An Epic Day

So it has been a while since I posted... I have been busy. Between school work, work for school, Envirothon practice, and trying to have a personal life... it seems as if it may be an uphill battle.

As soon as BCB left off, we started having more Envirothon practices to try to get ready for that competition. Honestly, I kind of threw a team together last minute because I had to have five to compete. That sounds like it shouldn't really work, but you know, I think I did a pretty good job. I ended up with five fun kids that were interested, engaged, and ready for anything. When we went out to catch aquatic macro invertebrates it was decided that we had to wear camouflage to do this. It was great fun. Another day, my good friend Robert Alley Jr. came and talked to my kids about soils and dug holes all over the place.

Anyway, on the way to an Envirothon workshop (that we all met at 7am on a Saturday morning for), I missed the turn. Along the wrong way, we passed a sign for White Oak Canyon. I was telling the kids that it was a neat trail, long, but with six or seven waterfalls. C decided that is what she wanted to do for her birthday because she had never seen a waterfall or been hiking... this after she had pork barbecue and apple crisp for the first time. (C being on my teams has introduced her to many many firsts.) I tried to talk her into a shorter hike, but she was having none of it (even tho at the time I thought it was a ten mile hike).

We eventually got everything ready for the competition, the kids competed and did well, securing fourth place out of four teams, and only three points away from third. They did not do as well as they would have liked, but considering the last minute-ness of a lot of it, it is kind of expected. All but one of them are underclassmen and seem interested in coming back next year... so maybe we will have an advantage then.

So Saturday and the epic day... We met at Arts Festival at 1030. I arrived at 10am to enjoy Arts Festival. J, K, and S couldn't find me so they texted me to see where I was. I was sitting down making art apparently with a rapturous look on my face. We finally got on the road and the kids decided we ought to take the scenic route. 231 is a great country back road with some well placed four way stops - perfect for Chinese fire drills. :)

It was C's birthday so I had a crown for her to wear and a birthday card. K and I put together a little gift basket and K made the greatest cupcakes ever with orca whales (frosted twinkies) jumping out of blue waves of icing. They were amazing!

We arrived at the trailhead and I made everyone a PB&J. Some remembered lunch, all brought snacks and water, but you know I was prepared for anything. We sang happy birthday to C, ate a cupcake, and got on the trail.

The kids had a GREAT time. I had a great time watching them and seeing how much they were enjoying it. We spent a lot of time jumping rocks upstream rather than on the trail until they realized that the big main waterfall was right there behind them. At times it was iffy if we were going to make it all the way to the top, but an older couple sang happy birthday to C and she told me if they could make it, she could make it, and off she went.

At the base of the last waterfall we decided it was better to hike down then loop up and around. We made good time and headed to C's for hot dogs, cake, and ice cream. After that it was off to the new Goochland Drive in for a double feature of Alice in Wonderland and the Blind Side. We were a little early and the movie started a little late so we played Apples to Apples while we waited.

Alice in Wonderland was neat, but really its kind of early in the year to sit outside at night and by the end of the movie it was too cold even huddling under blankets. We crammed back in the car to warm up and decided to sit in the car for the Blind Side. K and J and I had already seen it, so we sat in the back with me in the middle. After about half an hour I am pretty sure the back seat was all asleep with one kid on each of my shoulders. Ha.

So the movie started late, and it was a double feature, and I had to make three stops to get kids home... so it was a late late evening. So an epic day because it was long... and because we did a lot of awesome things. I know they all had a fabulous time and I had fun as well.