Relaxing Weekend

We had a wonderful get away this weekend. We drove an hour over to the Bankhead National Forest and camped out Friday night. We got together with our friends from the environmental group we were a part of in T-town. We see them about once a year, and now they all have kids too. There were 8 adults and 9 kids, including ours, and they ranged in ages from 6 months to Eliza at 9 years old. We went on several short hikes on Saturday with all the children as well. It was so fun.

The first hike was to a huge rock shelter.  You could easily fit several homes into the rock overhang. The kids loved it as much as we did. They were climbing on boulders and getting filthy in the dirt. There was also water trickling down, so they could get dripped on too. A fun part of this hike was its location at the bottom of a "canyon." We all climbed down a very challenging trail. Once Paul taught Luke to lean backward instead of forward, it was a lot easier for them.

The second hike was just off the road, but this was at a river. There were some falls to view and hundreds of butterflies all fluttering around. It was amazing. There was even a spot for the kids (and I) to take our shoes off and wade out into the water. Our feet were red when we got out, but it felt so good! There was also sand for the children to play in, and they again played in the dirt. What could be better, right?

The third hike was near another river. Actually, it could have been the same river for all I know, but it was in a different spot. We walked along a horse trail to view some beautiful wild flowers, and we found another spot on the edge of the river with more sand. This time there were lots of flat rocks to skip, and big rocks to make big splashes with. Luke particularly enjoyed the big rocks! Close by was a foot trail we hiked for a while as well, but by then it was approaching supper time. We hiked it for 20 minutes or so and then returned to the cabins for some yummy food. 

I was so proud of my kids. They all walked without complaint the entire time. Well, almost. Paul carried Luke for about 100-200 yards on the last hike. I encouraged him at the end by singing "Go Luke Go! Vamos Luke Vamos!" (For those of you who don't watch Nick, it is part of Diego's theme song.) The singing worked, and he made it back to the van. He is still feeling the effects though. Eliza and Sarah were quite the trail blazers. Being the oldest of the children gave them an added measure of confidence too. Leah surprised me at every turn. She was willing to work through lots of her fears (she has plenty). Once she saw that she could handle herself on the trail, she remained independent. 

I cannot express how much I love camping. I love the smell of the tent. I love being outside and feeling the earth around me. It just makes me happy! I will post pictures when I get them. We still don't have a functioning camera, and I decided not to go hiking with my Mac.