camping

so, our family has a great affinity for camping.  we were afraid that a new baby would make it too difficult to go this year, nothing to fear.  with a little determination, we pulled it off! 

the weekend started a little rocky with a thunderstorm.  we had to pull off the road and park under the cover of a gas station for 45 minutes so that everything we had packed in the jeep wouldn't get trashed.  then, we made it through the sprinkling to Walmart in Payson where i hopped out and bought a tarp.  as we looked at the skies, we wondered if we should turn back;

the rain continued to sprinkle as we hurriedly pitched our tent and threw our stuff inside.  but then, mercifully, it let up and we had beautiful weather for the rest of the weekend!

(the beautiful photos below are courtesy of my budding photographers, Anna and Madeline)

the first thing Jason bought after Colin was born was a bb gun.  he helped the girls shoot, they aren't bad!

there is nothing more fun than hanging out with the family in the middle of the beautiful forest!

bubba was a joy.  he loves the Baby Bjorn and would have probably slept better if i wasn't so paranoid that every sound he made was going to wake the girls. 

after we put the kids down, Jason and i sat by the fire.  we could hear them playing with their Toy Story dolls and looked back to see the action carried out in our own little shadow puppet theater.  i wish we got video, it was the cutest!  "to infinity and beyond!"

jeeping is one of our families favorite activities.  we love spotting wild life, and new spots for future camps.  the girls often take their afternoon naps in the jeep too!

can you stand how adorable my baby is?  i can't!  i have to kiss him every second!

if i had to choose a theme for the weekend, it would be flowers!  the girls showered me with wild flowers.

how beautiful are these woods? every time we're up here, i picture the girls running through these tall weeds in white dresses, dancing around like little angels. 

so, this time, i actually brought some white dresses, and we had ourselves a little photo session in the woods!

i love this shot of all my lovelies headed back to camp!

and lounging before changing back into our grubbies.

my men:

it was a beautiful weekend.  bittersweet to me, because i missed my release as young women's president at church.   but i was able to say my goodbyes the following week.  serving the youth is the best calling!  i hope it comes my way again someday.