January (First Half)

We rang in the new year with a hike to Longpool Falls.

Inspired by 1000 Hours Outside, I'm tracking my outdoor hours this year

and trying to make space for more outdoor adventures.

The falls were beautiful, but so was the river.

Before Olivia left to go back to JBU, we took another trip.

This time, we stayed close to home and visited Pinnacle Mountain State Park,

but we hiked a trail we had never seen before.

#thefamilythatplaystogetherstaystogether

Afterwards, we enjoyed a stop at Le Pops, a local popsicle place.

Popsicles were just right after a sunny afternoon of hiking.

Olivia got to join us for Body Pump at the gym again, which is always fun!

One of the hardest things about going back to school is the lack of time to open our home and be hospitable.

So when Olivia had the opportunity to pick up a friend in Memphis and give her a ride to school, we jumped at the chance to host her. Especially since it was Epiphany and making the Three Kings Cake is always better when it's shared.

And then we got an unexpected opportunity to host friends whose water wasn't working properly. They brought laundry, took showers, and helped us celebrate Epiphany by looking for baby Jesus in the cake.

After they left, we enjoyed watching Aaron singing the part of Amahl as a boy.

The next weekend, Aaron and I snuck away for a few days to celebrate our 26th proposalversary.

We started with a portion of the Ozark Highlands Trail and felt a little bit like Pa Ingalls in Little House in the Big Woods when he saw a tree stump and thought it was a bear.

We stopped at Ozone Burger Barn (which is quickly becoming one of our favorites in this part of the state) before we drove to our cabin.

This time, we returned to Mt. Nebo, always a special place for us.

I always forget how important it is to get still and quiet on a regular basis

and to pull out of the hustle and bustle of daily life. Especially as a couple.

On our way home, we took some more time on the Ozark Highlands Trail.

Even in January, the waterfalls were flowing.

Before school kicked in again, we enjoyed attending Bree's wedding. What a joy to watch God orchestrate this relationship! Bree is a fabulous personal trainer and friend.