Mountain Trip Part 2

While in the mountains with Grace's family, we went hiking both days. The first day, we hiked to the Cascade Falls. Beautiful place...pretty easy hike for someone in good shape. Here's another collage I did with these pictures. Gorgeous, huh?

On the second day there, we hiked to the Boulders at Hebron. WOW! What a hike! It was beautiful, but kind of hard. I have to say though, I was proud of myself for making it as far as I did. On the way back, Jonathan and Grace fell, and I was scared that Jonathan had broken another bone. He definitely brought "souvenirs" home...on his legs, arms, and side. Below are some photos I managed to get there. The pictures really don't do the beauty justice!

After leaving the Boone area, we traveled to Cherokee, NC and then to my parents house. More photos tomorrow!

Mountain Trip

Hi Everyone. Just got back from a mini-vacation on Friday, but I'm just now getting around to uploading the photos. (Saturday was spent doing tons of laundry and grocery shopping.) Last week, we traveled to the mountains near Boone, NC to spend some time with Jonathan's half-sister, Grace. I had tons of photos I wanted to share, so I played around with the collage function of Google's Picasa.

This is 11 year old Grace. She is cute as a button and as athletic as she is cute. This is her on a swing her dad made that hangs from a tree in their front yard. She swings so high she can grab the leaves on the tree! Truly, no fear! This next shot is just a special effect you can do with the Picasa program. You can superimpose one image over the top of another. The photo underneath is one I took of the mountain view, seen from her front porch. The image on top is of Grace on her swing. Love this!

Loved spending time with these folks. They are nice, Christian people and were super hospitable. The collage above is of their house (for sale by the way) and yard. Matthew loved picking wild flowers for me with Grace's mom. They even did "an experiment" with Queen Anne's Lace and food coloring. He loved it! The photo of the rocker is just because Ed and I love it so! It was hand made by an Amish man. I have to say...I truly enjoyed this mountain experience! Tomorrow I'll share more.

A Nice Visit

On Saturday night, some friends of ours visited us on their way home from vacationing in Florida. They stayed overnight and left this morning to go back to NC. Craig and Milissa are wonderful people, and their daughter, Grace is Jonathan's biological half-sister. As adoptive parents of these two, we thought it important that they grow up knowing each other. They had met a couple of years ago briefly, but since we were able to spend more time together this weekend, they hit it off splendidly! It was just what Jonathan needed after breaking his foot. Ed grilled chicken, hot dogs, and corn on the cob, and I served cole slaw, potato salad, rolls, and key lime pie. We talked until after 10:30, while the kids got acquainted. Here are some photos of them together.

Craig and Milissa have graciously invited us to spend the weekend with them sometime this summer. I'm so glad Jonathan has his sister in his life. And isn't she cute as a button?