Knee Scrapes Equal Fun In This Family!

My family and I did something we have never done before today. We went hiking! Seriously. My children went on their very first hike today. I asked my brother Ben to take us to the waterfall on the mountain where my parents live. I used to go up there all the time when I was a kid, but since I'd left, houses had been built, and I wasn't sure of the way up there anymore. I just wanted a guide so we did trespass on any one's property, or make any one mad. The kids loved it. Unless you ask Kaleb. He says he did not like it. But that is because he fell, and scraped his knee. Riley also says it was fun except for the scrapes he got from the sagebrush and bushes. That's my kids for you. Always dwelling on the negative. I've really got to work on that. I took lots of pictures. Here are a few:

My boys set out on their journey.

Look!  That's where we are going!  You can see the water going down. Riley, "Where?"

Getting closer to our destination.

Christian loves Olive?  I can't tell.  He must be keeping it a secret.

Riley gets a little help from Uncle Ben.  And apparently we weren't the only ones who thought today would be the perfect day to go on a hike.

Taking a break while Kaleb, Mom, and Dad catch up.

Our little climber!  We're so proud.

Looking down from the top of the waterfall.

The view of the city.

It may be tiny, but it's still beautiful.

Explorer Zachary

Explorer Riley

All of Us.  Thanks, Ben for taking the picture!

Ben carried Kaleb up this rockside.  Kaleb is afraid of heights, but he did okay up there.

Ben and Zach crossed the waterfall to the other side, and beat us down the hardest part of the trail.

The descent.

Kaleb's scraped knee.  He did that on the road on the way home.  But he did fall down a couple of times on the mountain.

Then we went back to Grandma's and had dinner of hot dogs, strawberries, cantalope, pickles, and rhubarb and strawberry pie for dessert.  I did try it, and it wasn't too bad.  I don't usually like pie.  Kurtis has decided we are going to go hiking at least once a month now.  Except in the winter.  Maybe in the winter we will just have to go where it is warmer. :) 

Next month's hiking destination.