Week 9: Enjoying Fall's Last Beauty

This week my husband took Monday off to extend our weekend and take us all hiking in Shenandoah National Park. We didn't want to miss the color that is always so spectacular in October, so we drove out in the morning, hiked, drove some of the skyline drive, took in a sunset, and came home, exhausted! It was a gorgeous "October Skies" kind of day, though the leaves were perhaps a tad past peak color, and definitely past at the higher elevations, but it was still gorgeous. Molly hung in there for the whole 5 miles. I won't say that she didn't complain at a few points, but she was a trooper, and I'm pretty sure that more family hikes like this are in our future.

The sky really was this blue and the leaves this yellow--no Photoshop!

Dad and his hikers

A rare instance of me in front of, not behind, the camera

Explorer extraordinaire

This is my Father's World

The rest of the school week was fun. In science we talked about digestion and all its implications, which of course the kids find both humorous and gross. We finished our studies of WWI and will pick up with prohibition and the roaring twenties next week.

Matty and I took a bold new step and went to visit  a Cross Fit class with a friend. Holy Moly! I have never been so sore after a workout of any kind, but in this bizarre kind of way I am enjoying the feeling. Matty absolutely loved the Cross Fit Kids class and is dying to go back. He is also very sore. I went back today for another "beat down" (as my bff calls it) and, being the glutton for punishment that I am, signed us up for a year. I won't deny it--I really hate exercising, but I hate feeling fat and lazy even more. I figure if I am going to be miserable, let me be miserable for a short time, get the job done, and pass the extra time enjoying the results.

I am posting our science experiment photos in a separate blog post. They're just too gross--funny, but gross--so if you are not into the gastrointestinal tract and all its amazing features you I will not subject you to looking at the experiment and it's lovely results. If you love seeing kids have a great time doing science, then pop over to that post. I know for sure it is an experiment the kids will not soon forget.

Well, happy weekend. Time to batten down for hurricane Sandy.