SLIDER

Rock Climbing in the City of Rocks

^^New favorite!  Totally blowing this image up and framing it.^^

I promise, our daily lives really are chuck full of the normal monotony that make up life.  My couch had a pile of laundry to the ceiling this week.  It took me two days, a bit of stress, and some help to get a load of {client} images off a corrupted SD card.  Whew!  And I'm trying to be mature about it (Am I 3 or am I 30?) but I still struggle waking up a sleeping child each morning to get ready for school.  There were two mornings last week when I helped Jed get dressed in under ten minutes and then loaded him into the car--breakfast in hand--with instructions to 'eat on the way'.  So yeah, all in all, I am still adjusting to this new school year's routine.

However, all that day-to-day tedium is easily overshadowed by weekend fun.  On Saturday we followed our good friends, the Horsleys, out to the City of Rocks for an afternoon of rock climbing!  Even the kids got in on the action.  We parked the 'Acadia Brigadia'--we both drive GMC Acadias,  haha--just off of a place called Practice Rock.  It slopes upward and is the perfect spot for teaching kids how to climb.

Levi was the first to get on that train.  He geared up and headed straight to the top of Practice Rock without ever looking back, though it was a little bit more difficult than he imagined.  But the brave kid did it.  The scary part was sitting back in the harness to come back down.  Fortunately, Aaron was there every step of the way.  And Jed climbed too!  He is much more cautious by nature and actually claims to be afraid of heights.  Jed got himself halfway up the rock and was ready to come down again.  Nonetheless, he was determined and tried it twice.  That's more than successful for a first time in my book!      

Just adjacent to Practice Rock were a series of more difficult climbs that we adults (and Ollie too!) tried and I am proud to say, we conquered.  Woot!  Woot!  Having very little experience rock climbing, I had no idea what I was doing.  I approached the rock very differently than either Amy or Aaron, but the thing is, I did it!

Rock climbing is such an exhilarating sport: a heart-pounding, adrenaline pumping, strategy thinking, muscling through, kind of exercise.  I am hopelessly hooked.  It is time to start collecting our own gear because our whole family can't wait to go back!  A whopping THANK YOU to the Horsleys for inviting us along.  We feel so lucky to have friends whom enjoy adventuring in the outdoors just as much as we do!  Saturday was soooo much fun.

See for yourself in pictures!
      
^^My brave little boy near the top of Practice Rock^^
^^While we all took turns climbing, the kids entertained themselves with monster trucks in the dirt and grazed on snacks.  It worked out great.^^
^^Dirtier than the boys!  Addy is one little girl whom is easy to love on.^^
^^Go, Jed, Go!  I am so proud of that little man.^^
^^Oliver looking like a regular rock climbing pro.^^
^^Amy and Aaron showing us how it's done.^^
^^The little kids cheering on Bron while munching on snacks.^^
^^Chocolate pudding break^^
^^Our Saturday evening view.   Crazy how there's a pocket of granite boulders in the middle of the desert.^^
^^Then the boys had the time of their lives climbing and exploring.^^


I couldn't help laughing at this view every single time.  Jed ripped holes in his pants and all the way through his underwear by sliding down the rough rocks!  It reminded me of a similar incidence that happened to me in high school repelling with a church youth group, except Jed didn't seemed phased at all.  Embarassed?  No.  Ready to explore til he couldn't see his hand in front of his face?  Yes.  Good thing those pants were old.

^^I never want to forget just how animated Levi's facial expressions are these days!  Lol.  He was running to tell me about a bobcat he'd just seen.  Thankfully he really didn't see one.  He was just passing along the older boys' big imagination.^^
^^Tough Boys: Owyn, Jed, Ollie, and Levi^^
^^That's me!  Seriously, love this stuff.^^
^^Looking pretty awesome there, Amy!^^

4 comments

  1. Rock climbing is so much fun! I love that you are teaching your boys all that is amazing about the outdoors :)

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  2. You guys are so adventurous. Rock climbing is one sport Kyle would really like to introduce our girls to. He has even watched climbing videos online with them, which they love. Looks like your boys enjoyed themselves!

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  3. I can see why you are going to frame the first one, it's awesome! I also love the "bobcat" picture, hilarious!!

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  4. What incredible pictures! I have to admit that I am such a chicken; I don't think I'd ever rock climb (probably in my life). You are all so brave and STRONG. Of course, the reward is getting those amazing photos. I LOVE your adventurous spirit!

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