Yikes! Hikes!

Due to a very wet March, and (so far) pleasant April, our family hikes for March and April ended up being about a week and a half apart.

Our March hike took place quite spontaneously one night after dinner. We just went on a short trail (about 1/2 mile) that is in the hills near our house. That one went well for being late in the day after we'd all been at work and school. That is, until the little guy fell in a bit of mud and declared that he was done. After a bit of tough love from us, he was able to recover and we completed our hike without further incident. Didn't really get any pictures on that one, that's just how spontaneous it was!

Yesterday we took our April hike (although with the improving weather, I'm sure we'll be getting in more than one a month through the summer). With the threat of rain today, we ceased the opportunity of a dry, somewhat sunny, slightly warm day. Kai and I actually did this hike with a group of friends in January and we thought it was so fun we wanted to take Joe to see it. It was another shorty (about 1 mile), but it is all hill. The view from the top is amazing, as are all the views around here. We are so lucky to have such beauty around us! This one went very well. Kai did not even ask to be carried and he literally ran up the hill, or at least a good chunk of it. See:

The view from the summit. This was enough for me to get up there, although Kai was only concerned about the rice krispy treat that I had for him at the top.

Yellow flowers for Daddy. I have to say, I love the kind heart our little guy is developing. He is really learning to think of what other's might like, and always wants to be sure everyone has things equally (ie, I got some "yellow flowers", too!).