Our first mini backpack trip.

Well we got the packs and as promised we went on a little mini backpack hike. We went to the Straiton trail area on Sumas Mtn and grabbed a couple of geocaches then hiked for a bit. Here is a couple pics don't they look just so cute with their lil backpacks hee hee. They were so excited to be able to load a pack on like dad usually does at a trail head. I love the passion i'm seeing in them as it is a passion I share too.

Went to the candy store today!

I haven't been to MEC in over ten years. WOW has that place ever changed. I knew I was in for a treat but I could not believe or at the very least could not remember just how much stuff they have. I almost started to drool as I literally felt like a kid in a candy store. We went down there to pick up a couple kids packs so I can start scouting with them this spring. But oh how I just wanted to unleash the wallet and pickup half the store. They even had my membership number on file from almost 20 years ago now. I thought for sure i was going to have to signup again.

I truly believe that my kids are both about to change my life. I was chatting with a buddy about his kids and how he is Scouting with them and it dawned on me that might be just what my kids are looking to get into. They both hate sports but love geocaching with me so I thought what a cool fit. It's funny how so many people including myself forget that Scout groups are still out there. I never got the chance to be apart of Scouts when I was a kid as we loved soccer but probably would have loved it too.

So now that I have mentioned it the kids are all over me about doing it. We went to MEC today as mentioned and grabbed them each a packpack. We got home and they both started cramming their sleeping bags and other stuff into them and of course wanted to go hiking right away. I had to calm them down and promised a hike for the weekend. I printed off the equipment list for scouts Canada and the kids went all over the house trying to find what they could from the list. Little do they know Grandma and Grandpa are in on this for Christmas to. The whole time they were tearing the house apart searching I was thinking this could change my whole upcoming year as we start this new adventure. I just sat back with a smile thinking my new found love of hiking is going to get even better now.

My first backpack adventure - Pioneer trail

I have just gotten into hiking and bought my first large backpack the Outbound 60L Canyon pack. I plan to use it for some overnighters and cub scout hikes with the kids next spring. So I decided today to try it out for a short run to see how I do. I loaded it with all the gear I would be taking for an overnighter minus the second set of clothes and food. Everything else sleeping bag, tent, stove, and water were all packed up. I got to the trailhead and slung the pack up onto my back and headed off. It was pretty slow going at first getting all the adjustments set and getting used to a heavy bag on my back but then I started to get the hang of it and felt pretty good the whole way up and back down. The pack adjusted well and centered the load right over my hips as it should. The adjustments worked great again in keeping the pack glued to my back with hardly any flopping around. A successful first mini run and looking forward to an actual overnighter with a longer hike to get there.

Stuck in a Rut

Well it's been a while since I have blogged. Not much happening right now as I lost my job in the middle of September thus have not had the funds, truck insurance, or really the motivation to do anything right now. I have taken this time to sit back and review my situation and have been trusting in the Lord to guide me to my next challenge in life.

On a positive note I have been able to concentrate on my children even more and have been working on setting up a routine with them and their schooling. I really enjoy homework time giving encouragement in their studies along with time for some fun which has been working very well to the point where most day's Teryn actually get's excited to do homework. We make a game of some of the tasks they have to do like speed timing Teryn's math pages and his guessing of the Spelling words order I call out to him. Sometimes I go from top to bottom or bottom to top or I start in the middle and work outwards. Ariana has been really enjoying a series of books "Goosebumps" And I encourage her to read out loud to me so we can both enjoy them together as she stops at point's to discuss certain moments in the book and we sometime laugh or ponder together at what is happening to the characters.

Now don't get me wrong there are times when I get the Grumpy whines of "Aw do we have to do homework?" but it alway's changes a few moments into our study time once they remember the fun we can have doing it. It's all about consistency and patience which I have been learning to achieve more of in these sessions. Yes I to am learning something through all this which tells me this is a win-win endeavor for sure.

As far as Flyfishing and Geocaching I guess the season has wound down for now.I get out to the odd Geocache here and there but my true desire right now has been turning towards Hiking. As in hiking on longer trails with Geocaches on them or trails without caches(You see I can hide one just as easy as find one on the trails that are cacheless). So for now I have been surfing the net for hiking gear and trails to do this spring as we get through the rainy winter in the valley here. I have been strongly considering putting the kids into scouts this spring as well to have a chance of getting us all outdoors more and learn a few things along the way.So stay tuned as i might be down and out for now but Lord willing will be back up and out again very soon.