Quarter of a Century: Part One

I can't believe that I'm 25!!!!!  It seems like it was only a little while ago that I was making fun of Aaron for turning 25 when we had been dating for 8 months...and now I'm the old one.  Well, I guess he will always be the old one.

Aaron asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday and I told him, "I want to go on a hike to celebrate being healthy for my birthday."  That is seriously what I wanted.  I wanted to spend the day being happy to be healthy.

2 years ago, for my 23rd birthday,  I went to the ER.  Click the link to read more about those fun times.  And last year was great because I had friends and family over with me but...I was barfy and really exhausted from being pregnant.  And after all of my "fun health" this summer, I wanted to just do something that sick Katrina couldn't enjoy.

Aaron looked at the weather report on Saturday and informed me that it was going to rain on my birthday and wanted to know if we could do the hike a day early.  I'm all about nature on the Sabbath.

So we packed up our little man and puppy dogs and got going.

Check out the trail marker....very helpful.

There is one hike that we do every year called Indian Trail.  It starts where 22nd street ends and the mountains begin and it comes out at a trail head in the canyon.  We have always started from the trail head inside the canyon gone two miles and turned around but people have told us that that is the hardest way to tackle it because it goes rapidly uphill on that end.  We decided to check out the other end.  We didn't plan on finishing it because round trip would have been 8.6 miles and if we only went to the other end...we would have a car.

With the trail markers missing, we had to just guess which trails took us where we wanted to go.  There are HUNDREDS of forks and side paths along the Bonneville Shoreline but in the area where we were, three main paths into the canyon.  Aaron said as long as we kept choosing the north leading paths going up in elevation, we would connect to the right path.  I fought him on this.

This side of the trail proved to be less shaded but since it is late October, the weather was perfect for hiking.

This is where we switched off holding Zach.  A 17 pound weight is A LOT of extra weight on the front...believe me...I lived with it for months.

I was crouching down so that Bambi could be in the picture with her little boy but she was busy keeping a look out for kidnappers.

Little boy smirk.  (Also...that is a crack in the rock...not my hair.)

Heading up and North just like Aaron said....

We made it to the trees!!  Once we got further into the canyon, the trees got higher and higher till we were finally "shaded".  Most of the leaves were gone so it wasn't super shady.

Aren't those dimples delicious?  ALL MINE!!!!

Once we went a ways in the trees, we decided to head back to the car.  Our little man was getting tired out and it was starting to get colder.

Kisses for little boy!

Pippen enjoying the fall colors.

On the way back down I said to Aaron, "Aaron.  Are you listening?  I'm only going to say this once so I want you to hear me.    ..........I think you were right.  I think all those little paths do meet up with each other to take you up those 3 main paths.  I'm glad I listened to you."

Isn't it nice to know you are right and that other people know it?  That was my gift to Aaron!  Hahaha, I'd follow him anywhere.

Epic manly man!

I had so much fun celebrating my health with my wonderful little family.  Especially spending time with the man who has been with me through so much.  I'm so blessed to always have him by my side!

Stay tuned for Part 2.