AINGH! AINGH! AINGH! I hate my alarm. Still, it's much easier to get out of bed when we're going adventuring instead of going to work.

6am

"I don't want to go, Dad. I just want to go back to bed."

Uh oh. It's going to be one of those days. Sometimes it's not easy to get the kids going. Certain kids more than others.

7am

Come on, Sweetie. It's time to go.

"I'm not going."

7:30am

Time to get up.

"Go away."

7:45am

"I DON'T WANT TO GO!"

Too bad. You're going.

10am

<the silent treatment>

11am

<grumbling as we climb from the parking lot through the trees>

11:15am

First views of the Mountain. A concealed smile.

11:30am

Break for lunch. A single snowshoe track curves across the snow-covered meadow in front of us. She takes the camera and snaps a few shots.

12:30pm

Blue skies, white snow, and big smiles.

2:30pm

What did you say?

"No."

What did you say, Clara?

"No."

What did you say?

"No."

Something about making me making you come on this trip?

"Nuh uh."

<mumble>

"Look at the sunset!"

<walking away>

"Thank you for making me come on this trip."

Who knew we'd actually have fun?

(Well, I did. I knew we would have fun. That's the thing. I knew it would work out because the outdoors are magic. It doesn't even have to be somewhere as amazing as Mount Rainier, but it helps.)