October 17, 2015

All the way to the top of Pinnacle Mountain!

(click here for today's pictures)

  • Last night Robby told the kids that we might possibly go to Pinnacle this morning.  Of course after just mentioning the word "pinnacle" there was no turning back.  It would have had to take a flood or fire for the kids to let us change our mind about going.  
  • I guess they were so excited about it that they had already talked about it early this morning.  Because when Campbell laid down by us a bit after 7, she asked why we weren't getting up to go to Pinnacle.  Robby was able to delay them by telling Keaton and Campbell to go and make cinnamon rolls.  Those girls ran off to the garage to get the cans and then we could head them digging around pulling out the pans.  I think it won't be too long until they will be able to make them all by themselves!
  • After we all got ready this morning we headed out to Pinnacle.  I had been wanting to climb it for a while and finally the weather was nice enough.  We knew it would be a challenge with the 3 little ones but we made it.  Campbell and Keaton were troopers.  Keaton walked the entire thing  by herself only holding our hands occasionally and Campbell rarely complained at all.  Campbell was the most skittish one and would climb up a boulder to avoid walking on a smooth surface near a drop off and both girls never got upset after taking a fall or slide down the hill.
  • Reagan, Anderson and Graham could have ran up the mountain.  They politely waited for us every so often but we probably slowed them down.  My Graham was a bit concerned about if we were going up the right way.  
  • And now Whitman-that little guy walked and walked.  Towards the end he didn't want to hold our hands at all but of course a 2 year old running down the side of a mountain without holding someones hand is never a good idea.  I held him some going up and down but Robby did most of the holding.  For a while he even rode on Robby's shoulders.  But overall, Whitman did lots walking and would slowly climb up those rocks.  
  • Once at the top the kids and us sat and enjoyed the view while taking a few pictures and having a snack.  And then it was back down.  Going down didn't take nearly as long but was probably a bit harder for the little ones.  At the bottom we had a picnic and then the kids played on the playground for a while before we left.
  • Our first stop after our climb was at Walmart-to buy Robby new sunglasses, Reagan new sunglasses and Graham new shoes.  By the time we made it down the mountain the soles of the boys shoes were flip flopping off!  
  • Reagan and Graham ran in the store with me and we quickly found what we needed and walked out into the parking lot.  I couldn't see Robby and the car anywhere.  I did see a white van but it looked empty.  At first I thought that Robby was out of the car changing Whitman or something but I couldn't see his feet.  So still standing on the curb in front of the store, I again scanned the parking lot for our car-really, a 7 foot tall and 19 feet long white passenger van is usually easy to spot!  But the only one I could see was that same empty van.  
  • So I decided that must be it and I just couldn't see Robby or any of the kids in it.  We started walking and when we were half way there, I really looked again and I still couldn't see him.  Very often he will drop me off and I will just run in a store and then pop back up, spot the van parked in the parking lot and walk right to it.  Anyway, as Reagan, Graham and I were walking to the mystery van, I decided that I was not walking to the right car and stopped.  It took me a second to dial Robby on my phone but as it started to ring, I turned around and we started walking back towards the store.  The entire time I was scanning the parking lot looking for Robby.  
  • I had only walked a bit when I heard Robby shout my name.  I turned and saw him sitting in the mystery van.  Apparently he had reclined his seat while waiting on me and I couldn't see him sitting there.  All he heard was Campbell say "there's Momma" and then a few seconds later, he heard her shout "she's turning around!"  Oh, what a commotion I caused in that car!
  • After all of this, Robby kept me near him in the next store so I didn't get lost!  All of us went into the store and we did some major shopping-our receipt was as tall as Keaton and possibly Campbell.  We had an hour to unload our groceries before heading to the Wilson's house for supper.
  • Shannon had chili and delicious brownies to celebrate Robby and Keaton's birthdays.  They even had a present for Keaton.  She was delighted with her loot and spent most of the rest of the evening putting on her lip gloss.  The boys played the xbox and ate for most of the night with Whitman playing with his trains and eating popcorn.
  • We stayed out way too late and came home to shower the kids for church and then to bed!  Climbing a mountain is hard work!

No comments: