Birthday Mountain and Other Things

 

 Here we are!  Deep into a new school year for L and Luke and new routines and responsibilities for me!  All is going really well so far and we are finally feeling some fall weather these past few days!  Having the windows open absolutely thrills me and that crisper air just breathes such energy into us all.  It was a long hot summer so these fall days are such a welcome thing.  We are outside ALL THE TIME and the neighborhood is loud and full of laughing and yelling and playing kids from about 3-7...I love those sounds! 

 

 7th Grade.  Surreal. 

 

My days ALWAYS consist of at least one walk in the woods. 

Kayaking and swimming in the neighborhood creek...I love how these kids make their own fun!

We made a quick trip to visit our favorite little ladies!  Miss Amelia is just the sweetest! 

Lunch discussions :-)

Little Evelyn is just so much fun!!

Luke joined a sailing team!

Very thankful we live in a place where this type of activity is possible.  Luke was a super quick learner and can navigate out on the water amazingly well!  Each sailor has their own boat so there is a lot of independence and self confidence involved.  He is doing  great!  He has his first regatta in about a week!

My life is full of my canine friends and gosh do they keep me busy!

 

 

 L's birthday request was to "climb a mountain".  Love!  He has already conquered a few state's highest peaks but he needed Virginia to add to his list.  So that's what we did...we headed to southern Virginia to climb Mt. Rogers, the highest peak in VA.  It was an absolutely beautiful day and we loved every minute of our 10 mile hike.  We were mostly on the Appalachian Trail with the summit being an added component.  It really was the perfect day!  Homemade cards and climbing a mountain.  

Happy Birthday, L!  We love you so very very much!

Luke is becoming very proficient in reading topographic maps, a lost art.

These two

We are about halfway to the top at this point but there was this amazing bald spot that gave me Sound of Music vibes!  On our decent we had lunch in that beautiful meadow behind us.  Just breathtaking! 

 

 

 

 When we were reading about the trail we read that occasionally wild ponies were seen.  We didn't even mention it to Luke so he wouldn't be disappointed if we didn't see any but sure enough we saw a wild Virginia Highland pony!  So cool!

 

 

We made it!  It really was a fantastic hike,  challenging but not too hard with lots of different environments.  The summit itself is in a really thick forest with tons of ferns and moss and that eerie yet beautiful dark green...just gorgeous!

Then a little lower in elevation it would open up to the bald spots, those are the NC mountains in the distance.

This kid!  My very favorite hiker! 

A well deserved birthday lunch of jerky and grapes and carrots and Team Tully's favorite hiking treat...PullnPeel Twizzlers!  

I seem to blog less and less these days and I am okay with that.  Life is a series of seasons and evolution and that's beautiful and necessary and the way it is supposed to be.  But please know that we are healthy, happy, and forever grateful for this life of ours!  And as our truly southern friends say  Happy Fall Y'all!!