A hike in Franklin Canyon

Cesar Chavez should be thanked for our Friday free from school which allowed a group of Mama's to take our kids up the canyon for a hike and a hug from Mother Nature. It was a gorgeous day in LA and I honestly feel so grateful to live here. I love the warm sunshine and the beautiful surroundings, and even though my heart leans more towards the beach than the mountains, I've found lately that I really dig hiking--who knew? 

While the official hike was a little under an hour round trip, we stayed in the canyon and explored for more than five hours...because why go home on a beautiful afternoon when there are ducks to chase, rattlesnakes to spot and hundred-year-old trees to climb? The hike itself was a little bit steeper than I expected but my kids were champs. T and Ev ran ahead with all of their friends (our fabulous group totaled a couple dozen), Coco was content to be carried in the pack, and little Quinn was the queen of the adventure, using all of her two-year-old muscles to get up and down that mountain completely with her own two feet. At one point she looked at me and said, "Mommy, I fink my legs need a drink of wato" so she sat on the path, guzzled from the princess bottle her brother had carried in his backpack and then once again started marching, marching up the mountain. "Can I help you?" a few Mom's asked the baby of our group (besides the true Cora baby). "No, is OK. I bigger. I do it by myself." And that awesome little thing did--all the way up, all the way down, all the way around that park for five hours and with no complaints.

When it was finally time to go home I strapped Quinny into her carseat and showered her with praises. "Quinny, you were amazing today! Thank you so, so much for being such a good girl. Thank you for being so strong, and hiking so well. I'm so proud of you!" With a twinkle in her eye she took my often-used words right out of my mouth, "I weally wocked it, ha Mama!" You did rock it, girlfriend!   

A million palm trees led the way to Coldwater Canyon. The big debate in our car was which palm tree is prettier--do you prefer the thick trunks with a full head of hair or do you fancy the tall gangly version?

This picture doesn't do the surroundings justice, but I love seeing the kids in the top left of this picture. A few switchbacks ahead of the slow-mo Moms and toddlers. The whole time I kept praying that the group of "older" kids wouldn't get too competitive and run off a cliff. They didn't, thank goodness. 

She's smart. And strong. And brave. And independent. And incredibly cute. Quinny is the package deal, that's for sure!

We waved hi to Daddy in one of those tall buildings behind us!

I never regret asking our gang to get together for pictures on our many adventures. Those babies are too cute and incredible (and sometimes silly) not to photograph. 

I look 10 feet tall and my top knot camouflages with the rocks behind me. Hahaha! 

This was just moments after one of the girls in our group was dancing by the duck pond and fell in--directly on top of a massive koi fish! She was screaming, was convinced she almost drowned, lost both shoes in the mirky water and gave a few of the other kids PTSD but she was fine and it was a story everyone is going to remember forever. Obviously T wasn't too concerned because minutes later I turned around to find him petting a turtle sun-bathing on a tree branch! 

You know when you do something so fun that you just can't wait to do it again? That's how I feel about this day! It made me so excited for summer and the many adventures my little Wigs and I will be taking. They are a fun lot and I'm so glad they're mine.