Sunrise Park at Mt. Rainier

It is really uncomfortable in Yakima!
(Yes Bridget...it is! :))
I may have wimped out a bit since moving from Texas, but 100 + degrees is hot anywhere!
I thought we should get out of town and go somewhere cooler.
We are lucky to live near the mountains - the temps were about 25-30 degrees cooler.

We headed to Sunrise, the highest point you can drive to in Mt. Rainier Park.
We've been there before about four years ago, but its so pretty its worth seeing again!
You feel like you are nearly at the top of Mt. Rainier!

There were loads of flowers out...mostly purple lupines and magenta paintbrushes.
I think its ironic that those are so closely related to two of the most popular wildflowers that I grew up knowing in Texas...the Texas Bluebonnet and Indian Paintbrush.

We took the Sunrise Nature Trail Loop - a fairly easy hike with amazing views to the north and south.

At one point along the trail, Hannah and Jenelle were discussing whether they could see people on the mountain.

Your perspective is really thrown because you feel like you are soooo close to the summit...but really, you are still so far away.
We were at an elevation of about 6400 feet and Mt. Rainier is over 14,000 feet high.
Only close to 8000 feet left to climb!

I'm so grateful we've always made a point to take lots of "ordinary" adventures with our kids.
No doubt we love the ones that require a flight somewhere, but we've been so blessed to live in places that have amazing things to do within driving distance.
And even when we haven't gone farther than a few miles from home, over the years we've still taken advantage of getting up and getting out!
As all three of them grow older, their interests are changing - schedules are changing - life is just changing.
But when I was driving us home yesterday I was thinking about how no one ever gets home from a day away and says, "I sure wish we'd never done that!"
I can only hope that the memories and experiences...whether easily recalled or brought back by photos or stories...make a lasting and impression on them.

"...I have seen more than I remember and remember more than I have seen."

-Benjamin Disraeli