Buttermilk Falls

Last week the kids and I blew off school took an educational field trip with our besties to a local waterfall called Buttermilk Falls. The last week and a half we have enjoyed unbelievably beautiful and warm days in our little corner of the world. We have been loving every minute of it.

Mrs. Bozek was a kindergarten teacher, so she is always the best at corralling the hoodlums and giving the instructions. 

And... we're off (but not before a quick pic).

After a short descent the kids discovered nirvana... boulders just perfect for climbing on, jumping off, and crawling behind.

Two thumbs up, Mom. Totally.

This one cracks me up. These two used to squeeze into one chair for pictures, he telling jokes and she giggling hysterically. Now that she is eight and he'll be seven in two weeks, taking pictures together is really not that cool any more.

The waterfall!

I foolishly thought I might get a Christmas card-worthy shot of my four lovely children.

Foolishly would be the operative word there.

Ooooh! This one's a keeper.

After hanging out at the Falls we found a little wooden church up the hill and spread out blankets on the lawn and ate lunch. The kids raced around and my two girlfriends and I talked about how much homeschooling meant to us, how grateful we were for each others' friendship, how happy we all were that day.

And then... I woke up the next day and had a meltdown of epic proportion because as I had been traipsing about the Burgh enjoying the sun, a Mount Everest of dirty clothes had cropped up in my laundry room and everyone was crying because they couldn't find clean underwear.

One thing God is really teaching me lately is to try not to see a great day as a prideful accomplishment or a bad day as a total failure. That beautiful day bursting with sunshine and Fall foliage? It was a gift from Him - I was able to see with clear eyes the myriad of ways He has blessed me and provided for me. And the horrible day that followed, full of hard work, feelings of desperation, and the need to dole out one too many spankings? A gift from Him - I was brought to me knees, forced to slow down, and reminded of how very much I depend on Him every hour.