In Pursuit of a Hike

Goodbye lazy days. We (and I, especially) will miss you. The boys don't go back to school for a few weeks, but I'm back in the office already and slowly transitioning back to full time work. I'm not complaining, believe me. I don't take take my summers for granted for one second. I know how fortunate I am to spend 3 months out of the year with the boys. I also know how fortunate I am to have a job that I love in a district where my kids attend school. It's all about balance, amIright? Every summer has its own unique personality. Some years, summer is all about the big vacation. Other years, it's about day trips and bucket lists. This summer has been all about full time lazy days and days at the pool. We've spent more time at the pool that any other year, and have also made two trips to a water park. This summer has been about lounging in the sun, catching up on Netflix, and checking out giant stacks of books at the library (mostly cookbooks, some memoirs for...

This particular trail is our family's favorite. We hike it multiple times a year, trying to hike it at least once each season. It was the first trail of the Three Creeks trail system that Jeremy and I ever hiked, and it was also the first trail that we hiked with the boys. Because of the steep drop to the creek, and the subsequent steep climb back up, we were so proud when our little boys completed the hike on their own two feet. The trail itself isn't much at all, probably less than a quarter mile. But the real fun is down at the creek where there are endless places to explore, endless rocks to climb, and endless places to wade and splash.  Another milestone that happened on this trail was our puppy Kylo's first hike, back when he was just a few months old. That first hiking trip with Kylo confirmed what we feared because of prior car trips. Kylo is unfortunately very prone to car sickness. Even short trips in town made him visibly uncomfortable. We were so bummed fo...