A Relaxing Hike in the Woods . . .

. . . Not so much :) I'm glad my kids are old enough that I don't feel the need to freak out and require them to stay close and within sight when out hiking in the woods with a group of 17 kids (and a service dog). My NGF and I just watched them disappear over ridge after ridge, while our friend with the two really littles had to turn back for bathroom breaks. I honestly don't know how she would have managed the remainder of the endless trail with a three-year-old. It was SO MUDDY!!! I slid down one large hill, Newton was more black than white from the knees down (apparently he pulled Caelan like a ski boat on water would pull a water-skier down the mud slopes), and Graysen told stories of his mud-slipping adventures back at the lodge.

We also heard Brennen's story, later. He took off at a run after two of the younger members of their people pod, who had ventured onto the wrong trail. An unknown hiker came into view, and Brennen wanted to protect the two wanderers. Well, thankfully, they heard him shouting and turned back. Brennen then succumbed to the mud and went "rolling down the hill," according to his sister. After listening to her recount the tale, Brennen said, "Did I look cool?" Lol!!







When my NGF and I finally caught up to the children (we only had two stick with us, one is barely kindergarten-aged and the other thought we should call a taxi to pick us up---YES!!), they looked like the first photo . . . and clearly, we looked like the second :) Might have been kind of ambitious for the first day of our New Years' resolutions ;)







Back at home, Newton found a cozy spot to sleep under the Christmas tree, and I decided to let the "cleaned as best we could before we got in the car" shoes wait til the next day for attention. I'm glad we went hiking. Next time, we moms use the treadmill for AT LEAST a week first, ha!