How You Know You're The World's Best Mom. (Or the Worst)

Expedition Everest

Canyon and his cake, complete with mini Tibetan Prayer Flags.

This is going to be all about Canyon. He just had his ninth birthday, and in a family surrounded my attention-seeking girls, it’s his turn.

He has recently discarded WWII aviator for explorer. Not just any kind of explorer, he’s now determined to climb Mt. Everest. We hit the library bio shelves for biographies of George Mallory, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. He has put together an ‘expedition outfit’ and writes in his expedition journal every night. Here are some of his entries:

“My quest is to conquer the mountain and send news all over the world.”

“Very cold, tempertures drop, more, and more, and more people dying frome altadude sickness.”

“I will go in spring and hopefull make it back before the monsoon.”

“Very much want to have just two sunny days on Everest.”

He also has lists of supplies and drawings of the mountain, George Mallory, and Tibetan Prayer Flags. For his birthday he was fortunate enough to get a map and compass, among other useful expedition tools. Lucky for him he has a mom who was able to score some very valuable, extremely inaccessible Tibetan Prayer flags for his cake and his room. I don’t know how she does it. Amazing.

Canyon's very own room! Complete with flags and map of world. As well as man cave

(that's what Lily calls the bottom bunk).

I think he is really excited for our fifty-mile backpack adventure this summer. We are taking Lily and Canyon for a five-day trip in the Sierras. Canyon already has it mapped out with our camp-sites and mileage.

Here's his authentic 'George Mallory' style Everest clothing. Good luck buddy!

Canyon's Birthday.

Canyon had his much-anticipated birthday a week ago. It was a hit by all eight-year-old accounts. I mean, let’s face it, all a birthday really requires is a great sugary cake, ice-cream, and lots of legos. Right? I made a cake that was supposed to look like a lego block—I’m not sure if it did, but that didn’t seem to bother Canyon much. We had a great warm day, a BBQ outside, cake and lots of playing in the grass, dirt, on bikes, and play-fighting on the trampoline. I can’t really believe that Canyon is eight already and just to drive that point home, he went to his first cub-scout meeting and he and Dustin already perfected their first pine-wood derby car together. Sigh.

Canyon with his lego cake. Notice he's dressed as Boba Fett.



The Spoils. He was noticeably less excited about the scout shirt than the legos.
Still excited though.

Canyon’s such a great asset to our family. Not only is he the calm amidst the stormy weather (read: three girls), he is sensitive, loving, obedient and extremely creative. He keeps our family in balance. I only wish there were more of him!