Making Memories

Recently we planned a family hike to Chatfield Hollow, a gorgeous state park with rock formations my kids are certain house witches. We went last year and had a great time. A return trip seemed a no brainer.

Only ten minutes into the drive and we feared this trip would be different.

“It’s SO HOT!” the kids yelled.

I cringed. The car AC had been on the fritz, but with September nearing a close we’d decided to put off fixing it until the spring. Who knew we had so many 80 degree days left?

Feeling their pain, we tried to be accommodating. Tad cracked the sunroof. I handed out water and snacks. We talked about the witch caves. But the complaints continued all ride long.

“It’s going to be fun! You’ll see!” I said, when we finally we headed to the trail.

And for a while it was. We found cool leaves, looked under rocks, even saw a snake! But then Willa got a hangnail.

“It HURTS,” she wailed.

The nail was cut too low to cut without a clipper, so we tried to distract her. But still she screamed. Soon the others joined in.

“I’m bored! I’m HUNGRY!” they yelled.

When we came to a fork, we took the shortest trail back to the car. Which was now even hotter. We tried to salvage the trip by stopping at a restaurant, but an hour wait sent us to McDonalds for happy meals – all of which went untouched.

By the time we got home, we were exhausted. But then that night when talking to my parents, a funny thing happened. My kids wanted the phone.

“GUESS WHAT?!” they shouted. “We saw witch caves! And a snake! And got HAPPY MEALS!”

Not once did they complain. The memories they’d made were happy ones, showing us that even through the wining the trip was worth it. Though before we take another we’re fixing that AC. And packing a nail clipper.