Mountain Mom and Tots

Mud is Goo

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Thanksgiving is for Hiking!

The weather at our house was an amazing 50 degrees or so throughout the Thanksgiving holiday weekend so we decided to go on a family hike to the waterfall at the base of the Mt. Timpanogos Trail. Right before we left, kids were already in their car seats, snacks and hiking pack in the trunk, Mountain Dad asked if I had any warm stuff for the tots. We were all in sweatshirts and the sun was shining so I was sure we’d be fine and was slightly annoyed at having to go back inside to grab hats and gloves. I was surprised to see the trail looking like this:

Good thing Mountain Dad thought ahead because it was colder than I expected. I’m always surprised that the mountains cause cold shadows below them. You’d think I’d have figured that out by now.

While most of the trail was a mix of ice, snow and rock the few places where it was sunny had turned the trail into a muddy mess. This is Big E jumping in the mud, right before declaring, “This is goo. Mud is goo!”

After a mile we were back at the car. Big E walked, jumped, slid and explored the whole way without complaining except for when he fell on his bum on the rocky icy patch pictured above. Little g complained quite a bit until finally going silent. No wonder, this is her in the pack slumped into a ball of sleepy baby on my back.

This hike reminded me once again of how grateful I am to live in the mountains surrounded by beauty. There is a connection between being outdoors and my mental health. I feel so much happier if I go outside at least a little each day, even if it’s cold or muddy or rainy. I’m thankful for the beauty of this earth and the joy I can get by enjoying it with my kids.

Welcome Winter

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Pristine and beautiful. What a site to wake up to.

Jykell and Hyde Child

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The forest can’t decide if it’s fall or winter

We enjoyed the most wonderful weather earlier this week. T-shirts, shorts, jackets in the evening. It was beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that to stay inside any longer would’ve been a crime so Big E, little g and I went out to explore.

At first I was a happy hiker, soaking in the rays, strolling along with my kids. Big E was chatting about sticks and rocks and little g was content with her pacifier. Fifteen minutes in, we stopped for a picnic (any eating outside is described as a picnic at our house) of applesauce packets, baby mum mums and freeze dried yogurt bites. Life was great. Until…

We cleaned up and put little g back in the pack. Awkwardly I got the pack on and started to stand up. At that moment a strange wind blew…not really but something weird clicked in Big E’s head. He jumped on my lap and said, “Carry me!”

As much as I would have liked to carry an extra 60 pounds between Big E, little g and the pack I knew I had my limits so I said, “Sorry buddy. You’ll have to walk.” The only thing I could think of that was worse than carrying both kids was falling onto one while squishing the other in the pack.

Big E said, “NOOOOOO! CARRY ME! I WANT YOU TO CARRY ME TOO!” while clutching my now straightened leg so tightly that I was not able to walk without tripping. All my maternal logic could not convince my 3, almost 4 year old that he really did want to walk. He cried, complained, begged and threatened to hit me. Finally I said, “If you keep this up I will leave you here and come back after I drop little g off at home.” Not my best moment, but he let go of my leg long enough to walk 10 paces before starting up again.

I tried bribery, distraction, singing, playing follow the leader; anything I could think of to make Big E stop fixating on wanting to be held. We finally ended up hobbling up to our house with him still clutching my leg.

What had started as a beautiful morning walk in the woods turned into a terrible Jykell and Hyde moment for all of us.

First Snow of the Season!

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First Snow of the Season

We’ve had a number of family birthdays this month, including little g’s first. With every candle that needed blowing out Big E made a wish. The same wish each time.

“I wish for snow.”

Last week his wish came true. We got three inches or so which Ethan quickly packed, threw, bulldozed and thouroughly enjoyed. As I tried to find coats, boots, gloves, and hats for all of us I realized that perhaps I’m not quite ready for this winter. Little g ended up wearing a coat twice her size, with sleeves down to her knees. Big E luckily still fits into last year’s.

Living in the mountains means winter here is pretty extreme. Usually I like things to the extreme – watching extreme sports, sitting in an extremely warm hottub, other such things. I’m just not sure I’m ready for freezing every time I open the front door and digging my way to the car. Mostly I’m not looking forward to the bundling of me, Big E and little g. As any mom of young children knows it already takes 20 minutes to carry the diaper bag, purse, library books, reuseable shopping bags, and kids toys to the car, load both children into their seats, buckle everyone in, clean off the snow and ice, stomp around to my seat and finally warm up the car to above freezing. Add to that putting on gloves, coats, hats and boots and you can see why I’ll be spending all my time at home this winter. Just kidding…kinda.

Big E’s big snowball

Little g did not like the snow…

but Big E couldn’t get enough.

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