So here's the story...
First of all, we had no problem deciding what to do when we got up that morning. I mean, is there really a question when the weather is sunny and...
GORGEOUS?!?
Obviously we wanted to spend as much time outdoors as possible, so we decided to go hiking for the morning. When Josh and I were in college at Samford, we used to drive to Oak Mountain State Park all the time. But during the past three years in this house, we haven't been there a single time (despite the fact that our neighborhood sits right across the street from the back entrance to the park). Having never been there before, the kids weren't quite sure what they were in for, but all we had to say was waterfall, and they were 100% on board with the plan.
And besides we knew the falls would be gorgeous that day because of all the rain we had had the week before.
So into the car we went, across the street we drove, and up to the entrance of the Pevine Falls trail we headed.
Every few minutes, we reminded the kids about how much they were going to love the waterfall they were going to see at the end of our hike. So they shushed us at each blow of the winds, convinced that the rustling they were hearing in the trees was the first sound of the water going over the edge of the cliff.
Josh and I noticed pretty quickly that the route back to the falls was different than it used to be back in our college days. (And why wouldn't it be? That was ten years ago.) But we were really enjoying the changes. There were cute little wooden bridges...
...and lots of big rocks to climb on.
Whenever somebody started to get tired, we just chanted another round of "waterfall! waterfall! waterfall!" to keep the troops moving. But eventually, the path became less like "a fun day out with our three little ones" and more like "my legs are dying, and I'm worried one of the kids is going to collapse over the edge". Not to mention that the path seemed like it was never going to end.
Finally, as a couple commented on the little hikers we had in tow, Josh replied with a smile, "I think we might have bitten off more than we can chew!" Little did we know how true that was!! Because when we reached the end of the Cheater's Hiking Trail, we found ourselves staring over the edge of what seemed like a mile-high dropoff...apparently "just around the cliff" from the waterfall.
That's right, folks, we could hear the waterfall, but we couldn't see so much as a drip.
And considering neither of us was in the mood to put our entire family's life in harm's way by rappelling off the side of a cliff, we turned around, headed back the way we came, and tried to pump the kids back up by chanting "the creek! the creek! the creek!"
Isabel took full advantage of the water/dirt combination and got her little backside absolutely filthy.
By the time we were walking back to the car to leave, Jack had officially checked out...
But we rallied around him (rather, pushed him from behind), and he found one last spurt of energy to catch up with the pack.
He was met with lots of cheers...
...and he seemed quite proud of his hiking skills!
After nice, cold drinks for the little ones, it was time to head home.
Sadly, after the tremendous crash-and-burn of the waterfall plan, driving through this water over the road (from all the rain, go figure) was the kids' favorite part of the day.
But judging by Isabel's face on the way home, I don't think they really held it against us.
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