Camping the Uintahs

This weekend was take 2 for camping, this time with friends.  (We went to Goblin Valley in April and got drenched.  It was freezing, muddy and not much fun).  We didn't get there until dinnertime and we were lucky to finally find a spot at the third campsite we drove through.  Once we picked it, we hurried to set up.  Sienna was eager to help with everything until we actually needed her to help carry blankets, pillows and bags from the van to the tent :)  She was actually very helpful holding Cassidy while the adults worked on the rest.  Riley wandered around exploring everything.  More than once I noticed him sitting by himself in the dirt, way off from the campsite, doing who knows what.  More than anything, I think he loved the fire.  He spent most of the evening and the next morning throwing small sticks into the fire, asking if he could throw logs on it, and scaring mom by tripping and almost falling into it.  Ryan and I are thrilled that our kids love to go camping and hiking.

Camping with friends is a nice change of pace.  Usually we go to bed pretty quickly after our kids because we boring old fogies now, but this time we stayed up by the fire, talking and laughing.  We were interrupted a little by crying babies and when we did go to bed, it was not a great night.  I was freezing and couldn't move without squishing Cassidy, who had moved into my sleeping bag so that she wouldn't be freezing, too.  I found myself wishing the sun would hurry and rise.  When it finally did, I woke up to find that Ryan had already started a fire and was just about to prepare breakfast so I jumped in to help.  He made some killer omelettes that were worth the very LONG wait.  I love being married to the master of breakfast!  We ate, packed all the stuff back up (I sometimes wonder if camping is really worth all the packing, unpacking, dishes, laundry, etc... but there is something about it that makes fabulous, lasting memories.  It's a love/hate relationship, for sure).

After packing everything back up, we went to see a waterfall, and then on a hike.  It was 2 miles round trip up to Wall lake, and I made it!  I was worried about making it without needing a bathroom but I was fine :)  Jihyei and I got to talk and she helped me across some of the tricky, slippery parts because Ryan had kind of ditched me to go be with the kids.  I guess someone had to be with them :)  On our drive back we stopped and ate some greasy (delicious) hamburgers before getting back into our van, which decided to die on us as we approached salt lake.  We were able to get it home at 15 mph across Salt Lake (not fun...took about an hour and a million jerk drivers getting mad at us to get home.)  We are hoping and praying that it isn't going to cost us an arm and a leg to fix, because we JUST bought the darn thing in February and are only a few weeks past the warranty :(

All in all it was a fun trip and we want to do it again.  Just let us figure out if we have to sell one of kids to pay for the repairs first.

I almost forgot...I wanted to say that while we were driving home-in VERY grumpy moods because of the van-Riley said, "Dad,,,Dad,,,Dad,,,can I tell you something?"  I think we were both feeling like we just wanted him to shush and let us alone but Ryan said, "Sure, buddy".  Riley: "You can use a napkin if you have to pick up something slimy!"  It was said so out of the blue and sounded so cute that the mood in the car lightened up, which was very needed at the moment.  We really love Riley and his zany personality.  What a cutie.