40 before 40...on top of the world!!

So a couple posts ago, I mentioned that I wanted to do 40 things out of my comfort zone or that I wouldn't normally do, before I turn 40 on June 4, 2015. I played kickball and put that as the first thing because it's not something I would normally do, especially being on chemo during the game, even though it wasn't out of my comfort zone.

I have really enjoyed hiking for the past couple of years and my daughter told me about a hike she wanted to do to "Potato Chip Rock" and I said that I would do it with her. Then I saw a photo of a friend who did it, so I mentioned that I want to do it, but that my daughter was worried about it being a 7 mile hike up. My girlfriend told me that she does it the back way, so it's 2.2 miles up on a paved service road. She set up a date and time that she, my family, and our friends would go. So we did this morning (and of course it happened to be the morning after my boys returned from camp)!! Here is our hike through photos...

Our group before the hike at the start of the trail.



Early on in the hike

Josh and Zach doing some basic training, lol! I did make them stop after the photo, because I didn't want them to wear themselves out. 

 Little brother, Ben, always trying to keep up, had to do some push ups.

Those push ups may have tired Ben out too early, because Zach is carrying him at this point, but it only lasted a few seconds. 

 And then it was my turn



Josh and Zach had so much energy and they climbed nearly everything!



Daddy's turn to carry Ben. We left for the hike early in the morning and Ben put on his old shoes (slightly small) without anyone knowing, so his feet hurt too bad for him to walk uphill a little over half way through the hike.



Josh and Zach climbed this rock and since Ben was being carried, Daddy took him up the rock so he wouldn't miss out.



Half way up, checking out the view and seeing how far we'd come!!



Posing for a quick photo at the half way mark.

We knew we were at the top when we saw all of the television satellites on top of the hill.

This was the line to go out onto Potato Chip Rock

And once in line, this was what was on the ground to our left...it was a cliff drop to our right!! Notice the rock with the pole sticking out of it, I climbed that a little after going out on the "potato chip"

Faith and her boyfriend, Nicco, on Potato Chip Rock.

My boys were too scared to walk out to the edge of the rock because of the drop you could see on the right hand side. So we took a quick family picture on the rock, just not out on the edge.

Carrying Ben off the rock, he was the most afraid of it out of all my boys.

I was trying to think of a good pose for Sean and I to do on the rock and thought this would be a cute one, although it didn't turn out like I thought it would. I wanted it to look like Sean was saving my life as he has through out this cancer journey.

Out on the edge of the rock with the girls! Laura, my friend furthest from the edge was the one who lead us on this hike and she was the most afraid to go out to the edge. She had to scoot to her spot!!

 And then it was my turn on Potato Chip Rock...I decided I would hang ten and give a little surfing hand gesture up there!!

Here is the pole cemented into the rock that I mentioned earlier. I HAD to climb it!

And then I had my "I'm on top of the world" moment!!

As my boys were a little scared to go out on the potato chip, we walked around at the top of the hill and found this rock with a gorgeous view (if only it wasn't so overcast) for a family picture! Possibly one of the many photos on our Christmas card this year!!

My mini me, trying to climb this pole!

Ben poured water on himself many times to cool off, it was the cutest thing with his smile. Seeing my kids happy brings me so much joy!!

My little climber Zach, had a blast climbing everything he could!

On our way down the hill Josh and Zach got a little ahead of us and when we rounded the corner, we saw them meditating, so cute!

Little brother had to do it too!

Our walk down was fun because it was so much easier that straight uphill, so I climbed into this rock that Sean named "butt crack rock" and he happily called me a turd when I got into it, lol!

And of course a hike with my family wouldn't be complete without an injury and Zach got a thorn stuck into his calf which bled once removed. He was fine, but had an instant bruise.

And with boys, you never have to find them a restroom!!

It was a great hike and we all had so much fun...now to find 38 more fun things to do to complete my list!!