bluebells at bull run

We made our annual visit to see the bluebells in full bloom at Bull Run Park just a few days before Simon was born. And I never got around to posting the pictures. This is one of my favorite spring activities in the area. The hike along the river is gorgeous with bluebells lining both sides of the bank as far as the eye can see. It's an incredible sea of blue. The kids had so much fun running along the trail, collecting walking sticks, climbing in hollow logs, and playing in the river. This was the first time Ben was able to join us. I couldn't have managed Oliver without him.

In my large and uncomfortable pregnant state, I thought we would just hike out to the river and not do the entire loop. But Oliver kept walking and we kept following and enjoying the scenery. Eventually we were sure that we were at least halfway so we figured we would just continue on the loop instead of going back. The whole trail was only 2 or 3 miles but to my pregnant self, it started to feel like an eternity. I was moving at a snail's pace, walking far behind everyone else and didn't think we would ever see the car again. I was starting to wonder if I would give birth among the bluebells. But we finally emerged from the woods. I had a lot of contractions that night and some crazy swollen feet, but Simon held out for another day. 

 

(Notice Amelia in the background crawling into a log. The girls were pretending to be foxes.)

(Examining bugs.)