libraries and Parks

If I had to choose a theme for this rotation, I'd say it was "Libraries & Parks."  At least for myself and the kids.  For James, the theme was more like, "Let's Just Get Through This!"  

Now we're just days away from moving onto our next rotation.  James has 2 days left of clinic, which means we move in 3 days!!!  I can't believe it.  I have started packing.  I've pulled out boxes and filled about half a dozen of them.  

(2012, Hillsboro Shute Park Library)

But, back to my theme of "Libraries & Parks."  There are about 14 libraries in Washington County and we wanted to visit them all in our 3+ years in the area.

 (This is back in 2011)

We managed to visit about 4 of them when we lived in Forest Grove, but it was a bit of a drive to most of them.  

Then we ended up in Beaverton, which is more centrally located in Washington County.  So we recommitted ourselves to see as many libraries as we could in the 3 months that we'd be here.  I've already shown pictures of our library in Beaverton, with the splash park across the street.  

So here's a tour of some of our libraries and the parks we visited as well.  Above, is Cedar Mill Community Library @ Bethany.

It's a small library situated between downtown stores, with apartment homes above.  I liked it's unique, un-library-esque location. 

Inside, Taylor found princess books and...

Logan found movies. 

 Bethany also has a fun park, with a pirate theme.

The kids loved exploring the new parks as much, if not more than the libraries.
 

I had to beg them to be still long enough for a picture. 

The other Cedar Mill Community Library, the big one.  

Every library was different, of course.  Some were more fun for kids than others, but they always found things to do.

Taylor found books about Anansi the Spider, from African folklore.

Logan found Lego magazines.  

We then played at a nearby park, until it started raining too hard. 

It's been such a nice Fall that rain was rarely a problem while we were out exploring new libraries and parks. 

Each park was unique also.  We never knew what we were going to get.
 

The kids, outside the Hillsboro Public Library, another huge one.   

The area around this library is like a nature park.  We saw ducks and paths, but didn't explore them.  A friend told us later, what a cool place it is.  Now I'm kicking myself for not checking it out.   

Once again, we're out of time in this area and we didn't see everything we wanted to.  We did try though.

Inside the Hillsboro Public Library.  

We did discover a nice area not too far from home called, "Cooper Mountain Nature Park."  It has miles of trails and a play structure.  Here, Taylor is driving the wagon, trying to get those "horses" to go. 

Climbing ropes, one of Logan's favorite things at a park.

Taylor finding something to climb on too. 

West Slope Community Library.

This is a small library, but it still had a great children's area.

The kids loved playing with the toys.

We found this small park.  It didn't have much in the way of a play structure, but the kids came up with a game to play.

 They got the swings going, without anyone in them.

 Then they'd run the gauntlet...

and try not to get knocked over.  

Another park we tried out was at a swim center,

and it had one of the most fun pieces of equipment we ever played on.

It was a cross between the rope structures Logan loves to climb on and...

a merry-go-round.

Now all the parks are starting to blend together. 

This one was by the Cedar Mill Recreational Center. 

Logan asked me to take this picture of the sun's rays, so I have to include it in the blog post.  We saw this right as we were getting in the car to leave.  

 We just had so much fun playing at all these different parks.

We love seeing new things and places.

We've enjoyed this rotation.  We've explored and went outside as often as we could.  

Sherwood Library was about a 20 minute drive for us,

but they have the best park there.  Snyder Park has paths and play structures, a soccer field, tennis courts and I don't know what all else.  

Sherwood is a nice, historic town of about 20,000 people, I think.  It's a town I would live in, just for this park.

It looks like it has a splash park area in the summer.  There were all kinds of rocks to climb on.  There were 3 separate play structure areas.  It was a huge park.  It also has bathrooms with real, flush toilets!!!  That's huge in my book.

The biggest rope structure we've ever seen.

It also has artificial turf on their soccer field.  How amazing is that!

 We've never been so close to astro turf (or whatever they call it these days) before.  It was soft, but not as squishy as I'd have thought.  Finely shredded black rubber was laid down on the "grass."  That's what Logan is looking at so intently. 

Tigard Public Library.

The ABC chair.

Once again, they've each found something to do.  Reading and...

 working on puzzles.  Taylor can't resist a puzzle.  

Another park we explored.  We saw a coyote at this park, but it was to far away to get a good picture.

Staged logs to climb on.  How cool is that!

Taylor found a sleeping mouse friend in this "log."

 Commonwealth Park. 

 It had ducks.

It had great walking paths. 

It had cool bridges and educational signs.

It had a lake.

 It even had a play structure.

So we went on a nice stroll around the lake and then played at the park awhile. 

There were several parks in this vicinity, so we went to many of them.

 Ducks from the lake walked across the street, to this park while we were playing here.

Another park....

but check out these trees.  They are growing in quite a peculiar way.

 Next, the Tualatin Public Library.

Hanging out with "The Storyteller," outside.

A mosaic made from pieces of glass bottles.  

They had a fine Children's Area, but...

we thought it was so awesome to be able to curl up in a chair by the fire and read for a little while!

 Cook Park in Tualatin.

This was a unique playground toy.  Four wavy, metal pieces were connected by short, flexible bands, so that the whole thing rolled like a wave as you tried to walk across it.  

 This is H.M. Terpanning Rec. Center park.

 Both kids get a ride on these kind of swings.

Taylor has really improved in her ability to do the monkey bars this Fall.  She didn't use to like them at all. 

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm tired of this post.  I mean, I'm tired of working on it.  It's taken me way too long.  I should be packing and cleaning.   

These are not all the parks we went too, but you get the idea.  I think we ended up with several favorites, like, Jenkins Estate, Schiffler, Snyder Park in Sherwood, and Camille Park. 

One last library, the North Plains Public Library.  I think it might just be our favorite.  Unfortunately, it was the last one we discovered and we won't have time to return.

 It's Children's Area is loaded with educational games and puzzles. 

It kept them content for a very long time.  

Also, during this time of "Libraries & Parks," we've been reading lots of books, working steadily on "school" and...

 doing eye exercises for vision therapy, 

(and for fun).

 Taylor finished her 2nd Grade workbook.  Logan also finished his math book and we've moved onto a new one for him.  So that pretty much wraps up our 3 months in Beaverton.