Mother's Day was a beautiful day.  We each threw out a few ideas of what we should do to celebrate.  Bike riding, canoeing or hiking.  Since bike riding requires Mason riding on the back of my bike (Erik's bike is too big for Mason's seat), I passed on that idea.  Hauling 50 pounds of wiggly cargo for miles sounded like more work than this mother was willing to do on her day.  Canoeing with Mason sitting in the middle, out of reach of my death grip, sounded like more gray hairs than I was willing to acquire in one day.  So, I chose hiking….

We started out on an easy trail.  The path was called "Trout Run Creek".  1.5 miles, following a creek, meandering through the woods.  It was a beautiful and easy walk.

Family picture at the start of our day.

There a lot of spots to stop and throw rocks into the water.  We brought the boys water boots so they could wade in if they wanted to.

After our "easy" walk, if you consider taking turns carrying 50 pounds of wiggly cargo easy!  We got out the blanket and had a picnic.  The boys LOVED it!

After the picnic we decided to try a little bit harder trail called "Chimney Rock".  It was a little bit shorter (0.7 miles) but a little bit harder trail.  I've climbed Chimney Rock a million times in my life, but never with the title of "Mom".  In my head it's a cool hike.  Rocky, rugged, hilly, lots of look outs over cliffs, cool rock formation at the top, absolutely no railings or fences to keep people from falling over the edge.  What I failed to realize that the "cool hike" is the hike of my youth, not the hike as a mother of 2 very busy, very rambunctious, very FAST boys.  

I officially turned into my mother in that 0.7 mile hike.

Poor Mason never got let go during this hike.  

This is him pitching a fit because I wouldn't let him go all the way into the cave to look over the edge (you can see the opening behind Kade's head).  

I'm pretty sure it's 10,000 ft drop (not really but in my mom brain that seems like an accurate estimate), straight down, onto tops of trees and a jagged rocky bottom.  

No Mason, you will not be looking over the edge.  This view, that you have in the picture, is your view until you are 25.  Sorry not sorry.

I'm trying to smile, but really I'm trying not to puke or pass out from the continuous image going through my brain of one of my babies going over the edge.  

It.Was.Horrible.

Erik, on the other hand, was Joe Cool.  

Which worked out great for me because I made him carry the 50 pounds of wiggly cargo all the way up and all the way back down!

I still can't look at these pictures without feeling sick to my stomach.

Enjoy these pictures boys, you aren't going to see that view again for another 20 years!!

It was a great Mother's Day!

Once we got back on solid ground.