Camping at Jordanelle

 The weekend after the kids got out of school we went camping at Jordanelle.  We had reserved the campsite like months in advance so we were looking forward to it!  The older kids had actually gone camping with Rob the weekend before but they were still excited to go again.  We went to this place a few years ago, but the lake was really low that year so we couldn't even get close to the water because there was THICK mud all around it.  So we threw rocks in the mud that year.  This time we could get right up to the water and actually got to throw rocks in the water.  It was fun.

 All in the car and ready to go!

Of course we had to try out the playground after we got the tent set up.  

And then we found the water.  Sadie had given Rob the perfect skipping rock that she had been saving for months for our first campout.  She wanted him to skip it.  So he tried that one first...but the problem was that his back was thrown out and he hadn't practiced and anyway, the rock just hit the water and sunk.  Sadie was pretty sad about that.  But he made up for it by skipping a bunch of other rocks.

I was there too.

We spent a lot of time doing this.

These two were little explorer buddies.  They were always searching for rocks and spiderwebs and bugs.  It was cute.

We finally convinced the kids to head back to make a fire so we could roast our hot dogs for dinner.

It's a good thing we went back when we did because right after we got done eating and making smores, someone came up and said we couldn't have any open fires that night because it was really windy.  Phew.  I really would not have liked to eat cold hot dogs!

And Riley really knows how to make dinner.  HAH!  

These kids make camping so much fun!

These kids really are so happy when we are out in nature.  I'm sure they have more fun when just Rob takes them camping because I'm always worried and making sure I can see them all and that they aren't going to fall in any water or get lost.  I need to learn to let go a little I think...

MMMM....Smores!

Ready for Bed with our glowsticks.  It looks really bright in the picture, but I think it was almost dark out.  The moon was full that night too so it didn't ever get pitch black.

We put the tent up!  It was a lot of work especially because Rob's back was hurt.  

More rock throwing.

Rob took a break after putting the tent up.  Ha ha.

Little Riley.  So fun to watch.  She gathered all these rocks and put them in a row.  

Overall it was such a fun trip and we loved it.  It is always a lot of hard work packing everything up and setting it up and taking it down, but it is so worth it for the memories and to see the smiles on these kids faces.  They love it!  It's not always fun dealing with the tired kids when we get home, but we make it through.  ha ha.  Here's a funny story...I was worried about camping because sometimes I wake up at night 3 times to use the bathroom.  I didn't want to have to hike to the bathroom in the dark that many times while camping.  Well, around 1am both Rob and I woke up because our air mattress had deflated and we were both on the ground.  ha ha.  So Rob blew it up and told me to go to the bathroom.  I didn't want to have to put my shoes on and walk to the bathroom so I was just going to hold it.  He said he had to go so he would go first.  He stood up and started unzipping the tent without putting any shoes on!  I asked him if he was going barefoot and he said "yeah...it's not that far".  That was true...It was only one or two campsites away, but still.  What about bugs.  I shrugged it off and let him go without shoes.  Next thing I know I hear him peeing right outside the tent!!  I started laughing really hard.  It never even occurred to me that he would just go outside.  Ha ha!  Of course that is what he would do.  And if I were a boy, I probably would too!  I laughed so hard and long that I decided I better make that trip to the bathroom.  So I put my shoes on and walked down to the bathroom.  I didn't even need a flashlight because of the full moon.  Oh man...I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time.  And that is saying something because Rob makes me laugh pretty good every day.  :)   

Good camping trip.  Can't wait for the next one...which will probably not be until next summer for me, but Rob might take the kids a couple times this summer.  :)