Foxes and Schramms Climb a Mountain

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Granted it was a paved trail... but we did successfully hike up to the Timpanogos Cave on Saturday.  We didn't tour the cave with this group, maybe in a couple years when the littles are quite so little. 
But we had a grand time and no children fell off the mountain, which was the mail goal.

The boys-- These three dudes will be playing on our upcoming piano recital this week.  It was good to go have some fun together.  The piano teacher isn't always on everyone's list of favorite people the week before a recital.  To be fair, little boys aren't always on the piano teacher's list of favorite people either!  I'm teasing... but we have been working hard.

Boys are very happy out in nature.

Elinor (Audrey) and Faith (Emma) each invited a friend along to join us as well. 

I like the facial expressions in this pic.

I am not any kind of expert hiker.  I don't know where the coolest trails are.  I am not known for my adventuresome outdoor spirit.  But my goal is this IS the summer of hiking for me and my family and my friends and anyone who has any interest in hiking around with me.  It's free, it's fun, it's healthy... AND I AM NOT NURSING OR PREGNANT!  In my experience, energy must be conserved when one is pregnant or nursing.  I am definitely enjoying the freedom and energy to get out and about.

 Peter and I were hiking companions, but Abe had the harder job of toting Greta up and down the mountain.

We love the Schramm Fam.  We loved them before this day.  And the hike was really, really fun.  But it's because of what happened later in the day that has forever more indebted us to them. Either way, they are awesome and we could learn more than a thing or two from them.  More in a coming post.

I'm super proud of Elinor, who for pretty much all of her life has HATED hiking.  I've never known a child to loathe hiking like she did.  There were tears.  Out right refusal to get up and move.  But Little Miss Swim Team/ Water Polo is in pretty darn good shape these days and I dare say she rather enjoys our little hiking adventures!  I'm looking forward to so many more this summer.

 We found a nice lookout spot where we stopped for snacks and resting...

... and some story time with Abe.

It was such beautiful weather.

With such beautiful friends.  We had pizza in a park afterwards and it had been a very good morning.  But it was about to get a whole lot crazier.... stay tuned.