The Devil's Punchbowl (The name of the hike)

What a perfect day in Iowa!! Days like these make me think there cannot be a better place on earth to live! We decided it would be a good idea to take a hike with the Landers. For those of you who did not read my post a few months ago about our last hike with the Landers, just know that we are not a good combo when it comes to hiking. Somehow at some point we lost all control today and we found Dawson hanging from a branch over a little creek and Brigg and Gabe trying to "Save his life!" Dawson made some comment like, "Did I come here to die?" After we made it through the first near castastrophe, we had yet another. Daws, Gabe and Brigg ventured off the main path again while Jody was trying to find a signal for her cell and within minutes they had scaled the side of what Iowans would call a mountain and were totally stuck. Jody took off to try and save the day. She is screaming from halfway up, "SERIOUSLY Cassie, this is SCARY!" They could not get down and had to continue up and then backtrack a bit to make it to about a million stairs that came back down to us. After more laughter and some tears (from laughing), we made a new rule...You MAY NOT veer off the path or you will be assigned a mother's hand to hold. Believe it or not, it worked! we even bribed them into getting a group photo. Overall, a great way to spend a beautiful fall day. Thankful for so many things today!!

Dawson hanging on for dear life... Jody just laughing from the nerves...
Those specks of color are children...AND Jody...
We tried...