Family Hike

 

What a sweet family, brimming with optimism and energy!  The trail to Agnes Vaille Falls sounded perfect:  1/2 mile to a waterfall - just the right length for a family with a baby and a two-year-old, right? 

We started out with great enthusiasm.  Gorgeous views, pine-scented air.  Ezra struck an "I'm King of the World" pose.

 

But a half mile quickly becomes a strenuous hike when you have to gain so much elevation.  Abby bounced happily in the Moby strapped to Daddy.  Ezra climbed on Mommy's back and she called on her old backpacking skills to hoof him up the trail. 

 

But the climb was worth it!  Beautiful falls, swollen with spring runoff.

 

Then it was time to go back down.

 

As rain clouds built overhead, we skittered down the trail.  Ezra finally lost the strength to hold on to Daddy's back, so Kevin slung him over his shoulders like a lamb.

We made it back down!  I think the kids agreed the hike was worth it, once they were rewarded with their ice cream from K's Dairy Delight! 

Drive-by Shooting

 

 

Grandpa and Johnathan were itching to try out Grandpa's BB gun, so on the way back from dinner in Buena Vista, they pulled over on a side road to do a little target practice!

 

Mount Princeton Hot Springs

What a beautiful place to swim!

 

 We even got to swim with Grandma and Grandpa Stata, who came up for an afternoon.

 

Zipping down the waterslide...

Ahhh!

 

When we lived in Colorado, our favorite mountain getaways included hot springs.  So when we decided to add a few nights in the mountains to our summer trip to Colorado, we picked Mount Princeton Hot Springs.  What a blessing these few days were!  The mountain air, warm mineral water, and "unplugged" family time were incredibly relaxing.

 

 

 

We swam, soaked, and snuggled into our cabin in this beautiful spot.

Happy Campers

Though Kevin and I have camped a lot, we haven't tried it yet since moving south.  So Daddy loaded up the car with all the gear and the two oldest kids, and off they went to Huntsville State Park.  They had a great first trip, full of duct tape tent repairs, heat and humidity, large alligators, long campfire stories, persistent raccoons, popcorn, and canoeing.
   

 

The little ones and I joined them the next day for a little lunch and exploring.

 

 

Abby is One!

Abby is now a one-year-old, and we had a great time introducing her to a Boaz family birthday in her honor!

First, she learned how to open her birthday stocking.

 

Her siblings showed her how to play with her new tea party toys.

 

And she had a crash-course in being the guest of honor at her dinner party.  She warmed up to her guests and charmed everyone with her smile!

 

The final lesson:  How to eat cupcakes.  Who knew lemon frosting tasted so good?

Kevin's Comeback

 

It's been a while since Kevin's been able to play any basketball, so he was pretty excited to play in a three-on-three tournament this weekend!

 

 

Lots of action...

 

A little pain (especially the next day!)...

 

 

But lots of fun.  His smile in this picture says it all!