Mt Rainier

Last week the kids and I headed off to Mt Rainier with my good friend and her son.   Ben came up on Friday night and joined us for a weekend of hiking and camping.

Mt Rainier is usually aglow in color in August, thanks to the wildflowers in bloom.   However, this year summer came early and it's been very hot and dry.   As a result, Washington state has been in drought and has been facing some of the worst fires in the state's history.   Even though there is no fires near Mt Rainier, our days were hazy due to the smoke drifting over from the east side of the state.

Despite the dry conditions and lack of wildflowers, the scenery was still very beautiful.    It reminded me more of Autumn on Mt Rainier.

Here are a few of my favorites photos from our weekend away.

On Saturday we did a few small hikes and one medium hike.   Our first hike was near Reflection Lake.  Unfortunately the weather was not cooperating to allow us to see the reflection of Mt Rainier in the lake.

Liz took a pause for a moment and I snapped this photo which I love.

Next we headed to the Grove of the Patriarchs.   It's a very easy and beautiful walk.   The kids loved pretending to hold up this tree.

And the suspension bridge was a hit with all ages.

The boys all thought it funny to lay on the railings.  

This is my favorite of my boys.

I have always found it hard to coordinate 3 kids for a photo.   Putting a 4th into the picture was even harder!   This was the best of the bunch. 

And I adore this one of Kai and Jonathan.

And Isaac.

And this one too!

I asked Kai to take a photo of me - I think he did pretty well :)

Our next hike was super short - around the Box Canyon.   There was a drop of 180ft from the bridge.   Liz decided to ham it up 

And we got this photo a little further away from the edge!

Our last hike was the most beautiful.   It was to Snow Lake.   The colors were more like Autumn here, although sometimes you could catch a glimpse of the last of the wildflowers.

On the way we passed by Bench Lake.  

Our final destination was Snow Lake.  It was stunning and this photo does it no justice.   The water was a glacial blue, surrounded with white rock and brilliant green forests.

A toilet sign was found, and a sudden need came upon a few people.   However, when we finally found it (about 10 minutes walk along another path) we found it was an open air toilet.   Liz quickly decided she could wait another hour to get back but Kai decided to try it out.

Isn't it gorgeous!

By the end of the day we had hiked about 8 miles, and according to my Fitbit, just over 18000 steps and 129 flights of stairs.

Ben arrived on Friday night and joined us for our hike on Saturday.

On Saturday we did a hike called "The Trail of the Shadows"   Early on the walk, I said "I wonder if we'll end up climbing up there?"   Well - the answer was yes!   And didn't we feel it the next day!

Along the Trail of the Shadows we saw this beautiful work of the beavers.   I think they might be almost finished.

As we walked along the Trail of the Shadows, we came across the sign for the "Rampart Ridge Trail".  This was our goal, so we took the turn.   We climbed up and up and up some more.   This was the most interesting tree on the way.

Toward the top, we took a little break on a rock overhang.

And how can I not share this photo of this gorgeous man!

We were almost at the top when we came to a gap in the trees.  All the way down the bottom we could see the park rangers offices and Inn where we had started.   We had climbed about 1700ft.   

But at least the view of Mt Rainier was gorgeous despite the haze from the fires in the state.

Kai was our only tiredness victim this year.   He managed to get a piggy back ride from Ben for the last mile.   I think he did amazingly well, considering we had hiked 5 miles the day before and then 5 miles again on Saturday (half of that uphill)

5th Grade Promotion

Liz finished Elementary School on Wednesday.   It's hard to believe that 6 years have passed and she's half way through school.   Isn't she looking beautiful?

This was her 5th grade class.

And look where we've come from... That smile hasn't dimmed!

Growing Up

I had one of those moments today.   Do you know those moments, when you are all alone and you suddenly realize how much your children have grown up?

I had one of those moments driving in the car today.   I was thinking about the fact that the school year was almost over and that Kai would be finishing Kindergarten.   It seems like it was only last year that I was holding him in my arms.    But no - he's now almost finished his first year of school.

And then I realized in just five years, he will be where Elizabeth is right now, and finishing elementary school.    But even more shocking was the thought that Isaac was going to be finishing high school when Kai is finishing elementary school.

My babies are growing up - and those five years are just going to fly by.   Wasn't it only yesterday that I had older mothers telling me that the years would fly!   I didn't really believe them back then.   But now I understand.

The funny thing is that I remember being in school and thinking that the year passed so slowly.   And now, as we get older the days fly past.

I love you "this much"

Today when we were walking home from school, Kai said "Mum, I love you a little, a lot and a million".  

I responded by opening my arms wide and telling him that I loved him "this much".

He laughed and said "Well, I love you this much" and pushed his arms backwards (because love is a competition!).

Then he added on...

"But I love you even more than that, I just can't open my arms big enough.".

Awwww.   What a sweetheart.

Smart Cat, Annoying Cat

We have a smart cat but there is a good reason we shut our cats downstairs overnight.

Each morning, when the first child goes downstairs, Charcoal runs up to our room.   There is no smooching or loving pats from this boy.  

No.  Instead, he jumps on the bedside tables and starts batting the cord on our lamps.   The metal on metal makes a very effective bell.  

He doesn't do it at any other time in the day.   Just in the morning, to let us know it's time to get out of bed, give him food, and let him outside.

As I said - Smart Cat.   But oh so annoying.

Now I need to train the children to make sure he is fed and let outside.  Then he might pester them, who are already awake!

Poetry

Elizabeth has been learning about concrete and abstract nouns in Language Arts.   They had to write a poem about an abstract noun (an idea, feeling, quality or characteristic) - and use concrete nouns (things that can be seen, heard, smelled, touched or tasted) to describe it.   

I was a little stunned with Elizabeth's poem.  I found it very profound and moving.   Her teacher loved it and has kept it for showing future classes, however she did ask me about Elizabeth's emotional well-being during our last parent-teacher conference last week, because of the poem.

Organization

I have been working hard on keeping my house organized and keep my surfaces uncluttered.   Since the kids are all in school this has become much easier.

However, the other day Kai made me some Lego creations.   I was on my bed reading when he came in.

"Mummy.   Is this your stuff?", pointing to my photo frame and jewelry box.  
"Yes, it is.  Why?".  
"I have made a Lego ship for you.   I'm going to put it next to your stuff."
"Thank you, Kai.   I love it".

In that moment, it was easy to choose clutter.

My first letter from Kai

Kids have ways to make your heart melt.  

13 and 11 year olds will give you a hug as you say good night, and then refuse to let go.   Even though they don't say "I love you" as much any more, it's those moments that you know that they still do love you.   And you hug back just as tightly - and tell them!

Then there are 5 year olds.  I love this age.   Minds are exploding.   Reading and writing is a new discovery and they want to try it out.   So my heart melted just a little bit more when I got my first letter from Kai today.

Practicing Letter

Kai has started Kindergarten this year.   He is really enjoying himself but he has started the year unable to read his all letters let alone write many.

Last night at Curriculum night, his teacher suggested that they practice their letters in chocolate pudding.   They were to use the correct pencil grip, but not hold a pencil, and draw in the chocolate.

We tried it today, and it was a hit.  

Especially because I let him lick his fingers between each letter, then eat it all at the end.

Cars, Matches and Science

Isaac's science teacher has been very good at communicating to parents about what she is doing with her students in class.   I knew that Isaac had built cars during science today.

During dinner, I asked him about the project.   He obviously loved it because he launched into great detail about his car.   They had been given some materials and, as a team, they had to design and build a car that could make it across the classroom without the students touching it.   The materials included lifesavers, paper, tape, paperclips and straws.    All the kids quickly worked out that blowing the cars was the way to go.   

This led to discussions around the table about design and other methods that could of been used - including Ben's grand idea of using fire.

Being the nerdy house that we are, everyone adjourned to the kitchen where Ben launched into an impromptu science lesson about how fire can generate thermal flows that can propel a car.   And, Ben being Ben, there had to be an experiment.

With the comment of "if this goes wrong you cannot complain about the costs of a new table" I let him be.   With a little alfoil, some paperclips, twist ties and matches, the kids science knowledge was expanded - much to their delight.   

And the kitchen table has no scorch marks.

A Great Day in Kindergarten

Kai has just finished his first full week of Kindergarten.   He started last week, but only attended for two days as they have a staggered start program where half the class comes for two days and the other half on the other two days.   (The Monday was a public holiday).

This afternoon he ran to greet me and said "I had a great day Mum!  Kindergarten is great!"   He then proceeded to tell me why his day was so wonderful.

1.  He made two friends today!
2.  He got a "Bow-Wow" for working hard
3.  He used the potty at school for the first time!

I had to stop myself from laughing out loud.   He then proceeded to tell me all about the toilet at school, and the pass they hang on the door to let others know that the toilet is occupied.   It was obviously a big moment in his mind.

Kai is definitely my chattiest child.  He has told me a lot more about Kindergarten than Isaac and Elizabeth ever did.   Perhaps we are seeing another positive outcome of our family "favorite things" discussions around the dinner table.   Or perhaps he's just more of a talker :)

Future Family

Somehow, Kai and I got into a conversation about our future families.   He was all excited because he had worked out that one day Isaac and he would be Dads and Elizabeth would be a Mom.    This prompted me to say that when he was a Daddy I would be a grandma.

This little bit of information went down quite well.   He liked the idea of having kids and me being a grandma.

What didn't go so well was when he asked "Will I live in our house?".

I foolishly replied "Oh no!   You will have your own house."

There was a lengthy pause.

Sob.  Sob.  Sob.

"Mummy, I want to live with you when I'm all grown up".  

Zoo Trip

Fridays are special days for me.   Friday is the only day where Kai and I are at home alone with no other commitments.   I like to try and do something special on Fridays but it hit me the other day that we only have 6 more Fridays left.

In 6 more weeks it will be Summer holidays and the big kids will be home from school.   And then Kai goes off to school.   There will be no more Fridays, and I feel sad about that.

Don't get me wrong.   I love having all my children at home, and I love doing stuff during the holidays with them.   But the end of these 6 weeks will be the end of an era.   For the past 12 years I have had a young child in my house, who wanted to visit the zoo, or the aquarium or the park.   And we could because we had time during the day.    Now those big trips will be reserved for holidays and weekends.   It will be fun.   But it will be different.

Last Friday we went to the Zoo.   It was great.   We walked and ran.   Kai climbed and chatted.   I got to take lots of photos of Kai and of the animals.   It was a wonderful day.   But it was probably our last Friday trip to the zoo.    Will I renew our membership next year?   I don't know.   Will I go to the zoo by myself to enjoy the animals and practice photography?   Maybe.   Will we go as a family enough times during the year to make membership worthwhile?   Maybe.  So much change is coming.   Life is about change.   I think next year will be different for me.   I'm kind of excited about what the new school year will hold.  

But, I really think I'm going to miss our Fridays.