All 11! Gates is in the Ergo Evye is wearing. You can't really see much of him...or any of him at all....but he's in the pic too. Sweet baby boy. Almost 6 weeks old. It goes so fast.
So, as a result, we now have a hiking day each week in which we spend the week before researching and mapping out new places to go within about a 60 mile radius. Due to the amazing campsites we have discovered we have now begun our journey to becoming a camping family. That should be fairly interesting. So it is that we search craigslist for family sized tents...and then a few....and camping supplies....and we begin our journey of getting one with nature. But let it be known that being unified with nature also involves bringing along a Walmart toilet....cause it just ain't happenin if there ain' t a functional toilet involved.
This week Eno River State Park was on the agenda....all 4200 acres of it. We discovered 5.5 miles of it....which I'm fairly certain is about 1/32 of just the eastern side alone. We'll definitely be visiting this place regularly. The park rangers were amazing and entirely kind....and all wading is 100% legal.
Absolutely nothing to do with hiking....but kinda cute. The makeshift seating arrangements when tables have been torn down for shampooing of carpets.
Not entirely hiking related either....but, straight up....or straight down.....date night hair. Curls only disappear about twice a year so straight has to be thoroughly enjoyed while it last. I think a place truly starts to feel like home once one has found someone who can be trusted with insanely thick, loosely curly hair. She saw fit to thin it out, as her expert opinion was that it would lay much nicer and be more manageable....but somewhere in the thinning I think I lost half of my body weight. She pruned quite generously. On the hiking note...I did go hiking with straight hair so I guess it could kinda sorta be a little hiking related. And yes.....that is a dog's butt in the lower right hand corner.
The geriatric and the fence jumper.
.....on to hiking.
....and the beginnings of the love of rock climbing are born. Let it be known that it can be done even while backpacking a massive toddler.
Davy Crockett wonderlands.
After the hike. The bed had been made up but then they all piled in for a Friday night movie.
These would be the rocks Evye saw fit to get stuck on barefoot and half way out to river while Ergoing Baby A. And so stuck was she that she had a few fellow passing hikers concerned and talking. Seeing as how the entire world was staring at her insane predicament I then was required to walk out to middle of river while wearing Baby C, remove A from her, and walk the 3 of us back to river shore as she squealed and laughed her own way back. I had absolutely no desire to remove shoes or socks to help her butt out so, in all of my ingenuity, I saw fit to wade out to her fully clothed....socks, shoes and all.....which then required of me to hike the rest of the day with no socks and a spare pair of shoes unearthed in the van. Probably won't ever be doing that again.
Just for the record.....this is NOT Evye in the pic. This would be Grayson backpacking Baby B and is just a good overall shot of where Evye saw fit to get herself river stranded.....way out in the middle.
Just for the record.....this is NOT Evye in the pic. This would be Grayson backpacking Baby B and is just a good overall shot of where Evye saw fit to get herself river stranded.....way out in the middle.
The amazing "1930"s house" according to Garrison. Ummm...son? Try subtracting another 100 years or so from that and you might be nearing the right era.
It wiggles as much as it looks like it would....and moves side to side.....and bounces.
Inside the old historic "1930's" cabin.
In this case, fun is entirely dependant on your definition of it. We watched one dude take 5 entire minutes to cross this thing. Children thought it was amazing and would've permanently camped out on it if there hadn't been more to conquer before dusk set in.
Before she saw fit to get them both stuck half way out.
The stuff fairytales are made of......
Straight up. I'm pretty sure this was more ladder than it ever was stairs. Ivye kept up with the best of them.
Who sees the water moccasin?
8 comments:
WOW ! I NEVER THOUGHT IT'S POSSIBLE TO HIKE WITH MY SEVEN AND YOU DO IT WITH TEN AND A NURSING BABY !
VERY HEALTHY!
It's so green out there. Does it make you feel peaceful?
Anon....I didn't know it was possible either!! LOL! I figure you just never know until you try and it's all something we love doing to get away. It definitely helps when everyone is willing to pull together and help to make it possible. The older ones are amazing and entirely willing to backpack babies too. If they weren't willing or made it difficult then we certainly would be more limited than we are. And our younger ones are troopers. It's fun having this much freedom, living in a place where we can go and do things as amazing as hike some of the places we are beginning to discover.
Karen...working on an email back to you...finally. :) Brad's schedule will get better eventually. The 1st 6 months he's working 12 hour shifts, then he'll be moved to 24's. We prefer the 24's, as he gets more days off in between.
The green....it's amazing. So far from where we've been. It's absolute solace and total peace as we weave our way through hills, around lakes and down rivers. I can get kids to go into total silence and we'll just stand in some spots and listen to the woodpeckers, deer running in the leaves beside us, fish jumping, river running, and different kind of birds calling. It really is like a green canopy above. Feels a bit like living in the amazon. Winter was definitely not my favorite here, but so far autumn and spring have been absolutely amazing. Weather is beautiful too. Many many sunny days but rain still falls. I really am coming to love it here....the people, life and this whole part of the world. It just took awhile.
I am glad you are beginning to love where you are. I grew up along the very green & lush southern Oregon coast. I am currently in the high desert of northeastern California. While there definitely is beauty here, I miss the coast with is moisture & greenery so very much. We want to transfer to jobs on the coast but so far that door has not opened for us. I am at peace with that.
All your hiking with the little ones is truly amazing. I am so glad it works out for all of you.
Spring/summer have finally arrived in our corner of the world. YAY! It went from cold 30's & 40's to the 80's nearly overnight. But we are thankful for sunshine, blooming flowers & trees & the sounds of birds that I hear outside the front door even at 8:30 at night.
Have a great week!
That was beautiful......
Ohhhh It's so pretty! I grew up going hiking in the Wichita Mountains in SW Oklahoma usually several days a week. I wish we had places to hike here!
Awesome!!
Great and pretty pics!
Are the dogs good with children? My dh wants to get a german shepherd.
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