While Dexter was on vacation the middle of August we decided to make some memories with our family and do things a little out of the norm for us. One day we had this “brilliant” (note the sarcasm, please) idea to take the dogs with us up to the Wildcat Hills and have a picnic and some hiking. Now let me preface this by saying that riding in the car with dogs, our dogs specifically, is NOT fun!!! Woody shakes nervously because he doesn’t know what is coming at the end of the car ride, and Chelsea is just a spaz who roams around the car looking out each window and climbing over and drooling on EVERYONE!!! so we got all packed up with plenty of food and water for people and dogs and headed out. When we got there we realised that the temperature had climbed quite a bit and we were looking at the mid 90′s. so it was hot, and dusty…and everyone seemed a little cranky. But we had already decided to do this so we found a little shade with a picnic table and let the dogs roam while we ate. THE DOGS WERE EVERYWHERE!!! it was fun for them to be outside of the backyard, but I was a little stressed thinking for sure that one of them would find a snake or something. After we ate we thought it would be best to drive the dogs home before we did some hiking. That way we could talk and visit with the kids and not be yelling after the dogs the whole time.
All packed up and ready to roll…
This is the view of us hiking back up to the car with the dogs…they are of course leading the way!
After we took the dogs home and arrived back at the hills…we decided to take the northern lookout trail, which would take us about 2 miles to a lookout area. This was a little scenery as we hiked northward, and when you live in Western Nebraska, this is about the best view you are gonna see 
Taking a little break on our path, shady spots are few and far between..so you rest in them when you find one.
We found that we were hiking in very deserty conditions with all the yucca plants and cactus to dodge along the way.
We finally made it to the Northern lookout. it was beautiful, but it looked out over the highway.
We had to take some time in the Nature Center and check out the cool things to do there…the kids always love this!
Courtney is making some leaf rubbing here…she even looks like she got a little too much sun.
It wouldn’t be a family activity if we didn’t end it at DQ!!! it felt nice to have milkshakes and sit in the AC after our hiking expedition…
We had a great time…these kids look a little tired…
Sounds like fun:) Mmmm DQ sounds good…