BT 4.0: I don't want any brussel sprouts on my ice cream

Today we went to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument for a hike and picnic. Our family has difficulty initiating new activities and today was no different. The beginning of our hike bordered on painful. The first half mile was in the sun and sand. Neither kid tolerate the sun well and both of them were playing leapfrog between tiny slivers of shade all the way up the first part of the trail. That combined with Odelia's passion for running her bare feet through sand made the initial part of our hike less than exciting. She would sit down every 20 feet, remove her shoes and blissfully sit with her feet buried in the sand. We got to a bend in the trail and were taking another foot-in-sand/shade break a few ladies started talking to the kids about fairy tears that they could search for in the sand and then make wishes on them when they got to the fairy trees. Whoa! They sunk their little teeth into that task and brought fairy tear searching/wish making to a whole new level. We hunted for the little black pebbles for several minutes and then wished at the fairy trees like someone was paying us to do it. The lady who graced us with this task suggested to the kids that they wish for world peace. Oh sweet hippy woman...they'll be happy to do that after they've wished for: power rangers, spy glasses, dollies, bubble gum and a myriad of other things that fill the brains of a 3 and 5-year-old. Mark and I were too busy sinking our feet in the sand to worry about reinforcing the fairy lady's grand visions for world harmony. The hike was full of slot canyons that made for lots of fun and exciting climbing. Both kids were plum tuckered when we finished. By the last 1/4 of the hike Milo was on Mark's shoulders and Odelia was on mine. It made for extremely sympathetic gazes from fellow hikers that passed us. We picnicked after the hike which would have been extremely mundane and typical except that a squirrel started harassing us. He wouldn't leave us alone. The kids were laughing at first, thinking we were just playing with them and delighting in our obvious discomfort with the aggressive rodent. By the end of the lunch both Mark and I were standing on the picnic table and the kids were sufficiently freaked out by our hysterics. We distracted the squirrel long enough for me to carry both kids to the car, retreating to safety. The Matrix got dinged today while Mark was getting gas. The poor, poor Matrix must hate our summer trips. We went back to the park of small spinny things and then out for frozen yogurt. As we were sampling each other's ice cream Odelia waits for her turn to try mine. I scoop up a healthy bite and she grimaces at her bite and says (completely disgusted), "I don't want any brussel sprouts on my ice cream." Ummm, me neither. Coconut, sure. That girl is a laugh riot. Funniest 3-year-old I know. I've spent most of tonight watching Duck Dynasty on A&E. Has anyone seen it? I am considering buying cable just for this show. Tomorrow we are off to Cortez, Colorado with a short stop in Durango.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM

Beginning of the hike. Notice the itty-bitty shade they are trying to stand in...
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM

Shade and sand. You can't see it but I can confirm for you that her shoes are off (probably).

Searching for fairy tears.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument , NM

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument , NM

Happy Hikers!
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM

Fairy Tears: Wish #1 was a Power Rangers samurizer

Here is the Fairy Tree. Some little fairy is going to feel very happy to have all her tears back today.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM

Fairy Tree #2

Searching for Fairy Tears
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM

Milo at the slot canyons.

Looking up from the slot canyons.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM

Can you find the lizard?

Hiking the slot canyons.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument , NM

Milo!

We started getting goofy on our way back. I'm not sure how I would have carried both kids and Mark on my shoulders if he would have broken his ankle. Now that would have made for a very exciting blog post.

Mark liked the slot canyons.

A lot.

He felt super human.

Both kids wanted to make a bridge...so here it goes.

Odelia's bridge.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, NM

After the hike, before the rabid squirrel attack.

We had yogurt for lunch but only had giant soup spoons. Me pouring my yogurt on my spoon. The squirrel was lurking at this point but we were all still calm.