Dear Children,

Wasn’t it great to do our first Real Walk with Fully Loaded Packs this morning! I was so proud of you all. ER, you managed to walk the entire 2km all by yourself (I really didn’t mind stopping to give you a cuddle when you needed it to give you a final burst of energy towards the end). We had hoped you would be walking 2km by the time you were two years old, but you’re doing it already and you’ve still got another two months to go. You’re a trooper!

T3, you did so well too. Eventually. When I put your pack on I was despairing….I’m not sure what has got into your head about these packs, but whenever we put one on you, it draws out the grizzles and today was no exception. You can wear your sleeping bag pack forever, but not these good packs! You grizzled up the hill, you grizzled along the road. I told you no more grizzles, but you didn’t listen. Then a moment later you were singing. And bouncing along. Without looking back. Isn’t it so much easier to walk without grizzles – and weren’t you so happy to be able to tell Dadda you walked all the way back without even one grizzle. You can do it! We know you can!

M5. WOW. What a strong man! We though Dadda was going to have to carry your clothing for you, but you took it all yourself, and you didn’t complain once, although your pack was a bit heavy at the end. Dadda will only need to carry your sleeping bag for you….we can hardly believe how strong you have grown!

L7-the-boy-who-wouldn’t-say-it’s-too-heavy-even-if-it-was. We sure are lucky to have a young man who can carry his heavy pack without so much as a murmur. But it is fine to tell us if it has gone past the *I hardly notice it’s on my back* stage and to the *it’s getting a bit uncomfortable stage*. Do tell us, OK!

K9, Trudge, trudge, bounce, skip. In your own happy quiet way you tripped along, willing to admit you’d reached the *it’s starting to get uncomfortable* stage, but oh so excited that it was nowhere near the *I can hardly bear this any longer* stage. Skip, bounce, all the way home, including the extra kilometre with all the big kids, plus the detour up to the dam.

K10, you really want to take the pack you were wearing today, don’t you? Of course you were going to say it was comfortable and so much lighter than the other one;-) It wasn’t lighter, but I will concede it might be more comfy (which may well make it seem lighter). When we’ve got all the clothes made, we’ll pack the packs up properly and if everything fits in that pack, you can take that one. Deal?

J12, the muscle man. You had a very heavy pack and you were entirely realistic in your surmising…..no wonder it felt heavy. It WAS heavy – 9.5kg heavy, in fact. Your generous help-others-out nature will always ensure you’re prepared to go the extra mile for us, but if it gets too much, yell out, OK!?!

J13, you just got yourself another job! You coped admirably with taking two people’s worth of gear, so you’ll be packhorse for ER, if you don’t mind (which, having spoken to you about it already, I know you don’t). I’ll take her sleeping bag – you’ll take her clothing. (I’ll appreciate so much not having to carry two children’s clothes as well as my own!) I’ll give you a big kiss at the end of every walk. Just remind me! 😉

Lotsa love,
Mama xxx