Berries Here, Berries There

Since I'm so far behind on blogging, I've got to start again somewhere! Forgive me for being so random and out of order!

About three weeks ago we took a weekend trip to Drifter's Lodge, our old hang-out, and did a Satuday morning hike on a trail above the Kenai River with friends that joined us for the trip. Tallis hiked some of the way on his own, and Dad carried him the rest of the time. (He likes to wear his own backpack, a gift from Grandma and Grandpa Hess for his birthday - well-chosen, much loved, and perfect for him! This time he was toting his special yellow blankie in the backpack - all a little guy could possibly need to keep him safe and comfortable in the Alaskan wilderness.)

Rhys got to hang out with Mom.

At the "end" of our hike (read: "point where we turned around because the kids were getting tired"), we found a nook in the woods FULL of lingonberries. Since it had frosted hard already, they were juicy and flavorful, but still tart.

Tart or not, Tallis thoroughly enjoyed them, as he does all wild berries. (He was in heaven this summer whenever we would encounter a patch of raspberries or blueberries - yum! Stuff-the-face time!)

Rhys found the berry patch to make a fragrant and smile-enducing resting spot. He was so happy to kick around there on the ground! What a happy little guy he is.

We ate lunch in this spot and Tallis took his turn with the camera. He's our little budding photographer, and now that we've taught him how to NOT put his thumb over the lens, he gets an identifiable shot every now and then. A self-portrait:

Daddy's finer half:

And a good one of Mommy: (I am the blog writer, right? I can choose the best of several Tallis-taken shots to represent myself if I want to!)

A short hike, with cold toddler feet by the end, but exactly what we needed on a Saturday morning get-away!

I labeled this post "Berries Here, Berries There" and now you know about the berries there. As for berries here, frozen blueberries from Sam's Club win the prize almost any day. Rhys has even joined in the fun this week, with a newly acquired pincer grasp and a strong penchant for feeding himself independently, just like a big boy.

This next photo I toss in just for comparison's sake. It's Tallis at almost exactly the same age:

That extra pound differential at birth hasn't gone away. Tallis was certainly chubbier at almost 7 months than Rhys! Their coloring is also slightly different (in person not just in photo) and their face shape as well. But they certainly look alike around the eyes and nose.

Ah, brotherly bonding over berries....