Outside in October with Friends

October teased us with some cool (cold) and breezy and rainy weather, but really, we had many more perfect-for-outside-adventuring days than not.  And bonus: many of our afternoons (or mornings) were spent enjoying beautiful October with our friends!

3 Oct: North Fork River Trail Hike

Caleb, Callie and Lily gathering sacks of leaves.

Snacks and hikes.

Sochi the dog was a fun addition to this mountain
outing.

Lily, Callie, Sochi, Charlotte, Caleb, and Sam (plus we had
Charleigh and Prestin, and babies Lincoln and Brooke,  too,
that didn't make it in the picture at
our turn around spot).

5 Oct: Morning at Home

We watched our friends Rachel and Moriah for a few hours one
day. Cal was insistent on raking the few leaves that had fallen, but
there weren't quite enough for her leaf-pile dreams.  Later, I found
her picking leaves off the tree to drop in the slowly growing pile.

Everyone got a turn on the swing (and pushing
someone else) - here Sam gives Rachel some
big pushes.

10 Oct: Middle Inlet Beach Tree

The water level is low enough now that this tree's
roots are exposed and made a perfect fort for
these three hooligans.

Charlie and Sam (he calls him "Ham") are good
little buddies.

Making soup.

16 Oct: Afternoon at the Park

Callie and Caleb turned the soccer goal net
into a hammock . . .

. . . and a climbing wall.

17 Oct: Middle Fork Hike

Lily, Charlotte, Callie, Sam and Caleb took the "high road"
while the moms and babies (Sadie and Lincoln and Mary and
Brooke and me) stayed on the "low road".

Still some good color hanging on.

Re-mastering the log bridge.

Success!!

Always a favorite spot for rock splashing, but this time the
highlight was scooping up slimy green moss and sloshing it
around in the puddle.

26 Oct: Leaf Pile at the Park

Last year we piled up the leaves at the park using a branch and
our feet.  This year, we got smart and brought the rakes along
in the burley.  A couple minutes of raking made this giant pile!
(Playing with Henry, Charlie and Annabel (not pictured).)

Leaves are always a hit.