PippiKneeSocks.com

i need to preface this by stating; i’m not your “work out” type of person.

i’ve never in my life belonged to a gym. i don’t walk or run or ride a bike for “exercise” i figure i get enough running around in just dealing with the kiddos day in and day out, to fufill any ‘exercise needs’. given the fact that ever time i sit down in a chair, my “ass alarm” rings and prompts on of my children to need something; often, with a sense of immediate urgency.

that said…. i hiked 4+ miles yesterday (ok, we all did, including the short legged folx.) 2 miles up landed us 3,536 feet above sea level. we summited mt hunger. everyone we met along the trail; especially those we saw at the summit; we struck by the kids making it. (i, on the other hand had no doubts they would make it; it was me i was doubting.) they we a big hit, especially with the BTDT parents we met, who, it seemed; were all on the mountain that day with their grown children. all eager to share stories of taking their kids out at that age. (conclusion: a family that hikes together; stays together.)

i digress, the children did really well. they went most of the way barefoot (until the rock faces just below the summit) bella flat out insisted on breaking trail; especially the way down. cyrus only wanted/needed to be carried, in the back pack for about 1/2 of a mile the entire trip. (a duty that matt and i split nearly 50/50.) apparently, the fact that a woman can carry a child on her back whist climbing a mountain blew the minds of some UVM students we met along the way. i didn’t say it, but thought ‘these are the facts, you fresh faced young adults; you carry them for nine months; and you wind up carrying them for years afterward. & just because you have been conditioned to believe that women are weak and frail, does not mean we actually are’ the other 3.5 miles that my son walked, he was impressive; abet a tad foolish. if there was 2 ways to approach, the chose the more difficult one. he scurried up rock faces like a mountian goat. his hands and feet so small, he could find hand holds where a grown person couldn’t. bella was just as adept; but a bit more cautious. they loved the summit with their whole little beings; we hung out of about an hour, had lunch and headed down, as it was cold and windy. bells informs me that she was on top of the world & it was beautiful.

something i found at the summit; my momento.

a red twist tie.

i should try to get moving, if i can. my legs are incredibly sore (as i said, i am not an exercise person.)i have a TON of work to do today; and i have to replace a whole photo card of pictures today, as somehow they got deleted. (which, is mind boggling; since my camera won’t delete photos anymore & i have to do it manually… and i know I wouldn’t get rid of said photos. *shakes fist at sky*)

♥