Post-Christmas Family Hike

Paradise Falls

The day after Christmas we joined Julie (one of Dave's sisters) and her family for a little day hike.  Heading east is a fun hiking & mountain biking park called Paradise Valley; it's only about 15 minutes from our house, but it feels like you are much further away.  Plus, the terrain is quite easy with very little elevation gain - which is especially nice for little legs.

Nothing screams hiking success for a kid like finding the perfect walking stick.  Both of our kids did that:  not surprisingly, Emme found a 5-foot stick that she adored, but which posed an incredible challenge to hang on to for such a little lady; Benjamin hunted for and wielded six perfect sticks... and nearly took his cousin's eye out in the process.  I think Benjamin rates a hike successful if he manages to get 1) absolutely filthy and 2) soaking wet.  Check, and... super check.  Our merry band traipsed through the beautiful red alders, muddy "rivers" and sky-scraping Evergreen trees for over hour before the littles got thoroughly worn out and started melting down.

It was a pretty chilly day - and of course, I didn't dress my children appropriately (and Emme dressed herself) - so the big thermos of hot apple cider than Aunt Julie brought warmed up those frozen little fingers and bellies just right!  All in all, it was a fun outing where we got our bodies moving and enjoyed some of the best fresh air the PNW has to offer.