Camping...

This is the fourth year in a row I've organized a camping trip with friends. The first year wasn't really maybe the first year...it was just the Reynolds and us, but that's where the idea originated.
I didn't camp as a child. My four brothers and my dad got their fill of camping through Boy Scouts, and we had cabin get-aways on both sides of the family, so that was usually as rustic as it got for me. I went on a month long backpacking trip on the Salmon River in college, and that was really my first (intense for a first-timer...our toilets were created by our own digging efforts) camping experience. I'll add that it rained non-stop that spring and it was hard to just sit in my tent all day when we were away from our covered kitchen at base camp. Try drying the laundry you just washed in the river inside your tent in 50 degree weather while it dumps rain outside. It was an adventure and I really did love it.

Anyway, the first year we went to Alder Lake...don't ever camp there. Tiny spots, and well, jut not a good place to camp.

The second year we went to Ohanapecosh on Mt. Rainier. It was a beautiful spot and we had a great time, but there were like ten families spread out and no central place to gather, so we realized we'd like a group spot in the future.

The third year we wanted a beach, so we went to Scenic Beach and had a really great group site to ourselves. We liked the spot, but the beach was very rocky and the kids scraped themselves up a bunch on the barnacles, so we had our sights on a sandy beach this year.

Now, you have to reserve these sites 9 months in advance if you want to book them. I know, because I called like thirty minutes after my 9 month window began and I missed out on the site I wanted most.

This year we went to Twanoh Beach and it was another fun location. We weren't in easy walking distance (like 4 mile hike round trip), so we had to drive to the beach, but it was a nice, private site with a good group eating shelter, and firepit.

We camped there for three nights, we slept well (brought along some effective white noise machines to drown out the noise of other campers) and enjoyed the company of good friends. The kids were well entertained by their friends and the weather was nice. Here are some highlights...

So, it was my turn to put the girls down, and they were goonight kissing Chris, and I heard him exclaim "Ruby, those are the dirtiest feet I've ever seen!" I was busy for a few minutes, and I just assumed (knowing him) that he would have immediately taken care of the feet...either that or he'd instruct me to do so when we got to the tent. I was SHOCKED when I discovered the filth for myself. I wiped one of them practically clean before I thought to take a picture. One thing for sure: camping is DIRTY!

John brought Jensen and Ellie up because Mimi wanted them to have a fun summer in spite of what their family is going through. Our friend, Julie made these eggs for Jense and he went at them all in one big piece!

The water was acutally really warm. I even got in!

Oh how the kids LOVED going for a ride in Chris' truck...the bed of the truck to boot!

Cozy and ready for bed!