Into the Great Outdoors. But Only Because I Had To…

– Posted in: Bright Side of Life, Life is Dangerous, Mouths of Babes, Personal Insanity, The Great Outdoors, Things To Do with Kids, Worst Mom Randomness

So I am spent. Spent.

These are the days when my body likes to remind me that “No, you can’t go skiing on Saturday, hiking on Sunday, and then expect to live to tell about it. Ha ha!” Or, I should say, “Bwwahaha!” I have a feeling my body has a tendency towards sick and twisted…

On the bright side (I’m attempting to look on the bright side more often), I kicked arse up on the mountain Saturday. I did twice as many runs as I did the last time. My knees held up. And I had a good time with my aunt (who, in our younger days, used to drag me through all sorts of trees and powder — now we’re just happy to be skiing). We’ve had a rough few months. We deserved a good time.

The day that probably did me in was Sunday. My husband, Tenzin, was working, and there’s always this underlying sense of guilt gnawing at me if I don’t take the kids out and do something. It makes me feel like the wimpy mommy who can’t get out and “do stuff.” I’ve had many a day when I’ve just let the kids fend for themselves and been happy that cereal could keep people alive.

But I was feeling “great” this weekend, so I decided we should take Jasper for a walk up at this forested area with a creek that’s about 10 minutes from the house. The elevation climbs pretty quickly, so there’s usually snow. In typical fashion, Newt complained. He hates leaving whatever he’s doing, and on Sunday it was Legos. Yet another reason why it’s so easy to do nothing on Sundays…

Now, keep in mind that I’m not very outdoorsy. And I get a little “We’re going to get trapped/lost/killed out here without your father” when I’m alone with the kids. It’s ridiculous and paranoid, but I’m an expert at those two responses to any situation. So when Newt got to the little creek and immediately crossed an ice bridge and then started making his way up a pretty steep hill through the trees, I. . . well I didn’t really know what to do.

At "The Summit" -- mission accomplished

Normally, Tenzin goes with him on this sort of thing. And at first, I just watched him climbing along with Jasper. Then it occurred to me that, crap, I have to go with him. There could — and this is actually not completely paranoid — be a bobcat up there. Or some jackass might have set a trap. If I’m down here and they’re up there…

Oh crap, crap, crap.

So Elfie, his little sister, and I crossed the ice bridge and started making our way up the hill. This was a “kick your toe into the snow to make a foot hold” and “I’m on all fours because it’s so steep” sort of hill. When I asked Elfie why we were doing this, she said, “Whatever you do, don’t look down.” And then every time I did, she yelled at me, “I said not to look down!”

We go to the top, without any bobcat or trapping incidents, and slid back down. Incredibly, no one ran into any trees or ended up in the stream.

Then, just to prove that I never should’ve worried about being caught out in the wilderness with hypothermic children, the kids played in the stream. They jumped on the ice until it broke, bored holes through the surface, and fished out rocks. As Newt said, after going to great lengths to extract a huge stick from the river, “The things I do in the name of things.”

Digging in the icy river Playing in the snow

Yes. The things we do in the name of things. They’re the little things we’ll remember best.

 

*By the way, everyone made it back to the car without frostbite, bobcat scratches, or broken bones. Newt carried a 10 pound block of ice the whole way, thinking he’d be bringing it home. And no one got Giardia from licking river icicles. 

12 Comments… add one

Kelly DeBie January 29, 2013, 11:39 pm

I’m allergic to nature…. and do ridiculous and paranoid like a professional.

Tammy January 30, 2013, 12:08 am

I can’t believe you’re allergic to nature. Well, okay, maybe I can. You just do everything else, so…I guess you’re like me. Suck it up and do it if you have to.

And yes, you are a pro. We should form a league.

Tara January 30, 2013, 4:24 am

Oh wow!! U rock. I too am in awe of nature but allergic to it and the cold. So I am super impressed with your bad assery of taking on nature full force!

Tammy January 30, 2013, 6:59 pm

I really like your fantastic impression of me taking on nature. This is just about as good as it gets.

Lisa Poltz January 30, 2013, 6:19 am

No Yeti either! I’d call that day a success!

Tammy January 30, 2013, 7:00 pm

Haha! No Yeti. That is major.

Kimberly January 30, 2013, 8:19 am

This sounds so fun! I wish we had good weather to enjoy… It was 68 yesterday, when I was stuck inside at work, and tomorrow it’s supposed to be like, 10 or 15. No wonder everyone here has sinus problems. Can I come play in your snow? I’ll bring your kids along. 😉

Tammy January 30, 2013, 7:09 pm

Yes! Any time.

Verity January 30, 2013, 9:08 am

Those earmuffs Elfie has on are gigantic!
Glad you survived and I didn’t have to send out the search party. Me, I just go for the “wouldn’t it be fun if we stayed in our p.j.’s all day approach!

Tammy January 30, 2013, 7:10 pm

I know, they’re as big as her head! And they’re super comfy, by the way.

Thanks for being available to call the rescue team.

Michelle February 3, 2013, 3:58 pm

Glad that y’all survived without any tragedies! But realize that you’ve now set the bar higher for activities with your Newt and Elfie!

Tammy February 4, 2013, 2:59 pm

You know, I think they have such a low opinion of me that it just doesn’t matter at this point.

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