Enjoying the Great Outdoors

We have been having really nice weather here, which it seems is unusal for this time of year.  So we have had a few opportunities to get out and take advantage of that nice weather.  We had Stake Conference on the 19th of September, but we weren't up for the two hour fight of keeping 3 kids entertained and quiet.  So, instead we went for a drive up to the mountains to see the leaves changing colors. They were just starting to change, so they were still mostly green with some yellow here and there. 

We stopped at a few places and went and let the kids check out the river. Our kids love spending time throwing rocks in the water. They could stay busy for hours!!

Then that next Saturday, we went with Melody and Tyler and their kids on a hike. The plan was to go up to Zapata Falls, but we got up there and it was closed for construction. So, we drove over to Crestone and hiked on the hiking trail that leads up to a lake. But the hike up to the lake was like 5 miles, so we just hiked up a mile (which took about an hour) because the kids had to stop several times and check out the water and cross this little bridge that leads to where someone is building a cabin. 

and on the other side they found a big rock to play on

Then during our hike, Hayden had to stop lots of times and take pictures of the water.....

and this patch of cacti....

and this airplane... and lots more too!!!

I forgot to mention that before our hike, we stopped and showed Melody, Tyler, and their kids the cave that we had found this summer when we were camping there this summer.  I stayed behind with Katie, so I THANKFULLY missed out on the encounter with bats that were in the cave.

Back to after our hike ----So, after hiking for awhile, we stopped by Uncle Terry's (Waylen's uncle) cabin before heading home, and let the kids play by the stream that runs through his property.  We had camped up there in July, but the mosquitos were so bad that we couldn't even get down by the water. Of course, like always the kids had lots of playing, and even got in the water instead of just throwing rocks in the water.

and Uncle Tyler even helped Katie join in on the fun of playing in the water....

It was a fun day, and was a great way to spend a Saturday!!!