First camping trip of Summer

We finally made it out camping! It is only July5! The weather this year has been so bizarre, so cold. So, even though it was so late in the summer, we still made it to our usual first spot by Lowman, Id. It was fun to see this location late in the summer, we learned some things. One: the creek is still freezing cold. Two: those ARE wild strawberries Heather and I have been wondering about. Three: the deer are active this time of year, footprints everywhere Four: Elliott has inherited the Hynes family "eagle-eyes" he spotted a deer during story time!

We usually go to this spot with the Wilsons, but since it was so late, we settled on going alone. We learned that camping is much more fun with two families...we missed you Wilsons! But, it was very fun to get creative and think of fun things to do: bubbles, geo chaching, mommy-made scavenger hunt, stick polishing, hikes, finish-the-story time, family home evening, campfire song time, and regular old story time. The kids really liked the finish-the-story game. Whenever it was Lucy's turn, it was about princesses, or a wedding, and likewise, Elliott always brought the story back to super heroes. Mikey and I were left with transitions. It was a very interesting story.

The kids liked the campfire songs too. There was an old girl's camp song I know called "The Weenie Man", and the kids made me sing it 5000 times, and every time, they laughed all the way through it. It was kinda the trip's theme song. For story time, I told David and Golliath and The Three Billy Goats Gruff for my stories, and Mikey told The Boy Who Cried Wolf and The Little Engine That Could. The kids loved all of these. We are trying to teach Elliott not to scream bloody murder every time something little happens (the wolf story), and that he can do hard things (the engine story). We ended up referring to these stories throughout the trip; it was perfect.

This trip was fun too, because on the way home, we got to pick up a neighboring camper of ours from the highway. He was fixin' to walk to the nearest city because his truck broke down...30 miles over a mountain peak! It was a good lesson for the kids on service.

Ok, enough blabbin, onto the pictures!

I want you to see how clean we all start out. Doesn't he look happy to be camping?
And here is clean Lucy. She is busy smoothing and polishing sticks, a favorite past time of ours. I'm the world champion...taught her all she knows.
bubble time! He is just a little bit dirtier...
A perfect seat for his little bum. I think he was rolling away when I took this picture.
Good morning!
Lucy kept busy while we were getting breakfast ready. She made a bird's nest out of some "old man's beard"moss. It is in the tree above her. She was so proud of herself, and she taught me how to make it...step by step. She is a great teacher.
The ride home. YIKES! I don't let the kids drink soda, so camping soda is a special and over-consumed thing...thus the orange mustaches on the kids.
Ugh. I hate soda. I don't think Lucy feels the same!

It seems like every post I do lately has at least one reference to Elliott's mustache so, here ya go! Just a funny little picture of Elliott's 'stache!

Wait, what? No pictures of me camping? Interesting, I can't imagine how that happened! *wink*

I am conveniently absent from these pictures. One of the many benefits of being the photographer!

Stay tuned for more summer fun