FR - Part 2

~the road to FR~

~3 of the favorite men in my life~

~Emmie & Allie~

~Cooper & Claire~

(gotta love the overalls!)

~Jack, Claire, & Allie~

Every year it is the goal of many that attend FR to climb Hennigh Mountain.  This year, I was so excited to take my family on the hike that I remember doing as a child.  In my memories, the mountain was huge... but not necessarily steep.  Well, you know the way that things from your childhood seem to have shrunk when you see them as an adult... the mountain kind of did that.  It was not quite as enormous as I had remembered.  HOWEVER... I think it grew in steepness.  Honestly!  My big kids took off up the mountain like little goats.  They did great!  I had Cooper with me, so I was lagging behind with him a bit.  Then, it happened.... we could not handle the hike any longer. We would not have made it another step if it had not been for a team of help - with my dad being the leader of that team!  He and my mom and my cousin, Justin, and I took turns pushing, pulling, encouraging, and carrying Cooper along on the way up.  The very long and steep way up.  Every once in a while Cooper would say, "I don't think that I can make it."  And we would encourage him... "Yes you can!  You can do it!"  And he did!  I was really proud of him - and of us - for making it to the top!  Now to get down...  That is another story.

It is our family's tradition that when you make it to the top of the mountain, you place a rock on the pile at the top.  The kids and I all made it!  

~Poppie & Jack at the top~

Another tradition that we have is for those that climb the mountain to yell from the top that they have, in fact made it...

... and those at the bottom wave back.

~Me & My Girl~

~The Hiking Crew~

This is my parents, my sister Emily & her little girl Claire, my cousin Justin & his family, my cousins Kasi & Krysla, and my kids & me.

~the view from the top~

If going up the mountain was hard... coming down was super, duper hard!  Especially for my dad who relieved my aching arms of my Cooper and carried him almost all the way down.  (except when they slid - like the photo below)  My cousin, Justin, helped us again at the end.  It was a team effort, and I am so thankful to have these memories with my family!

After the hike, we took a swim in the river to cool off. 

~Gibbie & Allie~

One of the things I love most about the mountains is how my kids find a way to make a playground out of nature.  Jack used these rocks as his water slide.

Jack loved playing with his cousin Lukas!

~Claire Bear~

~my sister & me~

~Happy Birthday Grandad!~

~Grandma & Great Aunt Fern~

(I love these women!)

The last night at FR was spent catching crawdad's.

~Claire Alyse looking pretty at the river~

~the best picture that I have of my Grandad & Grandma's family that was at FR~

(group pictures are nearly impossible!)