Family Camp!

I was racking my brain trying to figure out the best way to "share" family camp with you. I decided that listing my 10 favorite things about family camp would do best...

1. It's the one time that you can sit around and talk to your friends without thinking of all the other more pressing things that you should be doing. One afternoon we drove up to St. Elmo's ghost town. I can't say it was that thrilling but the kids enjoyed feeding the chipmunks there!

2. While all the preparation isn't my favorite, I do enjoy eatin' some tasty food at camp. Especially when it's all pre-cut, cooked, and made ready to go at home! Of course, there are dishes to be done... That's what teenagers are for though!

3. I LOVE sleeping in the back of our suburban! We figured this out last year I think. The kids can have the tent all to themselves, and their scattered clothes and dirt, and we get the slightly sound-proof suburban, blocking out barking dogs, noisy children and those annoying early risers! (If you're an early riser, don't take that personally!) It's great!

4. Air mattress, need I say more?

5. Brushing teeth with friends, again, when else, once you're married, can you sit around and brush teeth with your friends? Now yes, John and I ARE friends and we DO brush our teeth together, but you know what I mean! We decided to try this next time we go to a friends house, tooth brushes in tow!

6. Strawberry marshmellows. They are a new favorite for me. I don't particularly care for S'mores, but nothing beats a perfectly roasted marshmellow, NOT burned!

7. The stars! The clarity of the stars up in the mountains is just gorgeous! John and I tried to capture the moment but instead captured Jessie's best friend! Hi Katie! On a side note, anyone know where the moon was? I don't think we saw it once while we were camping!

8. Non-broken bones! Now there is a camping plus! Jarod decided to make this his most eventful family camp. He did split his chin open a couple years ago on our last day of camp. This year, he tried to ride a bike down a very steep dirt hill. He succeeded in flying off and taking all the force on his cheek bone. This picture doesn't really capture how awful it looked but he's doing fine now. The swelling is gone and the bruising is fading. He even got a shiner in the process. The next day he fell about 5 feet from a rock. (it's the rock just behind John in the family pic.) There was another rock about half way down so it kind of broke his fall. Another scrape but that was all! We stopped at a park in town for lunch before the drive home and Leah fell off the swing. She couldn't walk right away so John had to carry her to the car. We thought for sure she fractured something. After the 2 hour drive home, praying all the way, she was able to walk with some assistance. Again, no broken bones!

9. Mountain bike rides. Now, this one's for John really. After a 3 hour ride took 5 hours and a mis-communication had him miss his ride back, John had to ride his bike all the way back to camp. He looked like Lance after that time trial when he got really dehydrated! After a brief attitude adjustment for myself, I gave him some chapstick and water.

10. Shower! You know THAT shower? The one you take when you get home from camp. It's the greatest and best shower in the world! Not to mention falling into your own fabulous bed to sleep in!

Family Camp, it's a good thing!