most beautiful hike

Dennis went to his first tea party today, a fall themed picnic in a beautiful old pavilion at Oak Mountain State Park. We grilled hot dogs and had potato salad and baked beans, chocolate chip cookies, and caramel apple pie, and most of all shared the meal with some of our very best friends. Jennifer brought Peanut the Chihuahua, and Gran and Pop came as well. Much thanks to the Gallman family for hosting such a fabulous meal.

Instead of driving back down the mountain from Peavine Falls, we decided to hike on the Green Trail and come back via the falls on the White and Blue trails. This was a spectacular idea from Dave, and we were fortunate enough to hike through some of the most breathtaking fall color I've ever seen. Ellen and I couldn't take enough pictures, and the pictures just couldn't do justice to what seemed like a cathedral of vibrant color towering over us as we walked through the valley.

It's hard to say what the best part of the hike was, as each of us liked different things. On the drive up the mountain at noon, we got to see the sun illuminating red and yellow and orange leaves, giving them a warm glow of color. On the hike, seeing all the colors all around us and all above us made me constantly pray "thank you" in my mind to the Creator of all the beauty I was experiencing. It was a heaven for the senses, beauty all around, peace and quiet, and a spicy woodsy aroma that we churned up as we marched over the soft carpet of thousands of fallen leaves. The temperature was perfect, with sunny and breezy weather, and we could not have asked for a more perfect fall experience.

The guys liked when we did a little bushwhacking between trails since the connector had long since grown over, and Dennis liked this the best as well. He became very animated, chatting and reaching out from his spot in the backpack to grab the trees and feel the nature that he was wandering through.

And our family and the Gallmans were having such a wonderful time together, we extended the fun to a game night at their house that turned into a two-family slumber party. So much laughter, and so much fun, and such happy babies enjoying spending time together--these are some of the very best moments in life.