We Love the Nutcracker Ballet!

A Family Hike in the New Year

Today our family threw our packs and our kids in the car and drove to Sycamore Canyon in Poway. It was a chilly but sunny day which warmed up as the morning went on. Chris and I each carried one child on our backs and we set off into the canyon. The first part was on the canyon rim trails which are narrow and a bit steep. Natalie serenaded us with her version of "a dog singing Jingle Bells," "an owl singing Jingle Bells," and basically any animal on Earth singing Jingle Bells. Noelle chattered away happily, most of the time in "Noelle-ese." We eventually reached a pretty oasis of sycamore trees and bright green grass down on the canyon floor. After this part came the longer trek back up out of the canyon. After a while, whining ensued and we finally agreed to release the youngsters and let them run. They immediately took to collecting rocks on the trail and running around like wild banshees, drunk with their newly found freedom. I snapped a few pictures before continuing our trek back to the parking lot. The hill on the way back was a bit daunting but we all made it. We had to put the kids back in their packs for most of it which as you can imagine, was not met with gratitude. All in all, it was a successful three mile hike with the girls. They are not as light as they used to be, however we are excited to see them becoming more independent in walking the trails themselves. The most precious part for me is to see the girls discovering nature and enjoying the natural world so much. Our family certainly will have many hiking adventures to come.

Happy New Year from the Girls!