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This fall my family and I have been fortunate to spend a lot of time together at beautiful Bear Lake.
The weather has been unusually warm considering it’s the end of October! The leaves have all changed color here in our neck of the woods and most of them have fallen to the ground laying in marvelous, crunchy, crinkly heaps.
Which makes a mountainous stroll pretty darn perfect.
Especially if you have a sweet companion like this…
and this…
And every last one of these. 🙂
Could someone please slow the ticking clock? Time seems to have sped up lately and I can’t believe how fast my kids are growing! Do they look ancient to you…or is it just me? I keep reminding myself (while elbow deep in dirty dishes, piles of laundry and sibling squabbles) that this stage of life isn’t going to last forever.
They are going to grow up and head out into the wide world.
Sooner than I would like.
And so I’m trying to drink it all up. The funny things they say, the quirky things they do, kisses given when I tuck them in, the snuggling, the late night talks with teenagers, reading story books to my little ones, the whirl-wind mood changes (keeps me on my toes, if you know what I’m saying here).
Because today while I was witness to God’s georgous world around me, I realized that it wouldn’t be nearly as beautiful…
without a heap of this to go with it.
These pics are gorgeous. I love the lighting in the one with the girls standing on the bridge.
Oh, I love Bear Lake! But I gotta say, if you love it there during the fall, you’ve got to see New England in the fall! (Your kids would love it, too, I’m sure!)
Thanks for sharing. Never forget the simple, good times.
DITTO!!!
I have to agree with EVERY word. I too have an amazing family and they too are aging, my oldest is making us grandparents (im 44) and well its going WAY faster then I want. I hold on tight to all of it too.
Hugs~
It was precious to see your sweet kiddos and be reminded that the tugging in my heart, as my daughter grows, is happening to mothers everywhere.
Beautiful! I am the very proud mother of two sons, age 45 & 41, with both having a beautiful marriage of over 20 years. Each family has given me three grandchildren for a total of 4 boys and 2 girls. My beautiful daughter-in-law sent video taken with her IPhone while driving the autobahn from Ramstein to Stuttgart, GE today with the other one being at home in Indiana. Be very proud of yours. My only advise to another mother is watch carefully.. changes arrive daily! Before you can give thanks they will grow up and be out in the world on their own. But, we proudly raise them to spread their wings and fly with Eagles.
This is such a beautiful post. Your family is gorgious! Thank you for sharing a little bit of your world. I always enjoy reading about the little pieces of your life. This post also brought back many memories as I grew up only 30 miles from beautiful Bear Lake. I spent a lot of time in Laketown and have several good friends who grew up in Laketown and Garden City. My mom even delivers the mail there now. Thanks for the memories.
Your pictures are beautiful! I”ve never been to Bear Lake since I live onthe other side of the country. I grew up in western New York and have been living in Florida the past 30 yrs. We just took a quick vacation in western North Carolina in the mountains. I took lots of pictures of the colorful leaves there and along the Blue Ridge Parkway and at Great Smokey Mountain National Park. The air was so crisp and cool. I miss it already. Thanks for sharing your pictures.
What a lovely post; thank you. We’ve been riding the moody train at our house lately with our last little one turning 18 in February. Shall I even attempt to tell you how scary that is for ALL of us??? So. A reminder about not missing the simple things was exactly what I needed. Which is why I’m crying. So thank you. <3
Jamie–what a wonderful post! Thank you for sharing! You have a beautiful family! I am so lucky, also, with my two grown children (plus a wonderful daughter in law) and two healthy and wonderful grandsons! I am truly blessed!