Hiking

A month or so ago, Jory asked if we could go hiking. I looked at him strangely and thought, whose kid is this? No kid if mine would ask to go hiking. Not that a kid of mine wouldn't go hiking if that's what the class field trip was. And not that the kid wouldn't be excited to go hiking on the class field trip. But to independently ask to go hiking, nope, not my kid. Obviously Jory didn't get the no-go hiking memo.

So he asked and I emailed my childhood friend Sarah, the only person I know who hikes. Sarah agreed to take us hiking. She's awesome!

So after being on the freeway for forever, (where are all those people going on the 405 at 1PM on a Saturday?!?! Where?!?!), continuing on the wrong freeway, getting off and turning around to get on the right freeway, then getting off on the wrong exit, and stopping at Carl's Jr., we finally called Sarah to get directions. She kindly gave us some directed that I started to follow then decided to disregard as the human population seemed to be less than the animal population. We stopped at the gas station, got directions to a famous landmark near her house, and went to her house. Of course, she was at the park/hiking place. Her mom kindly gave me directions that were simple and easy that no one could mess up. I wasn't so sure about that.

I followed the directions, ended up at a dead end, then asked a nice couple if they knew where the park was, and the eleven-year-old boy, not with them, walking his dog knew where I was talking about and gave me directions. We found exactly where he was talking about, but it wasn't where Sarah was. An hour later and asking a few human beings, God granted me peace and I found the road I was suppose to be on and got on the street I had disregarded earlier.

Meanwhile my son says to his bear, "Bear, we're lost!" He became a chant really that he thought was hilarious.

I looked at him and asked, "You think you're funny, don't you?"

He just laughed.

I explained we're not lost when Mommy knows how to get back to Miss Sarah's house and how to get back on the freeway to take us back home. I don't think he bought that answer and soon the girls started chanting with him.

Sarah was patiently waiting there when we finally got there and the hike began. Through a stream, we hiked where Jory to his delight got wet and to Rowan's dismay she slipped and fell and got wet. The baby was completely dry because somehow she was carried for more than half the hike.

After finishing part of a trail, we went back to the nature center where Rowan wondered why the eagle was in a cage and couldn't be free. Uh, because then you would never see an eagle if it wasn't caged? I was thinking that, but I didn't say that to my four-year-old.

An hour of hiking with the sun setting we were finished and Jory asked, when could we do it again. Well, it'll be easier to find for sure since I know exactly where it is now.

Sarah, as always, was such a gracious host and replenished the kiddos with fruit then with dinner and homemade cookies.

All and all a great day, even if it did have a rocky middle. We drove home, did some Easter shopping, went home and finally had birthday cake and opened Rowan's birthday presents. It's like her birthday stretched a week.

The day was such fun, everyone went out like a light, and sadly we slept through church. An hour worth of hiking is the way to put TTT and Mommy out for the count.