Ward Camp Out

A couple weeks after moving into our new ward they had a big Ward Camp Out (Sept 9-10, 2016).  We decided to go and to camp at the site with my parents.  We got there early Friday afternoon t) set up camp. Dad helped me set up our tent and then we moved over to set up their tent.  They have a small round two-man tent that we got set up.  We then leaned down to stake it to the ground right as a huge gust of wind went by pushing the tent right into Elizabeth.  Her small 3 year old frame help it up for a moment before toppling over, sending the tent careening down the mountainside.  There was no site next to ours, just a wide downward sloping meadow, with nothing to stop the run-away tent.  Dad and I took off chasing the tent as it rolled and bounced across the meadow.  I then started laughing hysterically, wishing someone had a camera because this show would make us millions, however the laughing inhibited my running abilities, making the chase that much longer and more absurd.  We did finally catch it a little more than 50 yards away (that is long when you are running through 4 ft tall grass and shrubs) and managed to drag it home and stake it in the ground securely without any more incident. 

 

 

 

 We spend the rest of the afternoon taking walks, playing baseball (with a 3 year old was fun) and enjoying the great outdoors. (Ben came up after work.) That night we had a wonderful dinner with our ward and got to talk and get to know many people in the ward. We sat around the camp fire with another family in our ward and talked and roasted marshmallows.  

 

 

 

 The night turned out to be a little less peaceful because it was freezing and poor James cried and cried most of the night.  Finally, after a lot of sleeplessness for us and probably the entire camp, Ben took James to the van, and the warmth, and they slept there. I love camping and I love the outdoors but I do not like sleeping in a tent, purely because I always freeze.

 

 

 We had a delicious breakfast of dutch-oven cinnamon rolls and egg casserole.  Then we took down the camp and got to explore some more.  We went on a big walk to the nearby lake, Carter Lake.  We weren’t prepared to swim (because it was kinda cold) but we did get to wade in the water.  We also tried to fly a kite but, as we learned the day before with the tent, the wind was a little too hard for that.  It was a fun trip and so wonderful to go camping (our first and only time all year).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colorado Fall

We got to go up to Estes Park a couple times in September to see the leaves and enjoy the fall.  The leaves weren't as changed as I was hoping but it was a beautiful day and we were able to take some fun pictures, go on a short hike/stroll and meet up with Nana and Grandpa for lunch at the Baldpate Inn (yum!).

 I was missing the mountains and felt like I didn’t get a good enough dose of ‘fall’ so the kids and I headed up to Estes Park for a day trip.  We packed a picnic, the camera and some coats (just in case) and when we got up there we found that it was FREEZING. Instead of a hike, the kids played at a park for a little while (until their fingers and noses were frozen) and then we had a picnic in the back of the car- which they thought was just as cool.  We did see some elk but because of the cold we didn't go looking for more.

It was a new home owner experience ‘winterizing’ our yard; things that we would have done anyway, now felt more important and necessary.  One big thing, that the kids enjoyed helping with, was raking the leaves.  This is the first year that I can say that Elizabeth LOVED jumping in the leaves. In the past, she has done it, smiled and then been done (like James was this year) but this year it was a hit.  She jumped, buried, threw and wrestled in the leaves.  I love the simple joys of childhood.