Camp Your Heart Out

{Mt. Hood, Oregon}

Its all about the experience. 

"Tent Camping" is not about the easy way out.  In fact, as I was packing up all of our warm weather clothes, cold weather clothes, swimming crap, beach towels, rags, pillows, sleeping bags, gas stove, blah, blah, you get the picture--I wondered what in the heck I was thinking.  Is camping really considered a vacation?

Why would we pack up our kids and our cars full of the things we need to survive and head into unknown weather and wilderness?  Okay, I think I know one reason... there really is nothing a like being with the ones you love and having a great time making memories in the great outdoors. 

With that being said, I still wonder how my mom and dad packed all 6 of us rowdy, "not so kind to eachother on road trips" kids with a week's worth of food and flat out headed to Round Lake for a week every summer.  Not sure how they did it, but after a trip like this I think I'm starting to get why.

Oh, and I also think its great that camping has something for everyone...as you'll see in this post.

{Aidan}

What do you like to do when your camping? 

If you happen to have a 2 year old boy then you know what this type of environment does for their little souls.  {And actually, my soul couldn't help but love it too.}

He played so hard and marched around the campsite so much that he took an afternoon nap on 1/2 of the days we were there.  I know.  I didn't even know what to do with myself. 

We just had to make sure and hang onto our Uno cards when he was around...for obvious reasons.:)

{Me+Fresh Water Trout=Yum}

I caught a big 'ole fish all by myself! Well, I guess my brother Travis did have a little part in it since he lent me the pole, paddled me around in the canoe, and gutted that fat fish... oh, and I guess I should give some credit to Tanya for cooking it up.

But doesn't putting the power bait on the line and stuffing my face with it count for something?

Yes, it was good.

{Travie}

Like catching fish like I do?  I'm going to let you in on a little secret...but only if you want to know how to catch a super yummy fish and have a blast doing it.  This method is kindof hard to come by, but once a year I get the chance...if I'm lucky.

All you have to go is get one of these:

A Travis. 

And while you have him you might enjoy a few other great perks he has to offer...

You'll lick fingers and your plate after you've had some of his fish...right Lucy?

And if you really get lucky he'll pull out his wild side while you're around, and even jump his bike off the dock...

No.  I'm not kidding.  Hang onto him if you not only want to catch a fish, but have a great time camping.

{Matey' "E"}

Do you know anyone that wears a full on pirate hat and vest and carries around a sword...while camping?  Well, its your lucky day...now you do... 

Seriously.  He wore this everyday.

And when he wasn't pirating he was digging.  Probably for treasure.

 

And only uncle Travie could help a swashbuckler like this catch a nice, long super meaty fish!

And he couldn't get enough. After he tasted the fish Trey and Trav had caught he announced that he would be catching a fish that we would eat all to himself.  {Nice to see that all of my lectures on serving and giving to others has paid off...oh dear.}

Now let's talk about what a 4 yr old gal & 6 year old pirate do to make their own fun.   I suppose there is nothing like taking turns blowing eachother's hair with an air pump.  And yes, Ethan did take off his hat for his one.;)

I have a good feeling that at least part of this trip will be nestled in the back of this little head for many camping trips to come.

{The Hunter}

 After 8 years of marriage I can honestly say I have just scratched the surface to this guy.  He's always been water loving, if fact he swam with Travis across the lake!  But throw in a little challenge... and you have a new, driven man.

Do you see him out in the water with the stick with the hand-made trap Travis made?  He's catching his dinner...

And you thought I was joking. 

His trophy...a crawdad dutch oven enchilada.  Hurrah! 

For more crawdad mania from the trip you can check out Tanya's blog.  She's got some fun shots.

{Princess Lulu}

That's the name of the game. Ethan ran around defending her. And who wouldn't want to run around with a gal like this...

Spunky and up for anything.  Love her.

Oh, and sing/talking was real hit...at least for these 2... Broadway may be closer than we think.  How weird is that to say after a camping trip.

{The Catcher}

This kid can catch. Fish, salamanders, chipmunks...you name it, he'll get it for you.

Could he be Travis' son? Why yes! How did you guess?

More from this guy in my next post.

{The Mom's}



Not so many pictures of Tanya and I, but we had a great time and we did supervise a few of our own "hunts"...

Check out these treasures!  {And I'm not just talking about the treats...;)}

{Nyree}
We missed Peter {another brother of mine}, Mary {his wife}, and their little guy Greyson at the lake this year...but for good reason.

Nyree was born!  We had to go to town to get cell service so we could download the pictures, and were thrilled to see such a doll! Congrats you guys!

We'll plan you guys again next year...for sure.

My mom was finishing up this cute jacket she knit for Nyree and I had to show you how cute it is.  I remember when my mom would knit us matching sweaters with eachother and our cabbage patch kids.  Really, she did and it was so "awesome" back in the 80's.;)

And yes, I think she would have had a knitting or craft blog if they had them way back then.;)

{More to Come}
Don't worry, the swing didn't sit empty for long...


the lego set was totally worth freezing for {Ethan earned it by trying to swim across the lake...via Bob of course}...

and the berries are on.  We even went out to Fordyce's today for the 1st U-pick blueberries of the season.  I'd blog about that now, but we'll need a second volume to this post.

XOXO

Toad