The Long Weekend, in parts, for your viewing pleasure.

Part I
In which Emily and Hazel visit an art museum.

Part Ib
Where the toaster catches on fire. (Note to self: Buy fire extinguisher for kitchen or stop buying cheap toaster ovens, maybe both.)

Part II
In which we make the yearly pilgrimage with friends to pick apples and eat donuts, lots of them.

Part III
In which Clark somehow convinces Emily to go camping.
Friends of ours invited us to stay in a cabin (rustic cabin mind you) in the Shenandoah National Forest.  This is the perfect time of year to go.  It was amazing.

 The first thing we saw before we even got to the campsite was a praying mantis eating a beetle.  It was awesomely gruesome.

 We made it to the scenic overlook and started the 1/2 mile hike to the cabin. 

 The views were amazing.  It was quiet.

 Kids frolicked.

 And played.  And even though there was no indoor plumbing, the privy was better than a porta potty, mostly.

 The sunset was beautiful.

 The sleeping less than ideal but at least it was inside where I couldn't hear the normal sounds associated with sleeping outside, ie crickets, owls, scratching, growling and the crunching of branches as if someone is sneaking up on our tent to devour my whole family.  That kind of thing.

 I was really impressed that Abby and Mia slept outside on the deck.  I feel bad that I made Clark sleep inside near me.  I spent the better part of the next day wondering how it was possible that I gave birth to girls that enjoyed sleeping outside.

Hazel hurt herself about a bajillion times.  She fell on the rocks about 30 seconds after stepping out of the car, fell on the hike, scraped elbows, knees and hands and then touched the wood burning stove and gave herself a nice little blister across her palm.

 The next day we hiked to a waterfall.  It turned out to be about 3.5 miles of pretty intense inclines.  If I didn't know any better, I would say that it was uphill, both ways.  My legs are feelin it today.

 We picnicked at the falls and it was worth it.

We all collapsed just a little when we were finished.  It was rough...especially poor Hazel who had to ride on Clark's back the whole way up.  Free rides can be so exhausting.

Thanks friends for taking us to the orchard!! And thanks other friends who invited us camping!!! (without the incentive that the other wife wouldn't go if I didn't, I never would have said yes.  That and I knew that a trip to the Shenandoah would be completely worth having to sleep not in my own bed.)

Here's to a quiet week to recuperate from the weekend!