Camping at Millersylvania

We have officially survived our second family camp out.  Hooray! We left as soon as Jason got home from work and this time we even brought along Josh's friend.  This only worked out because 1) we have a minivan and 2) Uncle Doug got Josh a tent for his birthday so we have extra room.  

It is a two-person tent.  Though, a little tight for two people, I thought.

It was Ben's turn to start the fire (with Jason's help).  He was by far the most successful (maybe only 2 matches?), but he also had the advantage of his mom's handy-dandy fire starter: a toilet paper roll filled with dryer lint.  He quickly had a cheery fire going so we could get dinner started.

Dinner was a Pinterest meal: Hot dogs/sausages wrapped with crescent rolls on a stick cooked over the fire.  The weight of the dough and the grease on the hot dogs/sausages meant the dough just started slipping off and, in more than one case, fell into the fire.

Oh well.

So just sausages it was until Jason and I discovered we could cook the rolls by themselves if we wrapped them around the sticks.  Then we discovered that Josh actually likes crescent rolls.  Always a happy day when we can add another food to the list!

In the meantime, Isaac was busy getting as dirty as only a toddler can.  I believe these hands are covered in hot dog grease, dirt, chocolate, and mint oreos.  Almost a work of modern art.

Germs?  Who's afraid of germs?

Dinner ended up being successful, but for one of the boys it was too successful.  Ben ate three sausages, half a chocolate bar, a few marshmallows, a bunch of blackberries and who knows how many oreos.  He paid for that later.  It was a rough night for Ben.  

After some sleep (emphasis on some), we woke up to a chilly morning and another Pinterest inspired meal: Oranges with their tops cut off and fruit eaten then filled with cinnamon rolls, the tops replaced, and covered in aluminum foil then thrown (gently) in the fire.  Since we weren't very particular about getting all the orange out, the rolls ended up tasting strongly of oranges.  Or, so I was told.  They were a success.

Bellies full, all of the boys over age three gathered up the fishing rods and headed over to the dock to fish.  They didn't catch anything, but seemed to enjoy the activity nonetheless.  When they got back, we packed up and loaded up the van so we could head down to the lake for wet fun.

I went to Walmart on Friday to find inner tubes.  I was told that season was over (in July!!?!), but was able to get some noodles and a jumbo beach ball on clearance.  The boys seemed to have fun regardless.

We had a really fun time.  Then Isaac fell asleep on the way home.  And Jason took a nap.  And Michael fell asleep on the couch.  And I may or may not have dozed while Isaac watched Diego.  Having so much fun is exhausting.

Fun in the Sun

At a balmy 85 degrees today (which is actually about 20 below what they are experiencing in DC area today), it seemed like a good time to play in the water.  But I am lazy and didn't want to go to an actual pool or beach.  The man-made creek in Olympia, however, fit the bill:  yes water, no sand, yes bathrooms, no toxic algae (a problem in some local lakes this year).  For the most part, the boys were on board with this idea.

The preteen liked the whole body experience.

The kid thought it was all fun and games.

The toddler, eventually, was thrilled to get so wet.

The teenager, however, thought that this was a horrible idea and felt that the whole place was too juvenile for someone of his advanced years.  Hooray for the teenage years!

Luckily, his brothers didn't let his opinion ruin their time.

And I just have to end with this picture:

Fourth Week

Another busy week, though there are some gaps in my memory as to what we've done.  

This is why I blog: I have no long term memory.

Anyway, I have no memory of Monday, though I am pretty sure it happened.

Oh yeah.  Monday I met with my physical therapist for the first time and he said no more long hikes and no more carrying Isaac on my back for a couple of weeks.  Then I went home and cried a little bit.  I guess I blocked out Monday.

Tuesday was Rainier National Park.  I already blogged this, but I have some pictures my friend took that I wanted to have here as well.  (Yes, it was a longer hike and I did carry Isaac, but I told my PT in advance that we had already planned this and I would be good after Tuesday.)

Wednesday Michael and Ben went to the Children's Museum with our friends and got to climb the rock wall and generally do all the fun activities at the museum.

Including, apparently, riding a little trike.

When we woke up on Thursday it was raining.  RAINING!!!  I had almost forgotten what that was like!  In true PNW fashion, it wasn't heavy and didn't last long, so I loaded the boys up in car and we did a little hike at McLane Creek.  This was a short hike (1.1 miles) and with a little cajoling and some bribery Isaac did manage to walk the whole thing.

Friday morning found us first at the garden to pick some of our sugar peas (yum!) and then at LBA with our friends to do some blackberry picking.  It was another short hike and since he was being fed blackberries intermittently Isaac managed to hike it all.

Then it was home again to make salad for the (almost) end-of-season party for Ben's soccer team (no pics).  Josh also had to put some finishing touches on his Link from Zelda: Breath of the Wild costume for Fanaticon.  He got pretty creative with cardboard and made a scabbard and shield with it.

Next week is full of cub scout camp and appointments, so I am glad we got some fun activities in this week.

Snow and Bench

Yesterday was another trip to Rainier National Park.  

There were good times.  There were bad times.  

There were stunning views and swarms of mosquitoes.  

There were beautiful flowers and the dreaded pilot car.

Basically, we had a wonderfully exhausting day and all I can really say is that I would love to do this hike again....without Isaac.  Not that carrying 25lbs up a lot of steps isn't absolutely thrilling...  All I know is that my FitBit never gives me enough credit on trips like these.

Also, my camera never quite captures the beauty of our national parks.  I guess we'll just have to go again so we don't forget.  Below is what my camera did capture.  Enjoy!

Third Week

I am finally back to taking pictures to document our adventures and so I now present you with WEEK THREE of summer vacation.

Monday

Monday was a sweet day.  Literally.  Sweet.  The coupon of the week at the library was Miss Moffat's cupcakes.  Miss Moffat has recently changed her entire line of cupcakes over to gluten and nut free.  And, the coupon was for a mini cupcake but they were all out, so she gave us all regular cupcakes!  Win!  Delicious.

Monday evening we finally went to a place that the boys have been dying to go.  Boomshaka.  Michael and Josh have already been, so I thought Ben was going to bust something in his excitement and anticipation of going.  It was family night, so we could all get in for $35 - finally having a larger family made something a better deal!

Boomshaka is a trampoline place with pits of foam blocks that you can find all sorts of crazy ways to throw your body into. And throw their bodies into them they did.  For an hour.  Which was about enough.  At least, for their parents.  I will spare you the video of me flailing about trying to escape the foam pits and give you a picture of Ben the cutie instead.

And Isaac who climbed on a ton of things, but had no desire to get in the pits or anywhere near a trampoline.

I had so much fun that I even lost my car keys in a foam pit.

So. much. fun.

All's well that ends well and my friend's husband help me find them.

Disaster averted.

Tuesday
Tuesday was the day we revisited a hike we haven't done for well over a year: Priest Point Park.  Which meant two things: I had forgotten how steep much of it was and Isaac is about 10lbs heavier.  It was a great workout.

The four amigos:

Tuesday was also FREE Slurpee day at 7-11 so, of course, we had to stop by on our way home.

Wednesday
This ended up being crazy errand day as Michael had scout camp coming up but no scout shirt.  But we also made time to stop off and buy raspberries to make jam.  Ben had so much fun making strawberry jam a few weeks ago that he was just itching to make some more.   So, yeah, we be jammin'.

Thursday

Thursday was our shortest hike of the week: Watershed Park.  We were on a time table as we had more errands to run, but this park was on our way so we jumped out and hiked 1.5 miles.  

I managed to talk Josh into carrying the backpack carrier (without Isaac in it).  He and his troop are going on a 5 day camp out that involves a total of 45 miles of hiking while carrying their gear.  So there's no time like the present to start training.

Isaac was a trooper and walked the entire time.  Of course, there was some bribing involved.  And not just a little bit of trickery.  Yes, I have parenting skillz.

Thursday was also the last day of Michael's tennis camp (in case you were wondering why he wasn't showing up in any of our hiking pictures).   He had a great time and now would like a tennis racket and the chance to teach his brothers how to play.

Thursday was also pack for 11yo scout camp day.  It was camp week for Michael.

Friday
Friday early Jason and Michael loaded up the van and left for camp.  Which just left Josh, Ben, and Isaac for our third hike of the week: Millersylvania. We're camping here in a couple of weeks, so I figured we should check it out first.  And for this hike, I had Josh wear his hiking backpack with his tent and sleeping bag.  I think he found it more tiring that he expected.

Add two soccer games, a soccer practice, 2 hours of TKD and an hour and a half service project and you have week three of summer vacation.  The boys keep hoping that I will loose steam and let them sleep in.  Yeah, they probably shouldn't bank on that.  While the sun is shining and our state and national park passes are valid, they are more hiking adventures in our future.