Our Sunday began as most Sundays do around here. We ate a delicious pancake breakfast (more banana vanilla protein pancakes) before heading to an early-morning church service and making some pit stops at a few stores to do some returns on our way home.
Once we arrived back at our house, we ate lunch, changed into our hiking clothes, hopped in Ryan’s car and drove to Gainesville to explore some new hiking trails.
I could not stop laughing when I saw this picture…
Sadie apparently honed her photo bombing skills in her free time so they are completely on point.
Our first stop in Gainesville took us to Devil’s Millhopper, a limestone sinkhole that is 120 feet deep.
To get to the bottom of the sinkhole, hikers must walk down a ton of wooden stairs.
As we started to walk down the stairs, it began to sprinkle on us and by the time we made it to the bottom of the sinkhole, it was absolutely pouring.
It’s hard to capture rain on camera, but we were completely soaked by the time we got back to the car.
Running up a ton of stairs in torrential downpour is quite an adventure! And oh-so-safe.
As we drove from Devil’s Millhopper to our next destination, we passed the University of Florida campus.
Any Gators out there? My sister graduated from UF last year and Ryan earned his MBA from UF, so I have some Gators in the family, though neither of them are crazy Gator fanatics. (You know who you are. 
)
Once we arrived at Paynes Prairie, we decided to keep our hike short and did a three-mile loop on the Chacala Trail since the rain clouds still looked rather daunting.
The hike was a good one and we saw a deer and a little gopher tortoise.
Ryan and I both talked about how much we like the Gainesville area on our hike. It’s definitely a college town with a lot of fun local restaurants and bars but it is also a great area for outdoor activities like hiking and tubing in nearby springs.
When we arrived home, we made a quick dinner of ground turkey that I prepared using the recipe I previously posted for my favorite sloppy joes.
I topped a bowl of roasted sweet potatoes, summer squash and Brussels sprouts with the turkey sloppy joe mixture and stirred everything together.
And now it’s time to head to Dairy Queen before spending the rest of the night watching a movie at home. I love laid back nights with my little family.
I hope you’re enjoying the long weekend wherever you may be!
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I currently go to UF and am a nursing major…I just went to devils millhopper with my roommates and loved it! I love discovering new hiking trails and outdoorsy things to do here:)
Can’t get enough of your charm!
Check out http://www.wildheartcity.wordpress.com
A.
I’m a Gator! I went to UF for undergrad and grad school. Go Gators!! 🙂
P.S. You need to try the Confetti Cake Blizzard at DQ! Sooo good!
I am a Gator! I got my undergrad degree there and am now earning my Master’s. 🙂
I literally just left Gainesville for transfer orientation. I’m transferring from UCF to UF in the fall, so gator to be!
Looks like a fun day!
This tropical storm has been a real mood killer today! My boyfriend and I were going to spend the day outdoors but we were forced inside before the day could get started. 🙁
I love how Sadie made it into the pic 🙂
I completely agree with you on living in a college town, I live in Eugene, OR and have all my life. I also go to the U of O, and I love how much spirit our town has, its hard to not love it 🙂
omg my friend lives in Gainesville! She goes to college down there 🙂 I love the pics of Sadie haha they always crack me up 🙂
What a fun weekend! That’s so awesome Ryan has him MBA, I graduate undergrad next year and am thinking of going for mine as well. This is kind of a stupid question but does he think it was a worthy investment? Like is it actually helping him in his career?
hey erin! ryan was really lucky in that his employer at the time paid for his MBA, so for him it was a pretty easy decision. when i asked him about your question, he said he thinks it’s definitely valuable to employers and a good idea, but he also said he wouldn’t pay a TON of money to go to a private school or anything like that.
Thanks Julie! I really appreciate you asking him! That’s awesome his company paid for it, I would definitely do it too in that situation. When my bf becomes a professor in a year its likely part of his benefits package will include spouse education reimbursement. But I don’t want to rush a wedding just to start my Masters! haha So I’ll have to see with timing whether its better to wait or just start paying for it on my own.
Best photobomb ever!
Sadie is such a ham! Perfect photobomber 🙂
Dairy Queen sounds like an ideal way to round up a great day :)!
I went to UF for undergrad (where I met Leslie!) and am currently in grad school there, as well! I love going for hikes on Payne’s Prairie… last time I saw a bunch of wild horses and other hikers saw a buffalo, but I missed him! Devil’s Millhopper is next on my list of places to go 🙂
wild horses!?! awesome! i WISH we would’ve seen a buffalo. too cool!
Sadie is such a character, she always has me LOLing at your posts!!
I have been hitting up Dairy Queen all too frequently now that the temperature is heating up!
Jonny and I got home around 8:30 last night from dinner and watched The Vow in bed. 🙂
Yay, go gators!! I did my undergrad at UF and my fiancé also got his MBA from there.
That sinkhole hike looks awesome! Those are some challenging stairs! That photo-bomb pic of Sadie is hilarious! She was definintely in the perfect spot!
Is it wrong that everytime I hear Gainesville, I immediately think of Ted Bundy?
That looks awesome! I love how you guys go on hikes on the weekend–way to appreciate the nature around you!! 🙂
I love hiking, so jealous! Its been way to hot here though to take the pup for a good hike. It will have to wait for fall.
But Sadie’s photo bomb is hilarious!
Yay gainesville! I grew up there and did my bachelors at UF. And yes I’m a crazy gator fan! I’ve been to paynes prairie and devils milhopper many times. 🙂 sounds like the perfect day.
Oh wow even with the rainstorm this sounds like my perfect Sunday! Sounds like a wonderful day and so much fun!
wow who knew there were so many gators reading your blog! im currently getting my undergrad at UF
LOVE Sadie’s photobomb:)
That Sadie photo bomb had me in hysterics! She honestly looks like she has been practicing cause she did such a great job of it.
My god, the photo of Sadie photo bombing is hilarious! Her facial expression genuinely look like she is desperately trying to get in the background. Fantastic! haha