Scaling Mountains

Since we don't technically have mountains here in Minnesota, we have to make our own. Thus, The Pinnacle at REI. We love it here. Well, at least 4 out of the 5 'We's'. Let's just say that I'm learning to love it. I love the idea. I love the adrenaline rush, I love the exhilaration after completing something you previously thought you couldn't. But I'm still working on the the whole 'fear of falling thing'. That is why it is ever so helpful to be harnessed in. I love harnesses. I love knots. I love the person attached to the ground making sure I don't/can't fall and if I do she is there to reel me in like a fish. Sometimes I get a little floppy like a fish when all my limbs turn to jello. But I'm happy to report that all limbs stayed 'normal' this go around. No jello legs. No locked fingers. No uncontrollably shaky knees. No gag reflex.

Here is my new best friend. She ties pretty knots. If I'm going to be tied to a harness, I at least want the knot to be pretty. However, I can tell in this picture I look a little doubtful. We do not want a harness malfunction. Especially since I will be scaling the wall that says, "ok for 5+". You've got to start somewhere. I've decided baby steps are the best course of action (remember Bob? in What About Bob - my favorite!). I'm keeping my goals small and attainable. Notice, I'm not showing you a picture of me on the wall, it's embarrassingly smaller than what the rest of the family scaled. 

I'm so proud of my girl. She is so strong. And she can climb much harder walls than me. She is very good at this. Kind of ironic that she's scared of her tooth falling out, but not these heights.

Chuck is not even wearing Adventure Pants yet he is owning this climb. Way to go, Baby! He even had a sore/bruised/injured thumb and still managed to make it to the top pretty fast.

You would have thought Gavin was in a race to get to the top. He is so fast at rock climbing. He looks like spider man, seriously. His 7 year old self would have been super stoked to hear me say that!

I love this picture. It looks like God is shining down on this rock telling Bennett, "This is the one Bennett. Climb it" as Bennett looks on with reverent awe. He is also scared of heights, but you would never had known it by his ascension up this rock face. 

I like climbing at REI, danger is sort of out of the picture and fun is all that is left. That's my kind of thrill-seeking. I have a feeling though, that that's not enough for the rest of my people. It doesn't fit in with our family motto which states: "We're not having an adventure unless mom is scared."