"The Day Hike"

School is winding down for me thus I am procrastinating finishing up my last two projects. Thus today we went on a family DAY hike with a picnic lunch - and we are even getting the pictures posted the same day. (To Emily anything on a trail is a hike, to me any one day outing is just a walk, but can also be called a "day hike," but not "hiking." A source of much confusion in our household).

I started out with Zach- his hat is kind of Amish looking with the hood underneath.

Who can resist a family photo.

We had a nice picnic lunch. Zach got a little cold in the shade but Em insists we can't spend too much time in the sun.

But I stole him and let him play on the sunny rocks!

He tried his hand at bouldering but his fingers are a little delicate still.

Zach loves to suck his thumb while grabbing Em's hair. This time he got her ear but that seemed to do the trick.

Em and I come from different schools of outdoor adventuring. I will include one of our conversations from after lunch as an illustration:

Calvin: "If we head that way we should hit the trail in awhile."

Emily: "I don't think we are supposed to be off the trail at all in this area."

Calvin: "Ah don't worry about it, see look there is the trail down there."

Emily: "But we can get on the trail sooner if we go up there." (pointing up hill)

Calvin: "But my way is more direct."

Emily: "We get on the trail faster this way, let's just get on the trail." (we got on the trail)

Much to Emily's dislike we had to venture off the trail again to get this great picture! I think Zach will see it my way in the long run.