Mother's Day

Mother's Day, 2015

This was the best. I never know what to do on Mother's Day. Am I supposed to spend the day with my family while they lavish me with gifts and breakfast in bed? Am I supposed to take the day off and do whatever I want by myself? This year I think I found my answer. I need/want to spend the day doing what I love with the people that I love. And it turns out, it wasn't even my suggestion!

It was Dana's. He asked if we could go hiking! He knows Iove it. He even chose the mountain. I had never done it, and neither had he. Plans were made, lunches packed and shoes tied up.

The afternoon was beautiful; couldn't have been better!

The kids had seen Ha Ling Peak from the highway, and knew exactly what they were getting into. Funny though, it seemed like a few of the others on the trail didn't know. I saw tennis shoes. That man was simply sliding down the mountain. There was a bit of ice on the trail and some mud - you can see it on Sabrina's face in the photo. Her brand new hikers were broken in that day and they did not leave her wanting.   

We stopped for a few breaks; it took longer to get out of the treeline than we had expected and the kids especially were feeling a bit down about it. Turns out that Sabrina just needs spicy peanuts and water to keep her going! A handful every 100 meters, and we made it out of the treeline and up to the saddle!

I stopped here with the kids. I didn't want to be dragging them up or down the last little bit, so Dana pressed on to the top. Before he continued we had a fellow hiker take a family photo of us. The pic was there on his phone! But it chose not to save it. Same with the pictures Dana took over the edge at the very top. NO proof any of us made it to the top! Do over?

Here's a squinty selfie of me with Canmore in the background.

The kids found a tiny chipmunk running around and it hid under that rock. That's right; they climbed a mountain just so they could try and lure a rodent out from under a rock. I love them!

So there it is. My best Mother's Day ever! I spent it doing what I love with the people I love. And dinner at Canmore's 'Grizzly Paw' Restaurant didn't hurt either!