We decided to spend three days up at Lydia Mountain…as we often do this time of year. Since the girls’ cousins, Lydia and Lukas, were down visiting we took them along. Gran and Grandpa Wessler plus Zyra brought our number up to 9!
What a trip. This was our first stay in the Mountain View Farmhouse, an old farmhouse that had been turned into a vacation home. It was…um…rustic but quaint. We had an odd little statue in the bathroom and Lukas’s bedroom was attached to the master bedroom so he had to walk past Tricia and I sleeping if he needed to use the bathroom in the middle of the night!
But, the views were amazing and everything in the house worked so there is nothing to complain about.
We hiked two trails in the Shenandoah National Park – Stony Man Summit and Bearfence. Stony Man was a great hike we had been on a few years ago that ended up at a peak with some awesome views. It was a very relaxing hike.
Bearfence, on the other hand, had a “rock scramble” that was definitely a rock CLIMB!! Tricia and I were sweating trying to keep 4 kids between the ages of 8 and 14 1) together and 2) safe! It was a stressful climb but we all made it and the challenge was something really cool…in retrospect!
Anyway, here are a ton of photos of us on the trails, looking out over the park, and just enjoying being together.
Enjoy!
J
How they wanted to spend the weekend – watching TV!
Outside in the back yard with an AMAZING view!
This little guy was in the downstairs bathroom. The kids put the blindfold on him. We left it there because it was funny!
On the trail.
We ran into a group on horseback. We got to pet the horse.
All of us together on our first hike.
Taking in the view.
Ellie was there too!
The oldest two pondering life…or checking their phones. I can’t remember which.
“Think I could make it to that tree if I jumped?”
Abbi and I!
Having a little fun for a photo to send to his mother.
Tricia relaxing on a mountain…no big deal.
Me again.
The kids struck up a model pose. This is an awesome album cover, if you ask me.
Driving home through a cloud so naturally we opened the windows and put our hands in it. It was really neat to feel the cool mist. I’ve never touched a cloud before.
Ellie was doing it too!
Tricia and I standing in a cloud.
Having s’mores after being in the hot tub.
GET IN THERE!!
Bearfence trail. This climb DOWN at the start should have been our first clue of what was to come!
The kids were all smiles…danger is just around the corner.
The beginning of the “scramble.”
Look, we’re having fun and are certainly not in danger!
Get on up there! (There is no photo of Ellie because I had to help her up the crevice.)
At the top of the mountain. Tricia and I are losing our minds at this point! “WHAT HAVE WE DONE! WHAT HAVE WE DONE!”
WE MADE IT! Safe and sound on level ground.
Lukas looking like he’s 16.
The badminton net we set up for some fun.
Me and Lydia taking in the views.
MORE S’MORES!
Abby enjoying a toasted marshmallow.
Mmmm…
YES!
Gran got in there too.
What a day.
The dog wanted to get in the hot tub but she wouldn’t fit so we said no.
Piling together on the couch after a long day of fun.
Here’s our view.
All of us together!
Great pictures Jacob. Looks like you all had a wonderful time! Nice ending to the summer 2021.