Laurel hike at Sawnee Mountain Preserve

Some of the Laurels have been asking to go camping or hiking.  We were not able to come up with a weekend to go camping so I told them I would hike the one weekend I was available for the month of November.  Since Indian Seats Trail is closest to my house, I decided we would do that hike.  There is always a lot going on over the weekends so I was very happy with the turnout.  We even had one that we don't get to see very often come.  After the hike, I took them out for pizza at Marcos.  It was nice to be able to talk to them on a different level than being at church and hear about their lives and plans for the coming year.

 Bell, Kate, Taylor, Caitlyn and Kylee

Fort Mountain....again

Justin had today off for Veterens' Day and he let me plan the day.  I decided I wanted to show him Fort Mountain since the fall colors were still out and it was suppose to be a pretty nice day.  Unfortunately, it was a little more smokey.  We hiked up to the overlook and the fire tower and then got a little lost trying to take a different route than I had gone earlier.  We were on trails but not the right ones.  On the way home, we stopped and had lunch.  So nice to be able to spend the day together while the kids were in school.  This is the reconstructed fire tower.

Fort Mountain State Park

The kids had Voter Tuesday off of school so Charlyce and I decided to take them on a hike.  I had heard that Fort Mountain State Park was really pretty in the fall and had some nice trails.  There were fires going on north of there so the sky was pretty smokey but it was still pretty.  We had a great time.  We hiked up to the overlook and then down around the lake.  On the way home we stopped and ate at Ruby Tuesdays which took way to long to serve us.

 I found this picture of Isaac and Wilson later that night.  I had asked Isaac to hold my phone while Charlyce and I got our picture taken.  So funny.

Love this picture of me and Charlyce.  Much better than the selfies we try and take!

 We got to go down and then up the stairs to the observation deck.

 The kids had fun trying to skip rocks.  Nathan and Tyson were pretty good.  Nathan had the most bounces.  The poor girls tried and tried.  I think they each finally got one or two to skip.  It gave us a good laugh.

 There is a playground by the lake.  I think the kids could have played there for hours but the adults were getting hugry.

 Hannah and Izzy made up an obstable course.  Wilson got stuck and couldn't figure out how to get off the rock wall.  Once again, it gave us a good laugh!

So glad we get to live by these guys.

Pine Log Creek Trail

Charlyce and I decided it was time for one of our Friday field trips.  First, we stopped and voted for the next president.  We decided to try the Pine Log Creek Trail which was about 40 minutes from home.  We walked just over five miles.  It was a beautiful day and there were some fall colors.  Afterwards, we stopped and ate at Mary's Bread Basket for lunch and then checked out a little grocery store that we had been told had good deals called Aldi.  I love our field trips.

There was a little rock quary filled with water.  I think the kids would have fun playing there in the summer.  

 Charlyce and I attempted another selfie.  It was better than the last but still gave us a good laugh.  We definitely do not have the selfie thing down!

Halloween/birthday

This year was one of my best birthdays.  We started it Sunday night, the 30th, since we knew the 31st would be crazy.  We had Josh's Eagle court of honor that evening so when we got home, Justin had my pumpkin pie ready.  He got a Marie Calendar one this year and it was good.  The kids all gave me money to go shopping for new clothes and Justin gave me some earrings I wanted that Julene Hansen made and more money.

On Monday, I went to tennis practice.  Justin worked from home that morning while I was gone and then he took the rest of the day off.  I met him at his office and we went to Twisted Taco for lunch.  We had wanted to try it out.  It was pretty good.  Then, we went to spend my birthday money on clothes.  I was hoping to get jeans but didn't have any luck at that.  I did find some other things I really liked.  I ended up getting great deals and got two dress shirts, a cardigan, a hoodie, a short-sleeve workout shirt and a long-sleeve workout shirt and a pair of sandles.  It was nice spending the afternoon with Justin.  He is so good at helping me shop!  The kids all had plans with friends that night.  Nathan and Hannah were going over to the Dustin's to hang out and also went to dinner.  I didn't get any pictures from them.  Justin and I were invited over to the Burkharts to pass out candy and have a potluck and fire.  Isaac was meeting friends to go trick or treating just down the road from their house.  It was about 75 outside when we got there but when the sun went down, the fire actually felt nice.  The kids had fun and Justin and I had a lot of fun with the Burkharts, Kings, Hatch's, Potters and Figueroas.  We are now in the group of people with olders kids or kids that have left the house.  

 I did get a picture from Spencer's mom of Isaac's group.  Thomas, Isaac, Ashlyn, Lauren, Sam, Asa, Asa's friend, Maddy, Jeena, Malia, Spencer and Abby.