Creatures of the Night

Quarry Hill Nature Center holds a Halloween event every year called "Creatures of the Night". They lead families on an evening hike and then offer refreshments afterwards. Matt and Jillian went for the first time last year and loved it, so it was great that Adrienne was old enough this year so we could all go and enjoy it together. We met Matt for an early dinner after work in celebration of Jillian's award before heading out to QH. It was at this dinner that we decided to reveal the location of our upcoming "secret trip". The girls have known for a few months that we are going on a "secret trip" right after Jillian's birthday, but we have intentionally kept the destination a secret from them because we didn't want to hear them asking a bazillion times if "today is the day we go to Disneyworld". We were just trying to spare ourselves from any additional madness. So, we told the girls at dinner by presenting them with the Magic Bands and they seemed excited. Jillian understands what Disneyworld is on a basic level and she was appropriately stoked. Adrienne acted happy because her sister was, but really, she's clueless. I'm bracing myself, but that's another post for another time. Back to QH.....

We got there early so had some time to kill inside the nature center looking at animals. A man had a (non-poisonous) snake out for kids to hold. I was pretty shocked that Jillian went for it.

She's not sure she wants to, but does it anyway.

Adrienne touched it once, then ran away

We headed outside at our designated hike time. While we waited, we learned that we were going to be looking for 4 animals on our hike: a turkey, a coyote, a wolf spider, and a buck. We also got to get up close and personal with a beautiful Eastern Screech owl.

Soon we were off. It was a beautiful warm (50's!) night and we really enjoyed ourselves on the hike. The naturalists who dressed as each animal gave wonderful and entertaining monologues about each creature--Matt and I both learned several things and the kids were transfixed. We even saw some real wolf spiders (huge ones) inside the cave as we were chatting with the woman dressed as a wolf spider.

Walking through the woods. 

Adrienne was mesmerized by her flashlight

After the hike we had some apple cider and cookies

See, I really WAS there, too!

The best part of the night was when Matt informed the girls it was time to go home (it was after 9!), Adrienne melted into a puddle and shouted, "But we didn't get to see Anna and Elsa yet!!" I guess she misunderstood and thought that Disneyworld was at Quarry Hill......next week, A, next week.