Outside in the Autumn

Andrew and I love Autumn. We have been spending as much time as we can outside during this beautiful time of year. I have to admit that Ramona is a bit of a homebody and will usually choose to lounge about in the house over playing outside (much to my dismay.) We were lucky enough to get tickets for the Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF) for a full weekend of music, art, and outdoor play. This festival takes place just outside of Asheville, NC at a large piece of land with a lake surrounded by mountains and features international musicians and artists from around the world. Here are just a few glimpses of what it was like:



Andrew took a week-long trip with his school to study birds in the Outer Banks on the northeast coast of North Carolina.

One day they took a boat 60 miles out to the Gulf Stream where he saw flying fish, dolphins, and several bird species he had never seen before. He caught some large mahi mahi that he ate for dinner that same night. Here's a little frog he spotted on a hike there.
This weekend Andrew, Ramona, Astrid, and I hiked part of the Appalachian Trail near Johnson City...so, so beautiful!
Tomorrow is Astrid's First Birthday!

Sunny Days, Rainy Days

Sunny Days...

Hiking in the Unaka mountains, building snail houses, collecting leaves, acorns and berries, playing in the sprinkler, gardening, jumping rope, biking, the Apple Festival, freeze tag, dinner outside with friends










Rainy Days...

Homemade hot chocolate and popcorn, a big pile of books, puddle jumping, dress-up, splitpea soup and warm bread, bubble baths, naps, dance parties, visiting the library, candlelight