Christmas Eve Hike/Swim

 We have had a lot of rain here in Southern California.  The day before Christmas Eve we decided to go check out one of our favorite hikes in the mountains not far from our house.  The hike usually includes crossing a few streams, but the water is so low you just step on rocks and you don't get wet.   As you can see from these photos, there is a little more water now.  This is the first stream we came too...The boys crossed and then...

Ian realized that he was not going to be allowed to go with them.  Sometimes it really stinks to have older brothers who can do more than you can...

A few minutes later he was okay because we got to throw as many rocks in the stream as we could find!!!

The next day the water had receded a little, so we decided to go back again so that Ian and I could join the boys.  Ian was very happy.  Mike brought the backpack just incase... Ian wanted no part of sitting in the backpack.  The trail had so many river crossings on the way up that the boys decided just to hike down the river on the way down.  They said it was the funnest hike they have ever done...

I know--it doesn't look good.  But boys will be boys.

 They are crazy!!!

Here is Ryan forging the way...

This clip is funny because ever since Kyle was little he would pick up ANYTHING!  Cocroaches, snails, crickets, etc.  See what happens here...

Well,  this is what I love about Southern California.  There are a lot of things that I don't love about living here, but this is one of the good things...  Hiking down a mountain through a river on Christmas Eve (and not suffering hypothermia.).  That and also having fresh squeezed orange juice from our orange tree on Christmas Day.  Doesn't get much better than that.

**Disclaimer:  All video and photos were shot with my cell phone.  If they don't look the best I am sorry but  it is better than nothing since I didn't want to risk getting our big camera wet.