Trails, Mountain Lions, and Alien Spacecrafts

The other day, in an effort to get out and enjoy nature, Chris and I piled the kids in the car and drove to a local hiking trail. As we started out, determined to have an authentic outdoors-y experience, I couldn't help but notice the plethora of posted signs warning me of the danger of Mountain Lions. My father-in-law just went mountain lion hunting, and if you saw the picture of his kill, you too would instantly pull it up mentally every time you heard the words "mountain lion". It is frightening. The image I have looks much like a female African Lioness, and I don't think they spare any human they come across in the wild! So, I, all anxious and jumpy, along with Chris, calm and easy, led our troop over the winding path, and Finn, being quite the chatty child, narrated our trek. "Mommy, what kind of plant is that?" and "Mommy, can I climb up that steep, rocky hill?" (I flash on my Mountain Lion image and respond with an absolutely not!), and "Mommy, look how fast I can run!", and on and on. Finn gave those nature sounds a run for their money! Fast forward through Chris putting his t-shirt over Owen's fair fair skin- his mommy forgot sunscreen (who is this negligent woman!?!?), through Eli's wails to be held, and through Finn's fall and ensuing bloody knee. We had to halt the troops every 5 minutes. We got maybe half a mile down the trail after all of this and decided it was time to turn back. Sweaty, exhausted, mentally spent, but proud we "hiked" with the kiddos, we plodded back to the car. Finn's play-by-play commentary still going strong, I suggested he stop talking and listen for sounds of nature. Walking along peacefully, an airplane flew overhead, and Finn yelled, "Mom, I hear nature! It's an alien spacecraft!" Wow. So much for birds chirping and brooks bubbling! Oh well, we did it anyhow. We got our kids out and into the "wilderness", and we are determined to do it again. Maybe the next time, we'll get a little farther with fewer stops. That's the goal. I'm determined to make this a habit- Mountain Lions be darned!