wanderlust

It's a picture heavy post so I'll keep it word light. 

We love the state park that's literally about 5 minutes from our house. Before Rad was born we engaged our inner nomad at least once a week. Then the hiking tappered of to once a month and then to a big fat zero.

But with the weather now being in the glorious 70s I am determined to fake our way into acting like we belong in a North Face commercial. 

Socks with sandal faux pas and all. 

1. Rhett nominated himself as chief commander of the hike and after thoroughly consulting the map, he promptly disregarded it and picked the trail that had a large stick in front of it.

2. Rad loved the free range running and kept trying to take the path less traveled into uncharted territory with possible harmful desert critters. Julia valiantly saved him while juggling the camera and very heavy backpack. (H2O is heavy.) 

3. Rhett was content to stay put, watch the chase, and guard the ever growing collection of sticks.

4.  Every hypothesis for how this dirt ledge was created included the use of poison snake and I'm sure the boys will be featured in National Geographic for some great discovery one day.

5. The park has a great learning center complete with gila monsters, multiple snakes, a tarantula (bleh) and lots of skulls for examining. There was a very passive aggressive rattle snake in one of the displays who's rattle went off anytime we got too close. My mom instinct was on high alert and I was really concerned about the strength of the plexi glass tank. Really that rattle sound is completely unnerving.

I'm such a pansy that even watching this gives me chills.

And wait there's more! We went again on Friday (one step closer to that North Face commercial...) with our friends Tyrell, Breckie and Everett.

6. We'd been on the trail for approximately four minutes and that was four minutes too long. 

7. This time around Rad had the misfortune, or learning opportunity depending on how you look at it, of getting to know a cactus. Thankfully, other than a little prick there was no harm, no foul.

8. Rad was not going to be left out of the obligatory hold the big sticks you found picture. Not that day. Not ever. 

9. Ignite the light and let it shine kids. 

10. Rhett took this picture of Ev which leads me to believe that I am one step closer to having my own paparazzi. Fist pump.