All in Outdoor adventures
To celebrate our ten year anniversary, we took the day off and went hiking to Blanca Lake. We had never been here before so it seemed like a fitting way to celebrate both our love for each other and the outdoors. The weather was glorious, the crowds were nonexistent and my parents were kind enough to watch Jasper so we could spend time together just the two of us. It is really difficult to wrap my head around the fact that we have been married for ten years. In some ways, the time has flown by and in other ways it feels as though we have always been married. He is my everything and has given me a life full of adventure, two beautiful children I adore and more love than I ever thought possible. He is a true partner in every sense of the word. He works tirelessly for the betterment of others and is slow to anger, patient, kind and loving. Even after all these years seeing his face makes me smile, his presence is reassuring and he still makes my heart skip a beat.
As much as I crave sleep, I love adventure more. The handful of times my parents have watched Jasper for the night I dream about getting massive amounts of sleep, but the reality is I would rather get a restless night under the stars and wake up to a beautiful lake. A couple weeks ago Cameron and I hiked up to Snow Lake and spent a peaceful evening lakeside. Despite the gorgeous weather, we were surprised and delighted to only see a few other tents dot the shoreline.
In my opinion, these photos don't even do it justice, the beauty of the evening and morning light at Snow Lake is unparalleled and one of the main reasons I love backpacking in. During the day, the light is bright and the landscape is flat, but throughout the evening the lake becomes more and more stunning.
All these beautiful June Saturdays have been perfect for making use of our new infant carrier. This past weekend we visited Granite Mountain and enjoyed spectacular views and gorgeous weather. The only disappointing thing was all the bear grass had already died for the Summer due to the hot weather we have been experiencing. A stark contrast to last year when it was in abundance.
When the weather is good we usually head to the mountains, but what is your favorite thing to do on a sunny Saturday?
For you long time readers, you know we like to hike...A LOT! So when Jasper came along, it was pretty much a given we would invest in a hiking pack once he was big enough. We were ecstatic when upon placing him in the carrier for the first time he literally laughed and squealed with delight. Hiking must be in his blood! Riding in the carrier allows him to be up high and see everything from a different vantage point than his everyday life. I can tell Jasper feels like a big deal in his carrier and he really seems to enjoy the view.
As a woman the societal expectation is that we do it all. Society wants us to be thin, pretty, bare beautiful and well behaved children, keep an immaculate house, have perfect hair, stay on top of the housework, maintain a pretty yard and prepare healthy and delicious dinners on a nightly basis. In reality, something always has to give. In order to have an immaculate house, maybe we deprive ourselves of sleep. Or if we are able to prepare delicious dinners on a nightly basis, maybe our laundry pile is sky high. Being a mother or a woman for that matter is a balancing act between being selfish and giving. On the days where I excel in one area, I most certainly fail in another. I have come to peace with the fact that I cannot do it all, nor will I try to pretend that I do.
One of the most exhilarating parts of becoming a parent is seeing the world through new eyes. I can distinctly remember only one other time in my life when I have felt this way and that was when Cameron and first started dating. Everything I had previously done I wanted to experience with him. It did not matter how many times I had been somewhere, if it was accompanied by him it felt like a whole new experience. Ever since Jasper has joined our family I have experienced similar feelings. I have been eager to show him all our favorite places and take him everywhere we go. One of our favorite activities as a family is hiking, so naturally we have taken Jasper on several hikes with us. It doesn't matter how many times we have hiked Rattlesnake Ridge with Jasper it is a whole new experience. From stopping to touch the trees to changing his diaper on the ridge to seeing the wonder in his eyes at the sound of a bird. Hiking with Jasper is a whole new experience! After our hike we stopped at Rattlesnake Lake to let Jasper stretch his legs and roll around on the grass. Being a parent has caused me to be more present, take life at a slower pace and be acutely aware of another's needs before my own.
The tulips were so beautiful that when my parents invited us to go back up to see them for my Mom's birthday we jumped at the chance. It was a rare treat to spend the day with them. Watching them interact with Jasper and seeing how much they love him makes my heart swell. Once again the sun was shining and it was a perfect Spring day. Half joking I asked my Dad if he wanted to strap on the Ergo carrier and carry around Jasper and eagerly he obliged. It was fun to see how happy and proud he was to carry him around the tulips.
As a parent I often daydream of sharing certain experiences with my children. From the moment I was pregnant with our first son, Asher, I could hardly wait for all the hiking and camping we would eventually do with him. Flash forward three years and my dreams of hiking with my child have finally come true.
Although this is not the first time we have taken Jasper hiking this is the first time he was wide awake and attentive for the entire experience. In the event he was cranky or unhappy we decided to do one of our favorite short hikes- Rattlesnake Ridge. On the ascent up the mountain Jasper was so quiet I kept checking on him to see if he was asleep. He wasn't asleep, rather keenly interested in every bird tweeting and tree branch blowing in the wind. Since Jasper is still so young and relatively light, we were able to carry him in our Ergobaby. For our hike we tried to keep things simple; we packed a few extra layers in case the weather took a turn for the worst, a change of clothes and a hat for him. We also brought along our baby essentials- diapers, wipes, burp cloth and pacifier. This wonderful Saturday morning spent hiking has made me eager for warmer weather and more hikes as a family.
