Amicalola

Ok, I'll try one more post today before I give up on blogger and it's issues with posting pictures today.  Yesterday, we took a field trip to Amicalola Falls in the Appalachian Mountains.  It was the perfect fall day with leaves of gorgeous yellows, bright greens, reds and browns falling as if it were snowing.  We barely made it there with Annaliese screaming most of the way up and stopping three times to nurse her so she would quiet down a little bit.  So with eyes twitching and my ears ringing from the screaming baby we made it to the visitor's center only an hour and 1/2 after starting out from home.  Trinity had already done alot of her schoolwork (her research paper outline, history, bible, verse memorization, math, and science) at home so we were ready for some fresh mountain air and a relaxing hike with all the kiddos and the dogs.  Although the dogs were really good (Chippy didn't yackie-doodle the entire trip and Princy stopped barking after a few minutes thanks to the squirt bottle) next time they are staying home. 

After pottying, Brendan and I went into the visitors center to get a map of the trails to see which one we could all make.  They had real snakes in display cages...I thought they were fake until as we are making it around all the cages I notice one has his tongue out tasting the air.  They had about ten different snakes and one case of box turles and then three of the poisonous snakes you might encounter on the hike.  They also had a nightlife display to show what animals come out at night in the area (who knew we had wolves here?) and a big display of day creatures (including cute black bears and some kind of mountain cat that was as big as Chippy).  After we checked it all out we ate lunch in the car because it was freezing where we were and Craig forgot to pack the jackets. 

We looked at the beautiful reflecting pool (should've taken a picture but the kids were tired and wanted to run around) and then hiked up the paved trail behind the pool.  It was a really steep hike and a little slippery because of the leaves that had littered the path.  On one curve Brendan was looking at a group of older boys and wanted to be big like them so started to pick up the pace and as he went around the curve he tripped and slid face down toward the steep edge of the path (giving he and I a heart attack).  After that he wanted daddy to carry him.  We had a great time and I was kind of glad to see that I'm not the only one in the family that hates heights-Brendan doesn't either and said he liked the visitors center the best.

Mama and Annaliese wearing Trinity's hat because on the trip I lost her sun hat-it was under her blanket

Trinity posing with Princess next to the falls

Amicalola Falls (tallest falls east of the Mississippi)

Brendan Still getting over his fall on the way up and looking at the falls behind me

This is Trinity showing pure fear about the next 400 steps to the falls!