Camping Champs

Ryan has been dying to take us camping (as have I...), but we'd been prevented because of our move, my surgery, the impending cold weather, etc...  Finally we decided we had delayed long enough!  We packed every blanket we own, as well as sweaters and coats for everyone and left on Friday evening.  

We got up to the campground at dinner time and Ryan immediately lit up some charcoal for our hamburgers while I started on the tent (he came and helped after a while, because it would have taken me all night to figure out on my own!)  While this was going on, Riley wandered over to the creek that was close to our campsite.  He soon started crying and came back to show us that his foot had disappeared underneath a thick layer of nasty brown mud.  I cleaned him off and got back to setting up the tent (should've taken a picture, though!)

 Sienna helping pump up the air mattress.  I thought she would get tired but she actually did about half of the work!  

Snacking on flaming hot limon "cheetahs" as Sienna calls them.  When did little kids get so tough?

Our kids don't like hamburgers (crazy, right?) so Sienna ate cheese on a bun and Riley had sliced hot dogs.  Ryan and I ate hamburgers that he grilled to perfection.  Yum!

Once the sun went down it was VERY cold.  Riley has no body fat and despite wearing 2 jackets and a blanket while sitting by the fire, his teeth were chattering and his lips were visibly blue.  Poor guy needs to gain some weight!!  

After we put the kids in bed (with several blankets each) Ryan and I stayed up and played bananagrams by latern light.  He took the game by a very small margin.

Ryan got the kids some glow stick toys.  Riley's was a sword and Sienna had a magic wand.  This picture is deceiving because this picture was taken after dark.  We thought both kids were fast asleep but Riley was awake, just staring at his glowing blue sword.  Ryan thought he was clever to call it "sting".

In the morning, Bethanie, Miles, Jade and Grayson joined us for pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, sausage and grapes.  We ate better than we eat at home!

Then we headed up to hike to Donut Falls.

Notice that Riley is scouring for rocks...he is never satisfied unless he's holding atleast one in each hand.

Sadly, Ryan couldn't join us on the hike that he had been so excited to do.  He locked the keys in the van and spend close to 2 hours getting someone up the canyon to unlock it for us.  When we came down from the hike, we found a note from him on the van's dirty window.  Getting out of this fun situation lightened my wallet by $45.  :(

Bethanie and kids stayed and hung out with us while Miles drove out to find Ryan.

Is the left picture of Riley picking his nose just gross?  I think it's really funny that I got a picture but I'll understand if I'm alone in that...

  I don't know how we got so lucky to have 2 of 2 kids who LOVE to camp and hike.  I am so glad that they sleep well in a tent and make it possible for us to have a really cheap, fun option for family vacations!

We will definitely be back!