Retreating to the hills...

My three little geologists...















Clark was able to combine his two great loves in life: being outside and physically attached to his daddy.



















Ellie gets a lesson on skipping rocks from her Dad (who's got the mad skills)


Ellie created a family of rocks and played here with them for quite a while as the rest of us swam.


We were able to get away this summer, and it was rejuvenating . What made it especially nice was that we were able to do it with friends. We spent the week in a cabin just outside of Blue Ridge, GA. Day activities included hiking in the mountains, swimming and fishing in Lake Blue Ridge, visiting Ducktown (more on that later), playing in the creek behind the cabin, naps, computer games (well, for some of us), some serious Catan-playing and stopping at the Georgia Aquarium on our way back.

Some favorite highlights include:

* Ellie and Adah playing in their "cellar" or the basement/rec room which also was where their bedroom was. I think they liked having a floor all to themselves.
* Ranen trying make friends with Clark. He was often attempting interactions like hugging, petting and sitting beside him, all of which Clark interpreted as signs of agression and immediately began crying. Ranen was persistent though, and by the end of the week, the two were able to coexist more peacefully.
* Ducktown, which is a "environmental train-wreck of a town" where the copper-mining in the 1800's went awry. The result was sulfuric-acid rain that created a barren wasteland of 32,000 acres that took over 100 years to rehabilitate. Spencer loved it and the blackberry bushes nearby that we found had the most ENORMOUS blackberries we've ever seen. Gotta love environmentally-mutated fruit.
* Visiting High Falls State Park, a place I frequented as a student at Mercer. I have fond memories of frolicking on the rocks, wading in the river and having picnics right by the falls. Unfortunately, since then, they have put up fences and signs everywhere forbidding getting in the water or climbing on the rocks. It saddened me to think about all the adventures our children won't be able to participate in to ensure our "safe" world.
* Listening to conversations between Ellie and Adah in the car. They sound so grown-up when conversing on their own.
* Watching my husband and children examining rocks together. Although for Clark, there was a little examining and a lot of throwing :-)
* Discovering that both my children really enjoy rock-climbing. Their Uncle Jay will be proud.
* The Georgia Aquarium (Atlanta)--largest aquarium in the world and very cool. I highly recommend it, but you're better off visiting on a weekday, as the weekends are very crowded. Whale sharks, beluga whales, penguins, huge viewing walls, walk thru tunnels of water, touch pools for the kids.
* "Chillaxin'" with the Bennages'. They rock!