Fine Fall Day for a Hike

We hadn't been to the Leita Thompson Park since we moved from Roswell 10 years ago.  Its undergone some serious improvements!  Completely stroller friendly if you can push a stroller up some steep hills.  We took ours as insurance, but we also brought Zoe's aunt and uncle for whom she will almost always do anything.  Its a slight bruise to my ego, but hey, whatever works.  Zoe walked 2 miles before we finally put her in...so very impressive.  Alessio's and Trader Joe's after finished off our great Saturday in near perfect fall weather.  

Halloween and Garden Gallop

We lead a low-key life, so for us...two big events in 24 ours is livin' large!   It started with an awesome Halloween party.  Zoe had been having a super rough day.  Every thing was upsetting her, but the minute we got to the party, she mellowed out and had a great time!  Proof that a change of scenery is sometimes the perfect thing for fussy babies.  That and candy.

Pre-party snacking.  My camera is goofy, BTW.  Can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.  Its set to Auto.

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Superman has super-doughnut-eating skills.

Barkly's a Hot Dog!!  Yes, he is!

Playing tag.  Looks like he's about to take off.  

Zoe spent the party with a very sweet Princess Leia.

Even in this perfectly ordinary snapshot, I think, "Wow, she's perfect"

The boys are ready to Trick or Treat!!

The next morning Jeff and Zoe slept in while Ethan and I braved the cold for some 5K fun.  Ethan braved it more than I did.  I waited in the car with the heater running.

Gearing up.  

Pre-race ninja poses.  I think this is going to be a thing.  (See what I mean about the camera)

It was THIS cold!!

He he...he's pretty awesome, too. 

And then later she put her coat on all by herself and was so proud!  (I  didn't have the heart to tell her...)

Fall Camping at Morganton Point

This is probably my favorite camp ground we've been to.  As a review...its a small, woodsy campground outside Blue Ridge with roomy campsites, on a lake, close to touristy stuff and great hiking.  We lucked into a great campsite and had a nice time in perfect fall weather.

Ethan is cold in anything under 70 degrees.

Doesn't matter where we go, Zoe likes cutting up magazines.

Used to think camp cooking was cool (still do, really).  But hand's down, fast food is easier. 

Lake Blue Ridge

King of the very small rock.

We spend lots of time doing this.

Wow!  A picture of me!

Looks just like his dad.

I only threw this in because I love the look on her face.  

Beautiful campground.  Fall color just getting started.

On the recommendation of a friend we checked out Fall Branch Falls.  Good choice for a hike for us!  Its short, but steep enough to make it feel like a little challenge.  Zoe did great walking.  Lots of encouragement and treats, but she did it.

Obligatory sign picture.

Ethan trying to get her to smile.

The falls.  Pretty in the fall.  Come summer, would be fun to play in.

You can see its a nice trail...

....if a little steep.

Zoe's motivation treat was Double Bubble gum.  Chew, chew, swallow.  That seven years to digest thing is a myth, right?

We  also took a nice walk around Lake Blue Ridge.  

The water was so low you could walk all the way around where normally would be under water.

And the mountains in the background are gorgeous.  

Zoe didn't want to leave.  This is her, "make me" face.

With Zoe, we are a bit limited on where we can go.  If she won't walk, and the stroller won't go, we can get stuck in the woods until she feels like moving.  If other people are with us, its easier because other people are way more interesting, and therefore motivating, than us.  So when I saw a forest ranger,  I asked him about trails that would accommodate a stroller.  He pointed us to an abandoned campground on the other side of the lake.  Such a perfect horror movie set up!  So the next morning we  checked it out, and the lingering fog completed the effect.  It has obviously been abandoned a VERY long time.  We could barely tell where camp sites had been.  But it left a mile long paved loop through the woods by the lake.  

Morganton Point closes for the season soon, but we had so much fun, and there's so much to do, I'm already mentally preparing to go back in the spring.  

Who needs training wheels? Not Ethan!

Ethan mastered the two-wheeler yesterday!  We were extremely proud!  I have video, but for some reason it plays back in slow motion.  Veerrrrryyyyy booooorrrrrriiiiinnnngggg to watch.  These capture the excitement better.  

Jeff and Zoe cheering him on!  

Fall Break, Chattanooga style!

We spent Fall Break camping just outside Chattanooga.  Great city, great camping weather, great vacation. 

Ethan got to ride a camel at the zoo.

...and act like a monkey.

Our campsite was...ok.  Not going to win any prizes.   

But Penny liked it okay.

And it was fine for reading.  I read this book sooooo many times!  Her new favorite.   The Tale of Custard the Dragon.  

And they had this jumpy thing.  

We also went to the Creative Discovery Museum.

It was too much for Zoe, but she did love the play-dough and books...you know, same stuff we have at home.

This is her being REALLY into it.  She was pounding, pounding, pounding. 

Ethan loved the climbing wall.  

He made it all the way around. 

Cloudland Canyon.  Gorgeous.  Too hard of a hike for the kids, and def. not stroller friendly.   600 steps down....really disappointed we couldn't do it.  Next time....

The required selfie. 

We finished up at Lake Winnie.  Jeff was a good sport!!

Zoe did not want to share her fries!

This place is great because there we so many kiddie rides!  They don't charge for parking and you can take your  coolers inside!   

We were staying right around the corner from Lookout Mountain and still didn't get to any of those activities.  (Ruby Falls, Incline Railway).   So now we're practically required  to go back!  And with fall leaves are right around the corner, I think it will be soon!