FYI this is a long post :)
I know, I know too much time has elapsed since I have last blogged and to top it off we have been home for five days since our week long camping trip and I have still not posted any pictures. You could fire me or you could accept my lame excuses and then just enjoy my post.Excuse #1, Laundry, now to most people laundry is not a plausible excuse but the reason that laundry has kept me from blogging is primarily due to the fact that our computer is in our room and so is our bed, which happens to be the place I dump load after load of laundry waiting to be folded and put away. So despite the numerous times I have come into our room to quickly post a few pictures I was quickly met by a mountain of laundry and thus succumbed to folding little white undies over losing myself to the glorious, relaxing stream of words and pics.
Excuse #2 The kids, I know it must be shocking to see them used as an excuse for something that I love to do by myself but sure as day, me at the computer is an open invitation for them to either want my attention or want the coveted key board themselves. And of course my children being the little delights that they are, they would just feel awful passing an invitation by without at least succeeding on making their mother lose all concentration.
Excuse #3 And this one is the killer but I posted pics on facebook and somehow seem justified in that lame spurt of sharing with society the joys that we had over the week of camping.
I suppose I could go on and on about excuses since I happen to hear enough through out the day to stop a oil leak (all pun intended) but enough of that and now onto our glorious once a year, family vacation camping week.
Words fail to capture what our yearly camping trip means to me. The best way that I can describe it is that my soul is fed. You know that most inner part of your very own unique being, that part of you that is entirely your own. Well that is the glorious part of me that gets fed. Being with my family outdoors, building on our family ties, enjoying the beauty, absorbing in all those seconds that nourish my soul and make me a happy wife, mama, and Rachel. Oh to live without the pressing stresses and demands of life.... that is camping.
We arrived by 10:30 and once again got one of our two beloved campsites at Iris Meadow. Sunday we had the whole day and lightning stricken night as a family. I did not sleep the whole night waiting for the kids to wake up due to the storms but oh no, when asked in the morning through my sleepy eyes and weary body, they had slept right through it and were ready for a busy filled day despite my sleepy mind frame. Grandpa, grandma, and Aiden arrived Monday afternoon and Susie in the evening. On Tuesday we went for our hike up to the little lakes and on Wednesday a great day around camp and then Grandpa, Grandma, and Aiden headed off home. Thursday we spent the day at Rock Creek Lake and actually hiked around the whole thing and then Josh and his girl, Violeta came just in time for dinner. Friday Susie headed home and I got to go hiking just with grown-ups which was a delightful, new experience for me, more time around the lake and then a relaxing evening at camp. Saturday was the day that we packed up and were getting excited about taking a shower and sleeping in our bed which is actually twice the size as our tent. Yep so there is our week in a nut-shell. Now onto pictures
There are just too many pictures to choose from so I am going to start with our first day there and blog on as necessary.
As I said the first night was full of amazing thunder storms which found us eating cup of noodle (camping necessity) in the car. Hawthorne included. :)
Of course Sam had to see if anything was biting. Like min after we got there. He did catch one fish but according to him had caught like 15 but did not think we could eat all of them so let them go.
Leah loves fishing too as long as someone is there to defuse all frustration over a tangled line or caught hook moments before the awful tragedy occurs.
The boys were great at standing by and giving the girls cues on what to do and where to cast their hook-less lines.
Emma took it all seriously, well if Dad takes it serious than it must be something good. By the end of the week she must have spent a good 20+ hours practicing casting her line and was really getting awesome at it.
Thank you Betty for Mama Bears gift. She loved it and growled less and at one point even had a cat nap on it.
Emma was the only one of the kids who helped set up camp. She was not going to miss out on anything and was a great help holding and handing Daddy the tent stakes one at a time.
Love this girl and loved how her mp3 player was more often in her ears as she belched out her latest favorite song.
This is my family who I love with every once of my being. I cherish each one of them and everyday they amaze me with their hearts.
Yay we are at Rock Creek!!!!
The word beautiful was created here and with 3 kids, a hard working husband and the demands of responsibility, this place is our family haven and I am daily thankful that we have beautiful to return to every year.
Ok I promise more tomorrow, less words and more pics but done with excuses and now onto placing these beloved memories onto paper or screen as the case may be.
Oh and Emma told me to use my imagination today so I am going to take her advise and leave reality with her more often through out the day. Highly recommend it. :)
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