Family Time And Decisions

On Sunday afternoon, shortly after we got home from church, Chris, Abby, and I decided to go to one of the state parks near our home for a 7-mile hike. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for being outside! Well, it started out that way. After awhile, it got downright HOT and HUMID!  I'm not kidding...it felt like we were in the middle of summer!

The name of the park we went to is Fort Yargo State Park and we've only been there a couple of times. So, we were ready to explore! We parked the car, grabbed our map, and headed for the trails.  Here's some of what we saw along the way...

A purple wildflower peeking out from the underbrush.

A dogwood tree in full bloom.

We all had to walk across this big pipe in order to continue on our path.  My knees were wobbling!

A couple of turtles sunning themselves on a tree branch.

Check out this colorful lizard I spotted. Love those bright colors!

The lake was filled with paddle boaters.  Such fun!

Have you ever seen so many turtles on one branch? They must have been having a family reunion!

At one point during our hike, Chris yelled back to Abby and me to prepare for the all the ladybugs he just ran through. Little did we know that he was talking about a BAZILLION of them! It was like walking through a thick cloud; it was awful!  Abby and I started running and flailing our arms about in an attempt to keep them away from us, but it didn't help. They landed in our hair and covered our clothes!  I love ladybugs, but the fact that they were everywhere freaked us both out!  We ended up hiking around the entire lake and it took us about 2 hours and 15 mins. Needless to say, I had to get another shower as soon as we got home!

When we got back, I noticed this sneaky little squirrel stealing birdseed from our bird feeder.  Guilty, as charged!

Now, as most of you know, Chris was supposed to start his new position in SC today.  Well, he finally got the offer package on Saturday morning.  It wasn't quite what he thought it would be, which was a disappointment. Several things in it were never explained to him. Well, after much prayer and deliberation, he came to the conclusion that he needed to pass on the job.  He couldn't, in good conscience, take the job to satisfy our needs temporarily only to jump ship if a better offer somewhere else came along.  So, even though he's still unemployed, I know in my heart that he made the right decision. God put up numerous red flags for a reason. Thankfully, he still has 3 good opportunities that could pan out. God isn't through with us yet! 

I'm looking forward to visiting all of you soon!

Walkin'~N~Talkin'

Sorry I've been sort of MIA these past several days, but I've been as busy as a bee!  Brittany got home from college on Thursday and it's so great to have her home.  The three of us girls have been baking like crazy!  Then, on Saturday night, Chris and I went to a Christmas party that our friends, Beth and Kurt, hosted.  We really had a nice time visiting with everyone! Today, we drove over to Lenox Square Mall in Buckhead and did some browsing around. We saw a shirt in Neiman-Marcus...get this...that cost $1,600! Needless to say, I think we were all glad to get back to "our side of town".

Every time Brittany comes home from college, we always make it a part of our daily routine to go for a 3-4 mile walk at our local park.  We have the best time getting in some exercise, but, also, catching up on things we might have missed out on while she was away.  It's like a therapy session for us both, I think.

Here she is leading the way through the woods...

Pretty spectacular, wouldn't you agree?

We always see some kind of wildlife around...

 I really need a more powerful lens to be able to pull in tighter shots.

Deep into the woods...I love it there!

On our way out of the woods today, we spotted a large heap of these feathers laying on the ground.  I'm not sure what kind they were, but my guess is that a hawk swooped down to grab it's prey and this is all that was left behind...

  
We've been having such warm weather here in Georgia. I can't believe that Christmas Day is only 6 days away.  What I'd give for a white Christmas, but I sure wouldn't bet the farm on it!  Hope all is well in your corner of the world!

More Than Just a Walk in the Park

On Sunday afternoon, Brittany went to Six Flags with a group of her friends because it was closing for the season. So, that gave me some time to enjoy with Abby, just one-on-one. We decided to go for a walk at our favorite local park. I had no idea the colors were going to be as spectacular as they were! It really was breathtaking!! Abby and I just wandered along admiring all of the beauty surrounding us. Here is some of what we saw...

Aren't the trees amazing? Here's Abby striking a pose...She's attempting to feed bread to some fish she spotted in the water... God's magnificent handiwork...WOW!!! Abby on her scooter...Me and my girl...
Abby took this one! Isn't it beautiful?

We had such a great time together, just the two of us. I wouldn't trade moments like that for anything in the world!! :)

Remember...get out and vote today! Make your voice heard! GOD BLESS AMERICA!