Joshua Tree with Kids

We headed back to Joshua Tree over the weekend to take the kids camping and climbing. Jon had some of his friends meet us out there who had never climbed outside before but were interested in trying it out. That enabled us to climb a little bit, because they were able to belay one of us while the other watched the kids. I have to admit that I was disappointed at how hard it was to climb with the kids out there. I had unrealistic expectations of how it would go and how much I would climb which led to my disappointment. Nonetheless we had great company, and as Jon so eloquently put it - "It was a nice try". Also, before the heat and shear exhaustion set in everyone did have a little bit of fun. It was neat to see Eden scampering around on the rocks. She is getting better and more confident in her frictioning skills, and she is even starting to pick up on some of the lingo. While Jon was climbing she was yelling up to him about where he should put his hand and foot next. It was super cute. I just have such a fierce addiction to climbing. It is something that I realize I may always struggle with. I am grateful to Jon for understanding it, and making room for it in ours lives. And I am hopeful that my kids can grow up around it similarly to the way they are growing up around surfing. 

Eden climbed up and down this little rock so many times that she wore holes in the bottom of her shorts (such a proud moment for me).