Mountain Trip: Hikes and Swimming

On this little mountain adventure, our friends the Lyon family came with us. Each morning Cambry, Vienna and Marcos came out in the front yard and played together.

We went on a hike up to some water falls. Here we are at the trail head

The vegetation was super thick. I have never felt like I was so deep in the sticks in my life. Devin was the trail blazer and had a stick he was constantly swatting for spider webs.

Just before the end of the hike, the girls turned back, since I was carrying Vienna most of the way, and what comes up must come down. Also none of us girls were really too excited about all the spiders, so we went to go wade in the river at the bottom instead. Apparently the waterfall was only about 1/4 of a mile more, dang it. But Devin, Gregory and Marcos all made it.

This was the beach right by our cottage that we got to swim in.The water was cold, but we were daring, and we ventured out into it.

C was in heaven. She loves the water

Across the river is this incredible rope swing- there's probably a country song written about it, it was so fantastic. Devin went off it several times while I was at the cabin with the napping Vienna, then brought me back down once she was awake to show me the ropes (so punny).

Cambers was a great passenger on the tube to the other side of the river, and each time I came out of the water after a turn on the rope swing, she clapped and cheered, and asked if I was OK. She's such a sweetheart.

It was SOO FUN!! See my little cheerleader on the beach?

She was happy to stay at the beach without touching the cold water

There was a HUGE butterfly colony where the beach met the cobblestone. Vienna and I loved chasing them around, although we didn't take pics of it.

Rachael had the foresight to turn the hot tub way down so a pregnant lady and the little ones could enjoy the hot tub too.

Loafing with my girls in the tunnel

There is something so darling to me about little kids running down hills.

This is how Vienna runs: head forward, mouth open, arms back. When she finally gets to you, she throws her arms around your neck and gives a big bear hug. She did this the next Sunday at church in sacrament on the bench and just launched herself into me to give me a big bear hug. You could hear suppressed laughter in the rows behind us.

Friendly competition of horse shoes. We were all so good, that we finally had to end the game at like 4 to 3. Lots of laughter, not a lot of talent.