Exploring Columbia

~We took a little walk on the MKT trail today with the kids. We walked about a mile under the canopy of trees. It was a hot day, but we didn't feel it much under the trees. The kids enjoyed walking over the many bridges and looking at all of the spiderwebs and trees. It was a nice quiet walk with a lot of learning about staying on the right side of the trail. Here's a picture of Mark hiding among the brush up a hill just off the trail.

~James has been asking to go to the McDonalds or Burger King play places since he saw them when we first moved here. The Burger King here is the company biggest playland. It's a little big, and he's going to have to wait until he turns four (our nerves, not his), but we decided to go to McDonalds tonight after dinner. He was absolutely loving climbing around when suddenly we were asked to evacuate due to a grease fire. We got out of there pretty quickly and then watched the fire trucks come with their sirens.

~Watching fireflies come out at night here is becoming a new favorite evening ritual.

~We're starting to meet people here. Last Sunday we checked out a church and got invited by two families for lunch. We went to lunch with one couple and the pastor and his wife and daughter took us to the Olive Garden later in the week. We look forward to meeting some more people tomorrow as we try out another church.

~James is becoming friends with the neighbor across the street. We spend many evenings with them once the sun goes down. The heat keeps us indoors before then. The kids have been enjoying using one another's riding toys-particularly Landon's battery operated Ford truck. Hannah could sit in it for hours, just smiling.