Gloria Falls

Fall is out in full force and it is lovely! Corey and I went on a ride up the canyon yesterday. It's just lovely. It fills my soul with happiness. 

We've all been trying to get out and enjoy the fall weather before winter sends us into hibernation. Natalie went to a garden yesterday with her "Activity Days" group - they picked some vegetables and pulled some weeds. I'll upload that pic later.

I went on a hike with the kids tonight. Well... about half of them: ANODPK. Lily was at GMS for her clarinet lesson, Sophi was at a friend's soccer game, W was doing homework at Corey's office, and I'll keep reporting on the older kids too, since I still have to say their names whenever I'm counting heads: JME at college, H is on his mission. So, the young women in our ward were having an activity, which was a hike, and I noticed that most of the girls were not going to be able to make it. But Abi could, so I told her about it and she wasn't thrilled to go when most of her friends weren't going, but I thought "Well, maybe we'll go as a family!" So I texted and asked the youth leader if it'd be ok if we tagged along, she said sure, "The more the merrier!" and with that, we were meeting up at the church at 5:15. Abi and Natalie were both complaining with their eyes and some words. We were told that it would be cold, so I hurried back home to get jackets for everyone. Katharine was a bit sad and acting fussy, like she had a headache or something. She felt a little warm, and I started to regret trying to do this. BUT IT'S FALL!! This is our ONLY CHANCE! So we pressed forward. We were going to Gloria Falls, which I haven't been to before, but you start at the White Pine trailhead, which was a familiar  hiking spot to me. We came to the trailhead for family photos in 2014. I first hiked this trail 13 years ago in 2009, and I took the kids on hikes there in 2014 and 2017. So we started up the trail. Owen and Daniel kept up with the group of youth, and Natalie stayed behind with me and Peter. 

Gorgeous colors all around!

Peter was our slow poke, but it's just cause he has little legs. 

I didn't mind, cause it gave me plenty of time to take pictures. 

Which I did happily - 

I took a bit too many, as usual. 

But I don't mind.

I was worried K was going to be crying, but she was fine after we started walking.

Selfies with Katharine and Natalie -

So little Pete did super great during the whole hike up. He didn't complain about the hike and never said his legs were tired or anything. 

It was so so pretty everywhere - 

Zooming in a bit - and at home I enhanced these colors a bit to try and do the leaves justice. Lovely.

When we got to the stream, we turned left, which I'd never done before, and went ad hock up the hill to the south. There was this one bush right by the stream looked like it was on fire!

The hiking up the hill part was a little hard and sketchy for Peter, and for me as I tried to help him with Katharine wrapped on me. One of the leaders came back and found us and helped him finish his way up. In a few moments were were at a part that I've never been to at Gloria Falls. It was gorgeous!

Here are a few pictures of the YW group - 

We were there long enough to enjoy it, but also had to turn around quickly so we could get back down before it was too dark. The two leaders helped carry Peter most of the way, and he held onto his Cheetos snack. Another bush on fire -

I took a few more pics, but you can go to my Glorious Earth blog if you want to see more. Although I put almost all of them here. But I'll just end by saying it was lovely and I want to get out and do more! But it was slow to walk it and hold Katharine, so I'm going to go biking!