blue wall passage | hike it baby.

We hiked the Blue Wall Passage of the Palmetto Trail for the first time about two months ago, and we returned last week for another adventure. It was amazing how greener everything was since the last time we visited, and the warmer weather brought out a lot more people and creatures. There were a total of twenty-four of us (including kiddos) who blazed through the passage, and we had sightings of a big spider, a frog, and a copperhead snake. Yikes! This was my first interaction with a copperhead on the trails, but he was uninterested in us as we quietly snuck passed him (thank you, LAWD!).

On top of all of that, I didn't remember the trail as well as I thought I did from our last visit, so I ended up leading us astray and preventing us from seeing the waterfall or completing the trail. Instead of completing a loop like originally planned, we ended up doing an out-and-back trip that totaled a little over two miles. Everyone was so kind to their rookie hike leader (I won't name any names...ahem), and I was thankful for such an encouraging group.

On another note, it had been a while since Braxton had fallen asleep on my back, but his streak ended during this outing. About halfway through he began to squirm and scream (yes, right in my ears), and then a few minutes later, he was out. Isn't it funny how a few minutes of blood-curdling cries feels like an eternity? This mama was happy that he gave up the fight and decided to snooze!

If you're ever near Landrum, SC and want to visit a neat spot, you should definitely check this one out. I hope that we get to go back again soon! I mean, I definitely need redemption for how I royally messed this one up.

When will you join us on the trails?

you're killing me, smalls.

If the Cribbs are throwing a party, you know the Bargerons are there with bells and whistles on! There are few families we love as fiercely as we love them, and we've been walking through life together, hand-in-hand, for the past five years. Liam was just two years old when we first began celebrating big and small moments with each other, and just this past week, he turned six! In true Cribb fashion, they threw the party of the year (well, at least until Adalynn's birthday comes back around in December) with a big group of family and friends.

This year's theme was based on the classic film, The Sandlot, and it was seriously great. An intense game of whiffle ball was played in the big field below the house, baseball cards and gloves lined the tables, burgers and hotdogs were served in plenty, the cake was perfectly beautiful AND tasty, Big League Chew and Cracker Jacks were passed around, Liam's presents overflowed from the table to the floor (certainly not a bad problem to have), and there was a moonlight showing of beloved film that inspired this party once the sun went down.

The best part of the whole evening was meeting Liam's alter ego, Benny "the Jet" Rodriguez. And it was flawless. Flawless, I tell ya.

happy birthday, abram!

One of our little buddies turned one year-old a couple of weeks ago, and we had the special honor of celebrating him at his birthday party! His mama did a great job crafting and making everything perfect for his hiking-themed celebration, and I couldn't help but take a few pictures to help her document all of it.

You know those people you meet and instantly feel like you've been friends forever? That's how it is with this sweet family, and I am so, so thankful. Hiking does more than just help us unplug from distractions and connect with the world around us; it has also become a way for us to make new friends! Like I said, SO thankful.

His first birthday party was at a picnic shelter at Paris Mountain State Park, and it included a hike around Lake Placid. The weatherman went back on forth on the forecast for days leading up to this afternoon, but it ended up being perfect. Don't you just love days like that?

Happy birthday to the oh-so-handsome, Abram!

daddy's home!

Who loves it when daddy gets home after a long day at work? I know a little blondie who does!

I hope I never forget how he jumps up and down on the couch, turns to look at me with a big grin on his face as if to say, "LOOK MAMA!", drops to his booty and puts his bare feet on the hardwood floors, runs to door and reaches up for the handle, jumps and screams as I open it for him, and runs out on to the porch begging for some love from his daddy.

Yes, oh yes, we love it when daddy comes home to us!

bunched arrowhead heritage preserve | hike it baby.

We'd already had a pretty full morning with a play date for Braxton and a meeting for Mama, but with rain on the forecast for the next few days and the beautiful weather we had at our fingertips this afternoon, we made the last-minute decision to join our friends for an adventure through a part of town we'd never been before. Bunched Arrowhead Heritage Preserve is just a short drive from the heart of Greenville, located in Travelers Rest, and is home to many birds, other wildlife, and a rare plant, endangered plant called a bunched arrowhead. We had high hopes that we'd see the plants blooming since it just became the season for them, but we didn't see any this trip.

The trail was a loop that was only a little over a mile long, and we walked through both open fields and tree-covered paths as we hiked along. It was a hot, humid day, which made for several tantrums and extra prayers for patience, but (as always) it was such a blessing to be outside with folks who genuinely enjoy it, too.

I suppose we will be going back to this particular trail again soon so that we can look for those blooms that we missed this time.

Who wants to join us?

fairest of them all.

Four things that must be done when you go to the fair:

Ride in circles until your stomach turns inside out.

Eat whatever you want.

Admire how the sky goes from being brightened by the sun to highlighted by all the bright, colored lights on the ground.

Look around at the people you came with, and be thankful that you've got a good tribe to call your own.

Oh, and whatever you do, don't go to the booth where the man tries to guess how old you are. There is a chance that he will tell you that you are "a 32 year-old country girl with a hippie vibe." Trust me on that one.