WHAT? ME CAMPING?

See when I was in young womens and we went to girls camp once a year I knew it would be okay because Emily was there and we would probably be in a cabin with beds. Or even like the time we convinced our leaders we girls could go on a backpacking trip like the boys secretly knowing the whole time it wouldn't really happen but at least we tried, right?

That is not how the new Logan's camp see we like to ask for silly Christmas presents that imply sleeping in the dirt and cooking every meal we intend to eat. Like i don't know, maybe a tent and sleeping bags from Grandma and Grandpa Barrera. Or a coleman grill and plastic and very fun colorful dishes from lets say Peggy and Bob.

WHAT WERE WE THINKING?

Well come to find out David blames me, and whadda ya know I blame David for it all!

When it came time for our big adventure I felt a lot like Pee Wee in his Big Adventure! You Know it was like I was looking for something in the wrong place, like happiness in the dirt!

After talking to Holly I felt better. There would be showers in the bathrooms (thank you thank you). And we would have water at the campsite for dishes and what ever. I did feel better for that. Also everyone we were going with it was sure to be fun.

We did do a practice run a couple weeks in advance to make sure we weren't totally cought off guard! and to help us know that we did not want to have to sleep on the ground for 4 nights in a row.

In the tent, in our living room!

I started the serious planning about a week in advance so that we could be pretty much ready to just walk out the door Tuesday morning. Well I did try to plan a lot in advance but until David helped me figure out a menu and last minute items to add to my necessary list (air mattress, check!). My a lot was a little. But because of my Eagle Scout by Sunday night we had a master plan for what would happen Monday. I go get the food and David gives the 4 Runner a tune up. it was amazing we got everything done and we were still able to take the kids to the movies that night to see Toy Story, and by the kids I mean David had to take me Con and Casey!

Tuesday finally came! We packed up the car and began the first leg of the trip to Klamath Falls. Which was so fun and I still am kicking myself for not taking more pictures it was just too much fun that I forgot.

Anyways

Wednesday afternoon after the afore mentioned Walmart trip we headed to Peggy's. We ended detouring taking the 66 through Keno to Dead Indian Memorial Rd that then connected to the 140. It was a beautiful drive and we had to stop on the 66 to let the cattle cross, and guess what I didn't think about taking a picture until it was all over and it was too late.

It was so fun driving up to Peggy's. Bob had their trailer set up getting it all packed and ready for Thursday when we all set out. Then the moment Casey had been waiting for came, Peggy drove up a little later and the squealing began. We were all so happy to be there. We spent the evening at Destiny's house but the time came, it was almost 9:30, it was almost time for David, Peggy, and Destiny to see Eclipse. We rushed home threw a blanket over the kids gave Bob a kiss and ran out the door yelling something about good luck and thank you with a little I love you in there. The Twilight movies are always better the second time around and they just get better the more you go, trust me I know! We got home and Bob went straight to bed after telling us a story about the girls (Bella stayed the night with Connor and Casey at Peggy's). Connor fell asleep right away I guess but the girls were having too much fun. Bob said and I hope I get this right that he went in to check on the kids and the girlie's were gigling and talking about who knows what so he says "Go to sleep!" and leaves the room as they laugh at him. See Bob thinks he's a big ol meanie but we all know and especially the kids know that it just isn't true! So a little later Out come's Bella and maybe Casey I can't remember very well,

Bella, "I'm hungry"

so bob says what do you want

Bella, "a popsicle"

Bob, "absolutely not"

Bella, "but Noni gives me popsicles!", Noni is Peggy!

he ended up feeding them something not a popsicle maybe crackers or cereal or something, but it is just why these girls love Peggy, she is everything to them!

When we got home later that night this is what we came home to these little sweeties:

Connor, Casey, Bella

Okay so I have like 220 Pictures so I will try to be very particular in my choosing of the photos, but it's gonna be hard but I'm gonna try!

July 1 - July 5th

OKAY, Thursday came and before we knew it we were heading towards Joseph Stewart Camp grounds!

Got there set up our tent and we were good to go!

See that is how a normal story teller tells the story but not me.

We got to our campsite, D15, and we shared the site with bob and Peggy, and we were all busy setting up. Holly and Joey came in right behind us and were setting up the campsite next to us when Robert and Krystal drove up. Destiny and Nate, and Heidi and Darren weren't coming until the next day (work). We had already picked our spot for the tent and David being a master camper made sure all the rocks and sticks and acorns were all cleared of our site.

Up went the tent in went the sleeping bags and we were just about ready to camp.

Wow we spent 4 nights in this!

Little things to still do like put up the clothes line which I did, well not really Robert helped me cause I couldn't get it to hook around the tree properly, anyways, and David set up my hammock. Other little things like walk the kids to the bathroom lay down the ground rules for the kids, and then it was fun time!

FUN TIME!

So it was really fun, not just setting up and the initial joy of something new, camping was very fun more than I even expected.

After everyone was set up we were all hungry. Now remember how I said that David helped me plan the menu? When we started to discuss what food to take camping there was one thing David had to say before we started. He told me of a time he was a lad who would go on backpacking trips and camping trips with his boy scout troop. To save weight and cooking time he would pack the easies and most light food out there, Top Ramen, Mac and Cheese, Hamburger Helper stuff like that. But during these trips there were leaders there to watch them and to make sure no one got lost, now there was one leader in particular, Brother Barrera, and David said it was torture eating his Ramen noodles while Bro. Barrera was eating his Carne Asada. So we were going to plan like we were Bro. Barrera!

That night for dinner we ate Carne Asada.

There is something about food while camping, it seemed to taste better as we ate our meals in the dirt than it ever has sitting at a kitchen table.

David cooking breakfast burritos and that is Robert in the background.

you can see the tent back there, thats ours!

This was how we all spent our morning, just kickin it around the campsite.

Robert (who I seriously have a crush on) and baby Kenna in the hammock

Cutie babie Kennabear!

Me enjoying my hot chocolate on a camping morning!

The kids claimed on of the trees for their own club house and when we were at the campsite that was where you could find these little monsters.

Julianna, Olivia, Emily, Connor, Rachel, Casey, Bella, and Oliver

Oliver, Holly and Casey

I had to get a picture of these girls, Holly on Roberts bike clearly to big for her and Casey on her bike that is clearly too small for her!

Oh Oliver, I LU-UV Oliver.

He is a little man seriously after my own heart!

Oliver - in time out, again, and Peggy

my favorite picture of all!

I laugh and laugh when I see this picture because of little Oliver. He spent so much of his time sitting like this.

He is amazing!

So about noon we decided that we would take the kids fishing. Bob had gone that morning and he offered to accompany us, which for us was very lucky!

The thing about this fishing thing is when we told the kids we were going camping the first and only thing Connor wanted was for David to take him fishing. We or rather I tried to talk him out of it but he wasn't having any of it, he wanted to go fishing, so being the great parents we are and after I tried everything under the moon to get him not to want to do it we got a pole some bait and hooks and we were going fishing. Now amidst all of our talk about fishing Casey decides she wants to go too.

We only got one pole and Con was MAD! he did not want to share the fishing pole. We made him, like I said we are great parents!

David told me a story as we were buying only one pole about when he was a little boy and he asked his dad to take him fishing. Rusty took him and Katie wanted to go too, he had to share the pole, to this day he is still upset about that.

Why did we still only buy one pole? Because we don't even know how to fish and Con might not even like to fish. Does the boy understand no, but we do. Poor kid he is gonna probably tell his wife the same story David told me and still only buy one pole for his kids to share.

Bob took us to the spot he and Jesse had gone to earlier that morning. He said it was just a couple miles up the road.

Self portrait! me and the kids in the back seat!

This is what we did during the "couple" miles to the spot.

We also took a 15 min nap because it was a half hour away. (head shake)Bob.

The kids checking out the worms we bought from the little roadside bait shop.

We didn't use them because the worms were too big, but the kids liked them.

This is the spot. It was so pretty out there, and quiet too.

Bob, fishing

So as we were walking down to the waters edge David whispers to me, "I am conflicted." I say "What? Why?" He says, "I want them to catch a fish so they have fun, and I don't want them to catch a fish because I don't want them to like fishing." Me, "HAHAHAHA!"

They did catch fish and it was fun!

We got out to the water David baited the hook showed Connor how to, cast and handed over the pole.

Connor took the pole cast the line and after about 30 seconds he had caught a fish!

This is just his cast, I had no idea that if I had waited a few more seconds a fish would be caught.

When he caught that fish we all started hooting and hollering, it was great!

Bobo's first catch

He got really upset and started crying because he wanted to set the fish free. He did not like the way it flailed about and bled. finally when Bob showed him the hook was in its lungs and would die anyway he was okay with cooking it up.

Now for Casey, David was really worried because Connor had just caught a fish and so hopefully Casey will or she will be so sad, poor Casey.

Casey baiting her hook

Bob and Connor with the fish Bob caught

While Casey was fishing, so was Bob, he caught a fish and called Connor over to reel it in for him.

It was the same for Casey as it was for Connor. She cast the line, caught a fish and reeled it in!

Casey and her first catch

She had no tears for that little sucker, she wanted to cook up the fish she caught!

Those three fish were our only fish and before we left Bob showed Connor and David how to gut a fish.

It was total grossness!

Connor Cutting open his fishy

David clearing out the guts of Casey's fishy.

They just threw the guts to the side so there were fish guts everywhere. You had to watch where you walked.

Connor got mad at us when we said it was time to go because he didn't get to fish for a lot of the time because he had to share the fishing pole and that is why he wanted his own.

We apologized. What else could we do at that point?

We had a good time fishing that afternoon and the kids have a great fishing memory.

Saturday morning there was a bike parade the kids wanted to be a part of, so we all left after breakfast to go decorate our bikes and be part of the fun. We were late, got lost and eventually joined the tail end at the tail end of the parade!

It was fun just to be out on a bike ride!

In the picture you will see Krystal riding Bella's bike.

That hot stuff is me on my bike, Connor is next to me

Frowny face Bella

This is why Krystal rode Bella's bike, she didn't want to.

(and that is the last picture, sad face!)

That afternoon we all packed up and drove to the lake.

We took Peggy's chair with us!

We spent the next two days, which included the 4th of July at the lake. It was incredible. Darren and Heidi brought their new boat and so we all got a turn out in that. Robert and Krystal brought their Sea Doo.

Connor and I went out on it the second of the two days and he had a blast. he rode it the tube being pulled by the boat. he wanted to go faster and faster and was not ready for his turn to be over. Lucky for him he got to ride the tube a second time.

Destiny went H2O skiing and did amazing! I just hung out with Bella on the boat and held the flag. Fun times!

David and the kids went out on the Sea Doo and they loved it so much. Destiny took me out and really it was amazing. I tried to convince David that we need one now, since we're campers!

After spending several days and nights with friends (who are more family than anything) we are ready to go play in the dirt again. We had the best nights around the campfire, roasting marshmallows, making a ruckus, (I think I was the only one who didn't kill Brad Pitt, yummy!), and sleeping in tents with spiders making their homes on the outside that I am so glad David made us get camping stuff for Christmas. It was a wild adventure that turned out to be one of the best we have taken so far!

Next time I wont forget to grab a couple books for those lazy times the boys are playing card games and the kiddies are climbing trees!

XOXO

Logan...Out