Fall is here...

They say that when one is about to have a baby, one gets to experience the bust of energy and starts getting ready to kind of settle into a new routine by vigorously cleaning the house, preparing the nursery, organizing the little one's wardrobe, etc... I am , too, currently experiencing the fire of energy, but it is geared towards being outside, not in the house.
I know what is ahead of me... Long and cold winter days when we'll be forced to stay more indoors because of the little one, sleepless nights and countless hours spend on the sofa nursing the baby. You get the picture.
Well, the days are just keep on surprising us and we are taking advantage of the beautiful fall days. Today's hike was a bit more of a challenge for me than the previous ones. I guess the extra weight is pulling me down, and today I did need a push from Mirek to help me get up the hill.
But the extra effort was so much worth it! The view from the top of a hill was breathtaking, even though my breath was already taken and I HAD to catch it, panting like an old dog! The foliage colors were not in there peak yet, but the sensation of watching the landscape from the bird's point of view was awesome! The Delaware river, the corn fields, the mountain ridge, the roads and the bridge... It is an amazing feeling to be up on the top. You feel kind of detached from the hustle and bustle of the world down below, there are no worries up where you are, everything was left down there. The richness of the moment is simply indescribable. You get to remember once more what really is important in your life and get reminded to cherish the simplest moments and appreciate what you have.
This time Milana did not sleep through the hike and got to enjoy it as well. The girls had a snack, tried to climb the trees, searched for mushrooms (and not in vein), rolled on the dry grass. And then we all got to see something amazing! It was a great bonus to spot a praying mantis laying eggs!

We have been so blessed with experiencing and learning something new every time we take our family to the great outdoors! And it is so great to hear the girls tell all what they saw in the woods to their friends, relatives, neighbours. Just as I don't really agree with the term "homeschoolers", it is more like "world learners", I guess.