Hard Work

Do you know who is the best cleaner in the house besides me? It's my only son. He doesn't enjoy it but every time he does a job it is super detailed. My kitchen cabinets are gleaming and my windows sparkle. Right now he is working for extra money to buy a Lego set that he wants. He also secured a Loan" from his sister, Eva, who saves all her allowance and never spends it on anything. He drew up a contract with interest and she signed it. He is anxious to pay it back soon since he agreed to 10% interest (his idea, I guess he doesn't know the average banking rate nowadays). It tickles me to see him being prudent, industrious, and working for what he wants.

Pisgah National Forest

This morning we packed up and left the Red Chalet. I hope we get to come again sometime soon. On our way home, we drove through Pisgah National Forest and took a few short hikes to see waterfalls. This one is called Looking Glass Falls. This was a much taller waterfall than we had seen this trip.  It was gorgeous, especially with the morning sun peeking through the trees.

The second hike was a bit of a climb but it was my favorite of the trip. This is Moore's Cove Falls. You could easily go behind it and sit and relax. So peaceful! I imagine after a good rain though it would be pretty big.

The trip home seemed to take forever. Paige felt sick so she sat with a bag most of the ride home. We also got stuck in traffic at one point midway through the drive and then later behind a very slow tractor just outside Raeford when we were almost home. We were all anxious not to be in the car anymore. The guys beat us home.

It was a great trip and just what we needed. We needed to spend some quality time together away from distractions and contentions of the outside world.

DuPont Forest

We woke up this morning and had breakfast on the patio. It is so beautiful out here. 

We then got ready for our first waterfall hike - Bridal Veil Falls in DuPont State Park. It was quite a hike through the woods to get there.

 On the way, we passed a lake. the girls really wanted to swim but we said they couldn't, that they wouldn't want to hike in wet clothes. So we settled for a nice bit of lounging partway to our destination. 

We reached the waterfall after about an hour hike. These falls were in the movie "The Last of the Mohicans". We sat on the shore and ate our lunch. Then we played in the shallows and on the rocks. 

Eva found a snake under a rock outcropping right underneath us. We moved spots and gave him a wide berth.

Then Jason and the kids set off to explore. I sat and enjoyed the amazing view, needing some alone time

They came back after about 15 minutes and told me that you could go behind the falls and that I needed to come. The rocks were slippery but we made it without anyone getting too wet, which was hard with an excited dog on her leash. However, the sights were awesome!

The girls headed off back to the shore where our packs were. Brendan took off exploring and was gone for a while. Too long. After half an hour Jason went to look for him. I sat by the waterfall. I didn't know that Jason took this photo.

I was both worried for the girls, who were out of my sight way down the shore and for Brendan who Jason could not find. We finally decided to go back to the girls and, lo and behold, Brendan had taken the long way around the riverbank through the brush and was with them. I reminded him that he had to tell us where he was going. 

On the hike back we came across a couple with a nine-week-old puppy. The girls stopped to play with him, of course.

On the drive back we saw this funny road sign. I wonder if Frodo lives there. 

Back at the cabin we relaxed and got ready for dinner over the firepit. This is the first family vacation we have ever been able to have with Stella. She's been such a good doggie. 

 The cabin owners really have thought of everything. There were even some legos in one of the bedrooms. The kids (mostly Brendan) made these.

 We had hot dogs over the firepit and later roasted marshmallows. It was a lovely capstone to a fun but exhausting day.

First Day in Brevard

We needed to get away for a while. Away from screens and politics and being trapped inside. We booked a cabin in the woods and left this morning for it. It was a cabin where we could bring Stells so we didn't need a dogsitter. I am sure she will love the great outdoors too. The cabin is in Brevard, NC near a national forest and a state park. There is supposed to be some great hikes nearby.

We had to take two cars in order to fit us, our stuff and the dog but that turned out to be a good thing. I took the girls and Jason and Brendan took the dog. The "guy car" had a great time talking the whole way (they needed some time together). The "girl car" stopped to get groceries on the way so we could make food at the cabin. We got food for grilling and food to cook over the fire.

The cabin is called "the Red Chalet" and it is lovely. There is a loft, a pond, a fire pit, a patio with BBQ, a pull-down movie screen (but not TV - yay!), a hammock, lots of board games, and a well-stocked kitchen. Its surrounded by trees and is so peaceful.

We arrived midafternoon so we explored a bit around the cabin, played some board games, read some books, and just relaxed.

After dinner on the grill, we watched Lego Movie 2 on the projector in our pajamas.

Afterward, we went on a walk with Stella (mainly a potty trip) but it turned into an adventure when we spotted fireflies. It was magical! I have missed fireflies.

After the kids were in bed Jason and I hung out on the patio with the twinkle lights on. I enjoyed sitting outside, listening to the wind and the crickets, and watching the fireflies.

Tomorrow we are hiking to a waterfall.

Fathers Day

Happy Father's Day to the napping champ! He deserves a nap after all he does for us. He is a father, son, husband, bishop, mentor, friend and doctor. He wears so many hats that sometimes I wonder how he does it all.

I made one of his favorite dinners (tikka masala) and we gave him a new DeWalt tool he has been wanting. Some of the kids made cute little cards for him too. In the evening we played Dad Joke Telephone. It seemed fitting and was super funny!