Flashback Friday: Camp Hunt

Nate and I have a tradition that we do with the kids. The summer of the year that they turn 11 we take them on a camping trip one on one. Nate took Ethan and last year I took Ally.

We had so much fun together. We went to Camp Hunt up in Bear Lake. Even though it was around the 4th of July our first day it just rained and rained. Cute, brave Ally decided to go for her swim check. It was COLD outside of the water I couldn't believe she wanted to get even colder by getting into the water. I was super proud of her, especially because her Mom was too big of a wuss to do it. Of course she passed the swim check. 

The next day, when the sun was shining, I got my swim check out of the way so we could enjoy all of the waterfront activities.

We went canoeing and kayaking and swam in the lake. It was perfect weather.

Here are our swim check chips. The board shows that we stayed in the Crow campsite.

During some of our free time we went into Garden City and got us a raspberry shake. Ally found this blow up Dolphin so we picked it up too for her to play with. She had a great time with it.

I thought she was a little bit crazy when she wanted to get up before sunrise and go canoeing out on the lake. I really thought that once the alarm went off that she would beg to sleep in but nope, she dragged me out  of bed into the cool, crisp morning air and away we went.

It turned out to be the highlight of our camping trip for me. It was so beautiful and calm. I loved being out on the water with my Ladybug. Such a sweet memory.

We loved participating in the campfire songs, the skits, and all of the activities that Camp Hunt had to offer. It was a great trip!

Photo Shoot Sunday: Mantua.......Again

Wordless Wednesday: NO!

Swinging Rocks!

While we were camping in Mantua, the kids found an amazing rope swing over in the other part of the campground. They frequented it often. When our time in our campsite was done and we were all loaded to head home we drove over there as a family and had one last swing. It's an awesome swing site. It is under a huge canopy of trees with a huge open area for the swing to go. You can go in circles, or twist and twirl or just go back and forth, it's awesome. In order to get on the swing you have to climb these big trees that are down, then you can either jump off or have someone push you really hard to get going. Here are some of the photo highlights of our last swing.

Ethan mid-story of his latest swinging experience. Remember the phrase, "A picture is worth a thousand words"? I think this applies. Crazy, cute kid.

Photo Shoot Sunday: Mantua Part Two

This Photo Shoot Sunday I bring to you another photo shoot from our Mantua camping trip. These photos were taken on our last morning there. We had so much fun.

Nine

(the next Vanna White, showing off her bike while camping in Mantua)

Today my Lally-Girl turns nine. Nine! I can hardly stand it. Where does the time go? It seems like last night was the first time I held her in my arms. In nine more years she will be preparing to take off and leave me behind, I am not ready for that. If it feels like only yesterday she was born, it definitely feels like she will be leaving tomorrow. Time moves too quickly for my liking.

Anyhow, I love her tons. She is such a fun daughter and friend to have around. She is full of spunk, kindness and love and our family would be lost without her. Happy Birthday Ladybug!

Favorite Color: red, purple, and pink

Favorite Food: pizza, and strawberries

Favorite TV Show: Hannah Montana, She-Ra Princess of Power, Punky Brewster, Little House on the Prairie

Favorite Song: A Child's Prayer

Favorite Thing To Do: play with my friends, and our new kittens, play the wii, and ride my bike

Favorite Movie: I don't really have a favorite movie, I like all movies. Well, except boy movies.

Favorite Book: Pinkalicious

Wordless Wednesday: "That's Gisgusting!'

(august 2010)

Photo Shoot Sunday: Mantua

This weekend we went camping in Mantua, it was so much fun! So for Photo Shoot Sunday I thought I would share one of the many photo shoots I put the family through. These were taken our first evening at camp. Keep a watchful eye out for more of our camping craziness to come your way this week.

(august 2010)

Camping at Grey's River

Every summer for the last 3-4 years some of my brothers and sisters with their families have gone camping together at Grey's River in Wyoming. We have never been able to go until now. We were either rushing to get into our house, had an infant who was on a breathing monitor because she liked to stop breathing in her sleep, or Nate was recovering from his Cancer surgery! We were so excited to finally go this year and had such a blast doing it! Here are a few highlights from our trip!

Uber-Scouter Tiny Man!

Tiny Man busted his tail working on Webelos requirements. He completed 14 total requirements for the: Outdoorsman, Traveler, Forester, Handyman, and Naturalist. He finsihed off everything he needs to earn the Handyman and Outdoorsman! It was a lot of work and he is really excited! He should be and we are excited about him seeing the results of his hard work. The funnest of all was the three mile hike to Barstow Lake. There he got to see a Trout and try casting a fishing line for the first time. He almost caught Daddy on the face with his fishing fly on the second try... soooo, we called it after that. Learning to safely use a pocket knife and how to set a one-match fire are also at the top of the list.

Is it Rocks Sand? or Roxanne?

A few of the nights we were hanging out around the campfire some of the kids would put on a little skit. On our last night at camp 3 of the boys Logan (6), Ridge (5), and our boy Chub (5) decided it was their turn. Of course none of us knew what to expect but it definitely WASN'T this!

Logan: Our skit is called "Roxanne"

Ridge: NO! It's called Rocks Sand!

Confused look between each other...Chub looking like he really could care less.

So they begin.....

Logan: ROXANNE!

Ridge: ROCKS SAND!

Logan: ROXANNE!
Ridge: ROCKS SAND!

Chub: You don't have to turn on your red light for Rocks Sand!

Yep! You read that right! All of us parents were of course only half paying attention wondering what their little skit was about when Chub busted out with that little gem! We all laughed so hard! WHERE DID THAT COME FROM!?! Meanwhile the boys are still going strong in the background! We finally figured out that on the drive to hike Lake Barstow that afternoon Uncle Ryan was playing the song Roxanne in his truck! Hilarious!

The Unbroken Broken Leg!

Around 9:30 a.m. on the day we left for camping Ladybug was running up the stairs and tripped...she hit her shin on the stair and all heck broke loose from there! We all felt sympathy for her for a while and then asked her to move on with her life.....she wouldn't! Around 3 p.m. I walked into the living room and she was quietly sobbing, so even though she was walking gingerly on it and seemingly getting better as the day progressed I made an appointment to see the doc before we took off for the mountains! By 4:30 p.m. she was splinted, told to get crutches and come back 2 days later for a cast!

Obviously we figured so long camping trip for the girls....Nate wouldn't give up so easily! With the doc's permission he made an appointment for her to get her cast at the Bear Lake Memorial Hospital in Montpelier, Idaho two days later! It was 2 hrs and 15 min from our campground in WYOMING! We were given instructions to call the doctor the day before. So we set off for our five hour journey to the mountains! We carried her EXTREMELY carefully that first 24 hrs. The men in the family were awesome to move her around camp to be with the group, or get out of the sun or the shade or whatever! We quickly started calling her the Queen of Sheba!

This is a cute clip of Ladybug singing along to cousin Wyatt's ipod...enjoy!

In order to call the doc Nate had to drive TWO hrs round trip into Alpine, WY to get a cell signal. Happily we were told that he had consulted with some other doc's and they had determined that she hadn't broken it but just had a really bad BONE BRUISE! We were so happy she didn't need to ride almost 5 hrs round trip to get her cast. In fact, we removed the splint that night and immediately saw a dramatic improvement in her. `

She got up on her crutches and made her way around the camground, participated in a skit with the other girl cousins, learned how to use a pocket knife! She did great! Something tells me she will never forget her first camping trip!

Two Wheeling Chub!

All summer long we knew it was time to teach Chub how to ride a two wheeler...we just never found the right time! Well, we decided to bite the bullet up at Grey's. Chub decided his first morning there that he was ready. I will admit I was a little nervous having him learn on a rough dirt road, especially on the heels of Ladybug's leg the day before! But we pushed forward...he climbed on his cousins little two wheeler and declared he was ready! Boy was he! It was definitely NOT this easy with Tiny Man and Ladybug! He got on and started to pedal while I steadied him. He gained speed and seemed okay so I decided I would just let go and see what happened...he just took off! From that moment on it was difficult to get him off the thing and do something else! He was SO excited! Way to go Chub!
Right as I let go of him......look at him go!

Still going strong and steady.......
and he's off with the rest of the boys!

Here are just some random pictures of the trip for fun memories: