The list

Last night Caroline and I made a list of the things we want to do this weekend:

1. Make a get well card for Wendell. Done.
2. Wash mama's car.
3. Play nice with kitty. Done, although someone got a swipe because the kitty didn't think it was nice enough.
4. Walk on the trail and eat treats. Done.
5. Sleep well before school and not be late.
6. Read books before bed. Done.
7. Make chicken tortilla soup. Done.
8. Make bowtie pasta.
9. Make pimento cheese. Done.

We've been adding to the list as the day goes on:

10. Get Caroline's backpack that she left on the trail.
11. Go to the park if we take a good nap.
12. Get some chicken broth for the bowtie pasta.
13. Paint Caroline's fingernails 3 different colors.
14. Have "time in" where we talk about the safety C is studying at school.
15. Watch Thomas. Guess whose request that one was?

What kids can do

Spence and I have wimped out lately on hiking with the kids. With one at 35 pounds and one pushing 40, we're approaching that no-man's land of too heavy to carry, too slow and whiny to walk. But cabin fever got the best of us and we ventured to Big South Fork two weekends ago...we feared against our better judgment. 

Once we got there it took about hour to prep (pee, put on layers, put on boots, pack diapers and lunch, dig snacks back out of the pack because "we're hungry", adjust straps, find trekking poles, load everyone up) and head off.

Five minutes down the trail, we stopped to do this because somebody pooped.

Another somebody melted down because we were walking too fast. By the time we got reloaded, we each had a somebody screaming in our ear. But we pushed on, until...

Silence

And lunch always makes it better

After lunch we tried letting everyone walk 

Stopping to throw stones...

And cross creeks

And walk on logs

Until Dawit designated himself hike leader. He hoofed it like nobody's business

Occasionally he got off course and took a tumble

Trying a little bouldering with dad's help...

...and without

We start 'em early in this family

By trip's end, Dawit had hiked more than a mile on his own, and Caroline more than 2 miles -- and a good bit of that in wet shoes as we had to ford a creek about 20 times. We were proud as punch at the oomph these kiddos showed. And we look forward to subjecting them to even more suffering adventures this spring.

Since this trip, Dawit has hiked 2/3 of the trail at our farm -- about 2 miles. That boy's going to be running circles around us soon. Spence is already planning a boys' backpacking trip.

River and rock

This weekend Spence and I got a little taste of our pre-baby days, our extreme weekends. It's not often the stars line up so beautifully. Granted we didn't experience these adventures together but instead did a swift kid swap so Saturday was mine and Sunday was his. I did not get any pictures of my climbing trip to Black Mountain, which was fun and challenging, and the weather was spectacular. But this slideshow of Spence's day totally makes up for it. I know, videos on blogs suck, but this one is cool. The day was misty and overcast and it made for stunning pictures of two gorgeous gorges that are right in our back yard. Spence is not in the photos because he was the photographer.

Sometimes we get bummed that we can't do these trips together very often. It's kind of like being divorced (with the kid swap) but still in love. But we'll keep it up 'til the kids get old enough to be dragged along on our adventures. Maybe this spring...

Caroline and Daddy go to the Ball

Last night was the Cinderella Ball for daddies and daughters. Spence donned a suit, perhaps for the first time since our wedding, and Caroline wore a white spring dress she picked out herself. Some of these pics Caroline took and I couldn't resist including them (see the backside of someone else's dad). Later when she got home, I asked her what they had for dinner and she said all kinds of good things -- cheese, crackers, grapes, strawberries, triangle sandwiches, and those little black round things that Allison makes me put my fingers in (black olives). It was an enchanting evening for a young lady.

Open wide!

No prob.

Caroline says...

I'm having trouble getting motivated to write posts, but I'm never short on Caroline's unique world perspectives.

On the way home from a day-long hike yesterday, C was complaining that we drove through McDonald's (for a post-hike treat) instead of going in. I said, "We have to get home. It's almost dinner time." She replied, "I don't want dinner. I just want to poop."

Caroline and I were listening to Patsy Cline on YouTube while she painted valentine art. As Patsy was concluding "Crazy," Caroline pointed to her nesting yellow hearts and said, "I'm calling this Loving You." I praised her creativity and hung it on the pantry door. She then proceeded to paint two more nesting yellow hearts but apparently made an errant stroke (which I couldn't see). She threw down her brush and said, "I'm calling this one Loving Nobody!"

Ah, perfectionism.

Need hair advice

Attention: mamas of Ethiopian boys, especially those with big fluffy curls! Do you have hair products you love?

I'm looking for a really good leave-in conditioner. One to use right after shampooing while his hair is wet -- not necessarily a light, daily conditioner, but something I use once or twice a week. Dawit has big soft curls and the product we've been using is good, but it does have a tiny bit of alcohol, so I want to find something more natural.

I bought Tiny Twirls shampoo and daily moisturizing styler, which is made by Kinky Curly, but they didn't have a leave-in conditioner at the store. I know there are some good websites out there with tons of great products; it's just hard to figure out which are the best, especially for boys who have a simpler routine than girls. I'm hoping for some recommendations from moms who are happy with their products.