CAMPING

Okay, I know it's been a while since I posted anything but we've been preparing for a camping trip... It's amazing how much goes into even just one night of camping. I almost wondered if it would be worth it. It was defiantly worth it. The kids had a blast. This is the first time we've been camping with the 3 youngest and the last time we went with Emma was when she was 2 and a 1/2 I believe? Quite some time ago that's for sure! I remember going camping growing up and I don't know how my parents fit all the STUFF that you need to camp in one car with all of us kids. It's amazing how much STUFF you have to bring. And I definitely don't remember having to work so hard doing any of the prep work or post work. All we had to do was jump in the car and go and then when it was all over we helped bring all the STUFF into the house and Mom & Dad would put it all away! All I have to say is thanks Mom and Dad for the effort that you made for us growing up so we could have a good time camping. I have to remember how much fun it was for us so I'll be ready to go through all the prep/post work again. Like I said before so much STUFF, planning meals and all the gear that you're going to need and making sure it's working properly before you leave, loading everything, getting to the campsite, unloading, setting up a tent, doing dishes with very little water (which we had to bring in there wasn't a spicket so I'm glad that we thought to bring it), trying to clean up 3 young kids that just get dirty again in 2 seconds, then it's the same process when you leave, take down the tent after you got all the crap out of the tent and packed back up and then loading everything back in to the car, etc etc etc.... But like I said it was an AWESOME weekend. The kids loved every minute they thought it was so great sleeping in the tent and they were all so excited to see all the stars and to make smores and just to have a great time. So here is a BUNCH of pictures hope you're not toooooo bored with them.

This is a picture from our camping spot!

Another campsite view.

Emma's helping to put the poles out where they need to be for the tent.

Lane & Eliza are out exploring. Picking pine needles off, I believe.

Olivia has come to join in the fun, not that I would call it that but that's alright they were occupied while we were getting the tent up and ready.

Olivia was feeling adventurous and was out a little ways off from every one. Which is a rare thing. Usually she doesn't stray to far away.

I don't know what game Emma & Eliza are playing here but again they were occupied...

Oh yum hot dogs, home made potato salad & Cheetos. Hey it was easy and fast and it was 5:00 pm when we got to the camp site so fast and easy was the only way to go.

This was out sleeping arrangement, the 3 girls together on the big air mattress that looses air through out the night. They didn't seem to notice though! Lane was on a semi-cushy mat and Joe & I are to the left of the picture on another air mattress and I have to say air mattress and camping is the only way to go!

This is a picture as we're leaving our campsite and heading to the boat dock. It was very beautiful a little dry but still really nice. We could hear cows mooing through out the night and when we left we saw where they all were and there were at least 100 or more.

Another picture as we're leaving.

This is Phillips Lake which is about 10 miles from Sumpter and about 25 miles from Baker City. The lake is very low right now as you can tell from the pictures the water should be up closer to the trees. If you can see the first line closest to the trees that's about where it should be!

The boat works. Joe & his dad spent a good part of a week working on the boat. They had to dig out a rotted part of the boat and then put fresh good wood in and then fiber glass it back up so it wouldn't leak! The first time for both of them and they did a GREAT job. You can't even tell that "non" professionals did it! :)

Here's Eliza having a blast. She had a non stop smile on her face the whole time as did Emma, Lane & Olivia. The only time Lane got a little down in the mouth was when he wanted a turn to feel the water on his hand as it sprayed up.

Lane's picture while in the boat. I didn't get a picture of Emma because when I finally pulled out the camera she was driving the boat with Joe behind her. We had a couple of crazy moments with Emma at the wheel but quickly fixed by Joe.

And Miss Olivia...She loved the boat as well. She would start bouncing up and down even before Joe would get the boat going into the wakes! The kids were constantly laughing and calling out the whole time.

Here's a video of the kids... At the end of the video you can hear me ask L if he's sick and luckily he wasn't but this is where he got sad for 1/2 a second when he wanted to feel the water spray his hand!

We just got the boat pulled out of the water and now we're heading up to the car.

Eliza is almost gone she's in la la land as we call it. I asked her if she was sleeping and she mumbled yea. So Emma took her life jacket off and and then she woke up. But then shortly after the next pictures fell asleep in boat. In the picture just before this one I didn't realize that she was asleep but you can see her head from behind and it's just like in this picture she's OUT!!!

Pulling the boat up.

We're almost there. They have an out house at the boat launch and Eliza FREEKED out when I tried to get her to go because there were soooooo many flies it was not cool... She actually JUMPED off the toilet screaming and flipping out. I had to threaten her with bodily harm just to get her to sit down. Luckily at the camp site it was great, well, as great as any out house can get. But she didn't have any problems with that one and that's good because that was where the majority of our time was spent...

And now we're HOME! It was a long weekend but the kids had a blast and now they're beyond tired. We got the boat put away and the car unloaded and then bathed the kids and fed them.

I thought I'd take one last photo of the day and you can see all the kids have wind burns on their faces. They aren't too bad but it makes them look even more tired. Olivia barely gave me a kiss good night as I was putting her to bed. I layed her down and she rolled over and was out in seconds. The same thing with the other kids. They said their prays and layed down and we haven't heard a peep out of them.