I just about got into a fist fight with Jimminy Cricket today. She thought the Golden Stairs were overrated. Okay no fists. We’re still friends. But our words were passionate, and opposing.

I had been having a moment of such pure gratitude as I walked down those stairs into the pine forest that I thought, “I would give up my day of meeting David Tennant, or the day where I drove a Ferrari just to live this again.”

This is paradise on earth.

People say you generally slow down to 12-15 miles a day in the Sierras – so far, we haven’t even been hitting that, and it still feels like rushing.

Cresting mountains, swimming (and subsequently napping) by glacial lakes, walking under sun showers, picnicking together, having story time, hopping down switchbacks lined by a raging waterfall, looking out into Kings Canyon, hopscotch on rocks to cross streams, campfires and chocolate and more wine … and that was just today.

Paradise.

I’m not exaggerating.

These are the moments I want to live out forever, but I think that might eventually take away from the majesty of each fresh vista and new lake and yet-to-be-seen sunset.

Instead, I will soak them in as completely as is humanly possible and be grateful for the opportunity to do so.