A Few of Our Favorite Things

One of Catherine Ellis's favorite things is being outside. Nothing calms her, soothes her or makes her smile like good ole' fresh air and glorious sunshine. We've had a wonderful break in the rain and two of the most gorgeous weeks we've had in a long time here in Birmingham. Fall is in full effect and it's gorgeous around here!

After church on Sunday we headed out to hike Ruffner Mountain - one of our favorite places here in Birmingham, just a few miles from our house. David proposed to me at Hawk's View and it's been a staple outdoor activity in our lives for years. We thought it was high time to introduce Catherine Ellis and enjoy the sunshine. A co-worker passed along a fabulous baby backpacker and we tried it out for the first time today. At first during our practice run-through at home, she was not so sure she liked it, but once we got her strapped in and on my back, we were in business.

The dogs were elated and so were we to be able to enjoy an hour or so on the trail. Let me just say I sure got a workout - carrying 20 lbs of baby and gear on your back is no joke, but I need the exercise! We did a short hike - about 1/2 a mile and plan to work our way up over the next few months. Here are some pictures from our hike:

Leaving the neighborhood - ready for our adventure!

Trying to catch Emma's tail in the breeze - this tickled her and Emma even played along!

Cain, lips blowing in the wind, can hardly believe his good fortune....

Where are they taking me now? (and thank you Brittany for my monkey - I love him!)

Getting started on our hike...full of energy

The rest of the family....

Self portrait

Taking a break with Cain - Emma is busy hunting...

Hey! This is fun!

Gorgeous gal....

My new teething toy...

We hope this never ends

Praise the Lord, we made it....two tired girls

Great hike! Can't wait to do it again!

I'm tired too...

I'm ready to go again....

Pooped, but happy!

While being outdoors is certainly one of our top ten favorite things, another favorite that ranks high on the list is bath time - this little lady loves the water! We thought we'd show you how much she's changed since we last gave you a glimpse of bath time - she can babble, clap, splash water and sit up on her own - our kitchen turns into a splash pad every night! Fun times!