Take a Hike

Yesterday Zac and I decided to take the kids for a hike up the hill by our house to get out and get some fresh air for a little bit. Samuel pretty much complained the whole time that it was "windy" and he wanted to turn around and go home. Elisabeth trotted along happily by Zac. And Abigail and Isaac hiked ahead and kept an eye out for cacti and deer droppings (to make things interesting).We helped the kids identify the trees and plants in the area (fairly easy, since it mostly consists of sagebrush and junipers. Plus some tumbleweed here and there).

We admired the view from the top of the hill (that's our house there directly down in that spot between the junipers).

And I took pictures of interesting fungi growing on rocks. (can anybody identify them? I don't know my fungi)

We reached a flat spot on he way down that seemed like a good place to let the kids explore for awhile (remembering our intent to let the kids explore outside more).
But then Samuel tripped over a rock and fell with his hand on a cactus, the thorns going through his gloves and into his palm in about 5 spots. OUCH!!!

And you know it's as the saying the goes, it's all fun and games until somebody falls on a cactus.

And that was the end of our hike.