Monday - Beautiful Sunny, Warm, Day!

Samantha and Katelyn came to our room at 7:00 and were ready to start their day.  Ken and I had gotten up around 2:15 and Samantha was at the bottom of their bed rolled in their blanket like a "mummy".  Poor Katelyn had no room and very little blanket.  Ken actually moved Samantha without her waking up!  

We allowed the girls to play on our tablets while we got ready and then made them a pancake breakfast.  Ken was busy getting fruit together and then making salads for tonight and packing a picnic lunch while he wanted me to work on our blog.  The internet here is extremely poor and most of the time almost non-existent!  I will only be able to add photos when we get back home!

By 11 we were on our way to Raymondskill Falls for the girls 1st view of a waterfall.  We did stop at the Turkey Hill for a slushy for Samantha and hot chocolate for Katelyn.  The girls enjoyed their hike to the top of the falls but really enjoyed the view when we hiked to the main part.  We decided not to take the more strenuous hike to the bottom, but returned to the car to drive to Tom's Creek picnic area to enjoy our lunch.

The girls 1st view of a waterfall - Raymondskill!

The upper  viewing area is not overly impressive.

Could these be a bear inside????

Maybe Katelyn spotted one!!!

The next viewing area at the bottom of
the falls is gorgeous!

Samantha enjoyed playing with a centipede she found
along the trail!

She happily shared her find with katelyn!

No, Katelyn, don't eat it!!!!!  Those legs would tickle
the whole way down!

We stopped at the creek area where we had gone with Bria and Cali to get more river rocks for Grandma and to have the girls build some cairns.  They enjoyed doing that and appreciated Paw Paw showing them how to skip stones, something Grandma can't do!  Samantha and Katelyn had fun walking in the water and by the time we left we had built 10 cairns.  We felt the area needed a little "art" as well as someway of leaving our "mark"!

Looking for the right flat rocks for building our cairns!

Katelyn did a great job.....

....and so did Samantha!

Then it was time to spend time in the water!

The pants kept going up higher and higher!

Time to build just a few more cairns.  We made 13 in all!

We were back to Wilbur around 2:45 and did some ball tossing and catching with the velcro "catchers"!  Then it was time for a game of UNO which Samantha and I won easily!  The girls spent time working on a sticker tablet I bought them by Melissa and Doug while Ken rested and I worked on this blog.  Both of us have gotten behind on our devotions as well as this blog! 

Paw Paw started a fire while the girls and I played some "catch" with the velcro ball game.  Then it was time for a game of UNO, not Samantha's favorite thing to do but we keep telling her it is important to do things together!

The girls made their hot dogs over the fire and after we finished eating outside, it was time for s'mores!  We invited the grandparents and their young grandsons who were camping on the site next to us to join in the fun.

Do you think s'mores can be a bit messy????

It was certainly the case for Katelyn!

We went inside around 7:30 to watch the movie, Rio.  Poor Ken had quite a time getting the sound to work, but he persevered and after a lot of frustration got it to work.  We went to bed as soon as the movie was finished and didn't hear one "peep" out of the girls.  I think they were exhausted!

Sunday - Last Day Sharing with Bria and Cali!

The girls slept in again until 8:30!  I guess the long hike yesterday was exhausting!  It was a sunny morning with temperatures in the low 70's - gorgeous!  Ken and I got ready while the girls played on our tablets and then I made them pancakes, again!  They each wanted a pumpkin one too!  I am so thrilled to have someone share my love of pumpkin pancakes!

We decided that because of such a late breakfast, we would just take snacks and water with us today instead of packing our lunches.  The girls did some ball throwing and by 11 we were starting the 3 mile Tumbling Waters Hike at the Pocono Environmental Center.  Bria and Cali decided they would like to take the longest hike which had an up close and personal view of another waterfall.  It was a somewhat strenuous hike but the girls did great.  We had to go down "a lot" of steps to get to the base of the falls, but it was worth it!  


The property belonging to the Environmental Center had over 1,000 trees fall during the storm in March and it was evident how much clearing and cutting of trees they had to do just along this path.  It really is a beautiful hike with some gorgeous views of the Delaware Water Gap!

All set for another long hike - 3 miles!

Wow, they had a lot of damage and fallen trees!

What a lush path!

Cali is huffing and puffing a little as we go uphill!

But as PawPaw says, what goes up must come down!

A very old chimney that was inside a cabin
long ago!

Cali getting a view of the Delaware Water Gap!

It is quite a view!

More climbing!

We finally reached the Tumbling Waters -

Nothing like Bushkill, but still beautiful!

So, it was time to head back to the car -

Some of the trail was rather rough!

More large, fallen trees!

What a great message on this plaque!

We finally saw a deer...

....and a beautiful butterfly!

Ken took this same picture last fall when we were here, but it
was a lot more colorful then!

We had started the hike at 11 and only finished around 2.  We did have a few raindrops along the way but nothing significant!  We came right back to the CG and showers were needed!  I packed all the girls belongs and Ken loaded them in the car.  We had time to play one game of UNO before leaving at 4:15 - Cali and Paw Paw won again!

Bria and Cali may have been a bit tired when we got back
to Wilbur!

We had about a 1 1/4 hour drive to meet Lanie, Jamie, Dane, and Samantha and Katelyn at a mall along Route 22.  We all ate at Chipotle at their outdoor patio.  Ken and I really enjoyed our bowls!  We said our good-byes and then Samantha and Katelyn came back with us to Wilbur.  By now it was 8 and we played one game and the girls decided to file their nails.  Then they thought they should do Paw Paw's toenails - so cute!

By 9:30 Ken and I were ready to call it a day.  It took the girls a little time to "settle", but by 10 all was quiet!