Camping

Over Memorial Weekend Dan and I went camping with my family. Where I grew up there are lots of beautiful mountains and fabulous camping spots! And we love camping. We don't go nearly often enough. Since we love it so much, we were really glad that we could go with my family. So here is the run-down of our weekend:

Friday:
During the evening Dan and I went and washed his truck {since that's what we took with us} and got snow cones. We sat outside in the beautiful weather eating our snow cones and chatting together. It was such a great time together! Then at 7 we went to the Ward BBQ {I was supposed to take a dessert and totally cheated and took store-bought cookies - I hate it when I do things like that!!}. They were having food and then showing a movie with a projector shining on a sheet strung up between two trees when it got dark. We stayed and ate, met a couple in the ward that we hadn't met yet and talked to as many people as we could. We chatted with the bishop's boys {they are so much fun!} and with the bishop and we left around 9:15 or so because we still needed to pack. We ended up packing and getting ready until about midnight. Don't ask me why it took so long. Because I don't know.
Saturday:
We woke up at about 6:30 to get ready to go. After showering, getting ready, loading everything into the truck, eating breakfast, filling up with fuel, and stopping at Dan's parent's to look for a key, it was 9:00 by the time we took off to go camping. But we were still excited! We got down there and turned onto the road we thought we were supposed to take to get to the campground they had chosen {Dan and I had been there once before but that was almost three years ago and it was dark when we drove up so we didn't remember exactly which road to take}. We drove down the road for about a half hour before we decided to turn around. We went back to where we could get reception on our cell phones and called my mom - who told us we turned one road too early. We found the road and finally the campsite and got our camp all set up.

We ate a late lunch and sat around playing games, giving the girls their birthday presents and chatting with everyone.



We had dutch oven chicken and potatoes {my parents always make yummy food!} and sat around the campfire to roast marshmallows and talk and sing songs.

At about 9:30 that night it started to sprinkle so we turned in - each of getting to our respecting tents/sleeping quarters just before it started to rain. Fun times.










Sunday:


We had a leisurely morning and had hash browns, bacon and eggs for breakfast and then we took of to go clean up and go to church at my parent's ward. We went to my parent's house {which was about a 25 minute drive} and showered and went to church. It was a very uplifting and spiritual meeting. Dan and I both felt very spiritually nourished in the meeting. After church we went back to the campsite and ate lunch. We stood around the fire talking, laughing and playing games. It was so much fun! It was a bit cold because it had been raining all day {mostly while we were in church - how blessed are we?!} but next to the fire it wasn't too bad at all. That night we had baked beans and pork with bread and juice - oh, it was yummy! It rained a little on us while we were eating so most of us sat around under the canopy we had set up and few people went into the trailer {my parents have a camping trailer they take camping because my mom has a hard time sleeping on the ground}. Then we played some games, gave mom her {late, I know} mother's day presents and talked for a bit. And then it started to rain at about 9:00. We hung out in the trailer for a little bit before Dan and I went to his truck and hung out for about a half-hour so we could charge his phone {both our phones were dying}. Then we went to our tent and laid there talking and listening to the rain before we both fell asleep.
Monday:
Again, Dan woke up before I did. But I don't care. :D. When we got up the ground as all pretty muddy. It had rained pretty hard the night before and my poor sisters got wet in their tent! I felt bad for them - but Dan and I slept really well and the little wet that came into our tent was a small puddle at the foot of our air mattress so we didn't even notice it {these are pics to show you how muddy it was Monday after the rain we got Sunday night}.
These spots were under the water cooler {directly left}, under the hammock {below - which I still laugh about - the hammock was hanging about two inches from the ground when someone was in it so whoever was there had to be really careful not to get mud on them! Funny funny!},



right next to the girl's tent { furthest left}, and the main walkway around camp {directly left}.











We started taking down camp before we even ate and putting things out in the sun to help them dry off a bit. Then we ate an early lunch and packed everything away that had finally dried.



















At around 12:00 we left because it looked like it might rain again.

We went to my parent's place and showered again so that we wouldn't smell like smoke and then we played a game before we left.










Before going back to Rexburg we took a detour and went to my grandparent's place in Grace. They fed us dinner and we had a wonderful visit with them, talking about their missions {they've served in Costa Rica and Spain} and what they call the "grandparent's mission" {they have been taking care of my great-grandparents as their health has deteriorated really badly - my great-grandpa passed away last fall and great-grandma is still with them}. We also talked about house buying and building, what they've been looking for, whatever came about of our conversation and I borrowed some skirt patterns from my grandma and picked up my old bike that they've had sitting in their garage for about 4 years! We had a wonderful visit with them and were really glad we stopped by. Then at about 7:00 we started our drive back to Rexburg. Dan and I had some good conversations on the way back home and we really enjoyed our time together. When we got home we took everything from the truck to the house and then watched an episode of "House" before we went to bed.
All things considered, it was a really fun weekend and we loved it {despite the rain}! Here are a few more pics from the weekend for your enjoyment!

This is littlest sister's reaction to the cold feeling of the hand sanitizer on her arms.













These Caddisflies {at least that's what we think they were} were everywhere!! They are really creepy and gross and pretty big too! - I did not like them.










Mom was saying something about her shoes and socks had gotten wet - and she kept making this funny face!

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If you read this post about Mother's Day, you know I decided that in each post for the whole month of May I would highlight a woman who has made a difference in my life. These highlights are not made in any particular order of importance; the point is that these women have helped shape me into who I am today and they deserve to be highlighted with a little feature. If any of my highlights remind you of a special woman in your life, please comment and let us know who it is! I would love to hear your own little highlights and I'm sure the women in your life would appreciate it as well!

Woman Highlight:
My sister, Amber.

Amber and I are 17 months apart in age. We used to not get along at all! Actually, we kind of went through these phases - right after Amber was first born, I did not like her. Or so they tell me. I have no recollection whatever of this travesty! Then when we were really young we were good buds - we did everything together and we did love each other. Then we hit the teenage stage and we fought all the time - though I'm kinda convinced that this is just a phase every teenage girl goes through! And now we are best friends. We tell each other everything and we will call and talk for long periods of time. She is the sweetest person; she will always do her very best to make you feel like you are someone special, especially if you are having a bad day. She has this dynamically fun personality and can make just about anyone laugh. She loves making people happy.
And she is very smart. She learns in different ways than I do - which I think brings us a little closer because these differences make us curious and help us learn more about each other. She is an amazing, beautiful and talented woman - and a wonderful sister!