And Sometimes You Don't Combine Them

September 15 is Agatha Christie's Birthday.  It is also Make a Hat Day.  If I really tried, I could combine the two.  You know I could.  But we had other plans.  So I did celebrate both, just not together.

This morning found me starting to read Agatha Christie's Autobiography.  I'd been meaning to read it again for years and today was the perfect excuse to start.

This afternoon/evening found me hiking with my family at Big Springs to look at the Fall colors.

 Remember, click on the pictures to see them bigger

Since it's early enough (Autumnal Equinox is a week away), but not too early (we didn't want to miss the colors), we were able to see green, yellow, orange, and red leaves, some of them on the same tree.  That was cool.

We didn't get to go there to see the Fall colors last year, so the last time we did was when I was pregnant with Jr. Jr.  I went a lot faster when he was still in me.  That boys loves to play in the dirt and throw rocks.  There were so many times I had to go back and pick him up and carry him to catch up with the others because he would just stay in one spot playing in the dirt and throwing the rocks.

 
But you wanted to know about Make a Hat Day, right?  I started with an idea from the September 2012 FamilyFun Magazine.  In a section about family hiking, it suggests putting a loop of packing tape (sticky side out) around someone's wrist, then they can stick the treasures they find along the way to it.  I thought that was a fun idea, but since it was Make a Hat Day, I thought it would be nice for the kids to stick things to a hat instead of a bracelet.  Now, I didn't just stick a loop of packing tape around their heads.  That might be a little uncomfortable.  Since we picnicked at the park before going hiking, I took unused paper plates, cut out the inside part and stuck the remaining loop on the kids' heads.  You would be amazed at how much those kids liked those "hats."  They all kept them on the whole time (even Jr. Jr.).

Nichole and Jr. Jr. were both content with the hats as they were, but Jr. liked it when I added some of the treasures he found to his hat.

Nichole enjoyed collecting rocks in a bucket (we only let her keep three at the end) and Jr. Jr. was happy to throw rocks or add them to Nichole's bucket.

Did I mention he likes playing in the dirt?
Unfortunately at one point, he was going too quickly downhill, tripped, and ate it... literally.  I don't think he minds getting dirt all over his face, but not in his mouth.

I'd say celebrating Agatha Christie's Birthday today was successful.  I'd also say that celebrating Make a Hat Day today was successful.