Kelly with the Kiddos

My weekend. (By that of course I mean my weekend with Kiddos... Divorce... Leads to split time... Only downfall) It also happened to be Jeremiah's (my little broheim) Birthday on Saturday. In the spirit of celebration, and Spring, and a Facebook Memory, we headed out to the pioneer cabins that are on Lower Gros Ventre Road just north of Kelly Warm Springs. Not a true hike but we spent a good hour exploring the cabin and near by structures. Throwing sticks for Pi, watching him crash through the softening snow pack. Hysterical. Taking the photo op in that majestic window framing the Tetons. We reluctantly vacated the cabins when a group of ladies in their 40's stopped by for their photo op. Pi was off leash, ran to greet them but came back when called. Then ran off, then came back. Then followed us to the car.

After the cabin photo op we headed down to the warm springs. (After all it was the weekend of the State Swim meet, just cus we weren't there doesn't mean we couldn't get our swim on... Well the kids anyway)

This also marked the first time Pi intentionally swam. I mean he has fallen in a few creeks, but those don't count. This was full on Pi swimming lesson day. He and the kids spent an hour splashing around in the mucky water.

One of my favorite things about no-goal-hiking, is the freedom it gives the minions to explore and learn and discover. It gives them opportunity's to entertain them selves, find their own comfortable zones. Engage and interact with each other, and only each other, for company and stimulation and imagination.

Emma isn't all that into the muck of Kelly, she tends to linger in the shallow end, where the algae is sparse and yes the water is only a few inches. She gathered 51 snail shells and tiny beautiful pebbles, which she took home and made into necklaces and earrings.

Lucy the adventurer swam through the deep center of Kelly and slogged through the mud and muck and covered every inch of the springs leaving no side stream untouched.

Jack followed her until the mud that was squishing up and around him became to much to bear and he swam back to the deeper spot to 'clean' off. They got to be them. They got to choose. They didn't fight or yell or argue. Until of course it was time to go.

It was a beautiful way to spend the day.