Family Picnic

Sunday was family picnic day.  If you’ve followed the blog you know every year my side of the family gets together and goes to Pilot Knob state park in Iowa.

This year we didn’t have a super turn out.  One of the cousins’ daughter was getting married in Alaska so all of that part of the family was gone.  I would was invited and would have loved to have gone but, alas.

At the picnic there is a hiking trail that leads to the lookout tower that visitors can climb and get an amazing view.  The family tradition is that a couple of parents brave the trail and take ALL of the kids with them.  Well…Kalissa didn’t want to go.  Craig didn’t really want to go but Carver did.  Of course the softie Grandma that I am decided he should go.  So I lined up to take him.  It’s a mile or so hike….and with an almost three year old you never know quite how it’s going to go.  I knew he needed more adults than only Uncle Karl who was leading the pack with the other kiddos.

Off we went…

We were off.  We were walking slow as I wanted to point out things to him…the water…the lily pads…the white flowers on the lily pads…

Before we knew it, Kalissa and Craig had caught up with us and were hiking along.

Carver did EXCELLENT.  We ended up getting on the wrong trail and out walk ended up being quite a lot further than I expected.

The last part of the trail is pretty steep
but Carver powered through….I teased Carver and told him I wondered if there was a dragon in the castle.  He smiled at me and ran ahead.  No fear in that guy!!

My hike ended a the bottom.  Inside it looks like this.  With little kids running up and down my dislike of heights really sets in.

See..this could give a person who doesn’t like heights to willies.

and here’s the observation deck…again, it make me nervous.
This is the view out….it’s lovely…if you like heights.  My niece and Kalissa provided these pictures.

Here’s Kalissa, Craig and Carver.  I love the picture.

Even after the hike, Carver had plenty of energy to chase his cousin around….

Then is was time to head back…Carver walked much of the way..not all as witnessed by this picture.

You can see it’s more of hike than a walk.
We had to stop to see more lily pads…

I don’t know why but he thought they were the coolest.
I’m VERY impressed with how Carver did.  He was a real trooper.  Seriously the jaunt was over 2 miles there and back and he did great.

As much as I have fun hanging with the adults, I think I’ll be hitting the trail next year and walking with Carver again.