On our last night in the Pacific Northwest we stayed with my sister and her two boys. I think they are 12 and 9 years old. I'm a terrible aunt, I should know that. Our first activity was a hike at Meadowdale County Park. Catherine, my sister, said this was a kid friendly hike. And by kid friendly I think that means the trail was wide and well used. There were even stairs to make it easier. Lots of stairs. On the way down, way way down, I just kept thinking, oh my goodness, my kids are never going to make it back up this. Never. I had Kaleb in the stroller, and just he, I figured, would never make it up the hill if I had to push him. It really wasn't that long or steep... for an adult or teenager, but for very tired 1, 3, and 5 years olds. Online I couldn't get a good mileage for the hike. One website said 2.5 miles and another said 3.85. I'm useless as to estimating what it actually was. But it was long enough and steep enough that I just didn't think we would make it.
But we did! It was amazing. We made it down to the beach (after wading through a flooded train tunnel carrying the kids through who couldn't make it themselves - that is hard to do with a toddler in a stroller) and parked ourselves on some driftwood logs for lunch. It was so warm and beautiful. Across the sound we could see the Olympic Mountians (on the Olympic Peninsula if you haven't brushed up on your Washington geography) and we just had fun. Gwen and Catherine had an especially good time playing "catch the toe." You'd have to have one of them explain that one.
To get the kids going on the way back a few of them would run on ahead and then jump out and "scare" us as we walked past. Or they would just let us walk past and then jump out, run past us, and do it again. Even Lukas took turns hiding.
Then at Catherine's a few of my kids took baths, Joshua wrestled with Bruce and Russell, Lukas just kind of played and did his own thing, Kaleb went to bed, Abby got to paint her nails with Aunt Catherine, we had dinner, and then ice cream sundaes, played games, and then got the kids to bed. Kaleb didn't get the memo. He woke up at 12:30 am ready for the day. He went back to sleep at 2:30 and then got up again at 3:00. Tuesday morning was accompanied with a lot of prayers that I wouldn't fall asleep trying to get us to Boise. We made it. Exhausted. And Wednesday we made it home. Exhausted. I think I was exhausted until yesterday. It was a long, fun, relaxing, vacation. But that drive is really hard if you have to do it alone... and with 4 little kids in your car.
But we did! It was amazing. We made it down to the beach (after wading through a flooded train tunnel carrying the kids through who couldn't make it themselves - that is hard to do with a toddler in a stroller) and parked ourselves on some driftwood logs for lunch. It was so warm and beautiful. Across the sound we could see the Olympic Mountians (on the Olympic Peninsula if you haven't brushed up on your Washington geography) and we just had fun. Gwen and Catherine had an especially good time playing "catch the toe." You'd have to have one of them explain that one.
To get the kids going on the way back a few of them would run on ahead and then jump out and "scare" us as we walked past. Or they would just let us walk past and then jump out, run past us, and do it again. Even Lukas took turns hiding.
Then at Catherine's a few of my kids took baths, Joshua wrestled with Bruce and Russell, Lukas just kind of played and did his own thing, Kaleb went to bed, Abby got to paint her nails with Aunt Catherine, we had dinner, and then ice cream sundaes, played games, and then got the kids to bed. Kaleb didn't get the memo. He woke up at 12:30 am ready for the day. He went back to sleep at 2:30 and then got up again at 3:00. Tuesday morning was accompanied with a lot of prayers that I wouldn't fall asleep trying to get us to Boise. We made it. Exhausted. And Wednesday we made it home. Exhausted. I think I was exhausted until yesterday. It was a long, fun, relaxing, vacation. But that drive is really hard if you have to do it alone... and with 4 little kids in your car.
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| two trains passed by while we were there. |
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