Hike in the snow.

Bradley and I went for a hike today. We decided to go up a bigger hill than the last one. We drove the Jeep to the base of the hill just to the West of the last one that we hiked. Knowing that it would ne chilly, we planned for the worst. We had our jackets, hats, good shoes and a backpack full of drink and food. We started up the hill on a trail that soon disappeared into nothing. I showed Bradley the lines of the land that were really just deer trails, but they made a great path to help us to the top with minimal effort. Then, as we got nearer to the top, it started to snow. A decision had to be made. Should we continue or should we turn back? Not having followed a conventional trail, we decided that it would probably get pretty slippery real quick. we decided to head back down. The view from the, almost top that re reached was beautiful.

Even with the snow in the way. We, then ran down the hill as quickly, (and safely) as possible. Our original plan was to eat our lunches at the top of the mountain and look out over the valley, but that will have to wait for another day. Finally the Jeep was in sight again. We stopped once we hit the vase of the hill again and sat to eat under a grouping of trees, where we were mostly protected from the, still falling, snow. The ground was a little damp, so I sat on the emptied backpack and Bradley sat on my baseball cap. We started into our lunches.

Bradley destroyed his pear and struggled with opening his drink. I helped him out and we managed to get it open. Jessica had written messages for us on our sandwich bags so I helped Bradley sound out the words. He did really well at sounding/guessing the words that him mother had, lovingly, written. She even drew a picture of a sun with a smiley face on it for him. What a great mommy. My sandwich bag had some nonsense about being safe written on it. When will she learn that I am always safe. (or something close to safe)

After we were done eating, Bradley was shivering and in a hurry to get warm again, so we got back on the move. Apparently the 150 or so yards from the Jeep that we ate, was not enought to get the blood flowing again. We climed in the Jeep and drove home. I did enjoy the hike with him, and he said that he had fun too. It's way fun to have the time to just talk with him and see what he thinks about the world around him. Our adventures generally include a pretend bear and on this occasion we got to stop and listen for the aliens. (not the illegal immigrant kind, but the, from outer space kind.) hopefully the weather clears up soon and we can get out to brave the wild once again.

Mountain Hike

Today Bradley wanted to go for a walk. We left the house and decided that we were going to climb a mountain. I'm not sure that he has ever summited a large hill before. To his recollection and mine this would be a first.

The journey took us about a mile away from home. (I love that the hills are so close.) We reached the end of the sidewalk and then we were in business. So confidently, Bradley started running up the hill of dirt and rock. On the way up he found "blueberries?!?!?" He had picked for seeds off of a tree. I let him know that he may not like the taste of those ones, so we continued up the hill. soon we reached a dirt road that would lead us to the top of the hill, or what might be considered a mountain in other parts of the country.

A jagged rock cliff. A breathtaking view. The sound of a motorcycle in the neighborhood below us. It was almost like being away from it all. From the top, however, we were able to see Utah Lake, and most of Utah Valley. We could see the direction of Grandma and Grandpa Dickson's house, as well as the gas station by our house.

He sure had the urge to climb on the cliff face, but I assured him that he might perish from a fall of 50 feet plus. He reconsidered and decided that he would just look instead.

Soon it was time to return to our house. We started down the hill on a deer trail that we had come across. He ran ahead of leaping and bounding from one large rock to another with the grace of Clark Grizwald on the roof of a snow covered house. Fortunately, the luck of an injury free outing was on our side. I caught up with him as he noted to me that somebody had left some beans on the ground of the mountain. I questioned that they were beans at all, and suggested that they may have been left there by an animal. he was sure that they were beans, but not ones that we should put in out taco soup. (not Mexican enough, I guess.) We finished our trek down the hill and headed toward home, where he got to wash his hands thoroughly and enjoy a bowl of leftover taco soup for lunch. What a fun hike.

Where the wild thing are

So, we watched the movie Where the Wild Thing Are the other night. I Thought it would be a fun care free show that would make a good family movie. Near the end I was lying my head in bradley's lap and I looked up and saw that he was crying. I asked him what was wrong and he wad crying so hard that he could hardly speak, but he told me that he was sad because the big guy didn't get to give Max a goodbye hug. Kinda crazy to me how much that affected him. He came to me and sat on my lap and gave me a hug. I told him that I would always give him hugs and I intend to keep my word. I realize that someday he may not want hugs, but as long as he still wants them I will have them to give.

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Christmas

Well, Christmas morning came and Bradley was so, so excited. He ran down the stairs to see if Santa had been to our house. He stopped suddenly and gasped the gasp of the most excited child in the whole world. The new gifts under the tree. The stockings that were now, no longer flat pieces of fabric on the back of the couch, were full of something. The cookies and milk that were eaten and drank. and a not from Mr. Clause himself. I sat down and read the note that was left as Bradley waited anxiously to tear into his stocking. Finally it was time. He pulled toys and candy out of the puffed up sock and he probably would have been content with that. With a mouth full of the heart healthy breakfast called candy, he was ready to open presents. The idea of recieving gifts is no mystery to my son. He pulled boxes from under the tree and handed them to Jessica for a quick reading to ensure that some of the treasures were for him. He was very grateful for all of his newly acquired toys, books, and wardrobe. It made me proud to see him so polite in a place where gimme gimme greedy usually takes precedence. He was also very clear that he wanted to thank his grandparents for the gifts that he had received from them. Sometimes we have a lot and sometimes we seem to have very little. This is something I have especially notice around the holidays over the years. Bradley reminds me that we should always be grateful for the things that we have, no matter how much of little. and that we should let the people in our lives know that we are grateful for them. I was kinda worried about Christmas this year, cause things have been tight and seem to be getting tighter and tighter. It's funny that a 4 year old "Who" like Bradley, can show this old Grinch that Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe, just maybe, it means something a little bit more.

Christmas eve

So, it's Christmas eve at our house. We put up our stockings. We set out cookies and milk. We checked the santa tracker on google earth, and we read twas the night before christmas. Bradley was tucked snugley in his bed and thoughts of santa danced in his head. When out in the street there arose such a clatter, Bradley leaped to his window to see what was the matter. I heard the noise too, so I ran to his room. He said that it was fireworks that santa had thrown. I Told him that surely santa was close and that he knew if Bradley's eyes were open or closed. He then crawld in bed and I heard not a peep. We'll see if santa comes while we all are asleep.

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Naked on a chair

So, I came home from work today and Bradley was sitting on a chair in the middle of the kitchen and he was naked. apparently he had torn his pants on purpose with his hands. (I think there was a small starter hole in the knee.) I still don't know why he decided to do this, but I was reminded of all of the sears tough skin jeans that I ruined as a child. I guess I get a little dose of my own medicine. The while naked thing was jessica's idea to teach humility and the value of clothes. He was so embarrassed, that when I came through the door he wouldn't even talk to me. I Restored the gift of clothing to him and he said that we needed to have a talk. Her told me that he wanted to be good and not rip his clothes and that her wanted to pay the guitar. The boy always makes laugh.

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Bradley shoveling the sidewalk

Yesterday we got some snow and Bradley wanted to help shovel. he always wants to do what dad is doing and help in any way possible. i thought that this would be very useful for getting things done arround the house, but it seems that he gets distracted easily and wants to do something else, until i am doing something else. then it's back to whatever dad is doing. It's fun to watch him trying, and atleast he is doing that. I guess i should savor the days when i am tripping over him as opposed to the days, not too far away, when i never see him.