Fall Hike

It is so nice when we have a free Saturday with beautiful weather to enjoy.  (These are pretty rare around here between biking season and ski season.)  We were looking for something to do to enjoy the great outdoors.  Everyone except Shawn decided that it would be a little too cold to go boating (although I did offer to go and pull him around if he really wanted to).  So after Shawn and the kids stopped in at a couple of ski swaps, we decided to go hiking.  We headed up Millcreek and hiked the Pipeline Trail.

It is nice to have a baby that goes along pretty willingly with whatever we are doing - and always with a smile.

Here's the gang headed up the trail.  Yes, Shawn has Peter on the front and Duffy on his back.  I did offer to carry one of them, but he insisted.  I think he liked all the comments he got from other hikers about his toughness, but he claims its because he doesn't want to spend hundreds of dollars for more physical therapy on my shoulder.  Either way, I was able to enjoy the hike relatively unburdened.  (I did end up with a handful of sweatshirts, wrappers and leaves for Amelia's leaf collection by the time we were heading down, though.)

Here are the kids at the top with a view of the whole city.  We (And by we, I mean some of the kids, not me or Shawn), suffered a bit of a meltdown at this point with lots of crying, wailing, whining and people looking at us like we were crazy.  But since it was over cheetos and licorice rather than about the hiking, we still consider the hike a success.  (It was only about 4 years ago that we swore we would never hike with the kids again.  I'm glad we sucked it up and tried again because we have really enjoyed it.)

Jonas and Samantha waiting for the slower hikers in the group to catch up.

Shawn and the kids.  Duffy was (thankfully) sound asleep in the backpack at this point.

I was amazed at how well the kids did and that Amelia hiked the whole thing.  (It ended up being a little farther than we originally thought.)  The fall colors and the weather were both beautiful.  The kids and I took plenty of pictures of the fall foliage. Jonas is trying to take a photo to enter in the reflections contest.  (Have I mentioned that I hate it when teachers require the kids to enter?!! Ah well, that's another blog for another time.)  Anyway, enjoy the photos and imagine that you were there with us. (You can vote for your favorite to help Jonas out.)

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Happy Fall and here's hoping for a few more (OK, a bunch more) warm, dry, fall days to enjoy!