The purpose of this blog is two-fold.
1) To share current events for family and friends who live far away.
2) To be a family journal for us.
The blog today is simply for family journal reasons. If you choose to continue reading...just know that nothing exciting or funny will be shared. There's no punchline or profound statement embedded here. If you get bored--it's your own fault. :)
Tonight, Karen taught the FHE lesson (in part to achieve her Young Womanhood Recognition award as an adult leader). She tied in the principles of faith and prayer with the scheduled topic of Solomon. Solomon prayed for wisdom to be a better servant of the people and he had faith that his prayer would be answered. So we all took turns sharing our personal stories.
Anya went first and shared that she had lost her word search puzzle book and couldn't find it. So she decided to pray. She looked some more and found it. Karen and I were able to point out that answers to prayers sometimes requires action on our part. We can't pray for something and then just wait for the answer. We have to continue to search after we pray.
Then James reminded us of the time when Peter and Luke were especially fussy and cranky one night. It was keeping him from falling asleep. So he prayed that they would settle down. And Heavenly Father answered his prayer for a few minutes. Then they got fussy again so he prayed...again. And they calmed down...again...and this time fell asleep. We testified that perseverance is an important quality when praying for an answer.
Mark said that he recently lost all of his "business" papers for a venture he has developed. He told himself that if he couldn't find them, he would pray. Well, he couldn't find them so he prayed. And he had a good feeling for about 5 seconds. But he still couldn't find them. Karen encouraged him to clean his room today. When he was about half way done, he found his business papers. It was an opportunity for Karen to point out that because he was obedient and cleaned his room, Heavenly Father was able to answer his prayers. Sometimes prayers aren't answered immediately like they were for James and Anya. But all sincere prayers are eventually answered.
Karen talked about how she lost a horseshoe when she was about Mark or Anya's age. She looked everywhere but couldn't find it. Then she prayed. And she looked in the very same spot she had looked before...but this time she saw it. That provided us an opportunity to help the kids realize that sometimes prayers are answered by Heavenly Father helping us to see things differently.
And then I shared how my prayers were answered about when to serve a mission. And the spirit testified to me of that sacred event in my life. I had been praying about when to serve during my first term in college. I happened to tell my mom and dad about my search for the answer during conference weekend. My mom joked that maybe the answer would come during the Priesthood session of conference. I remember walking to the building where conference was being broadcast. I remember sitting down on a folding chair in the back row near the door. And I remember the feeling I had as the Missionary Training Center choir was introduced...and the continued feeling as talk after talk after talk focused on or mentioned missionary service. My answer was clear. We were able to emphasize to the kids the importance of being in the right place as we desire answers to our prayers.
It was a wonderful night filled with personal accounts of faith-building testimonies. Karen is an incredible matriarch for this family. Our prayer tonight is that this little family will continue to be protected, strengthened, and blessed by the tender mercies of God.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Spiders Aren't Invited
Sorry--no pictures for this post. My stomach couldn't handle it. Plus, if you saw the size of this spider, you'd realize it doesn't take much to make me squirm.
Sometime between sitting down on our bedroom floor to change Luke's diaper and getting ready for family prayer tonight, I sat on a spider. But the story is a little better than that.
After I changed Luke, Anya shared her first written story with me and Karen. And that got us into a discussion about sentence structure and components of a sentence. If you knew me while in school, you would know that I absolutely LOVED dissecting sentences in English class. That and geometry were my two favorite subjects before discovering music theory and history.
Anyway, as I was energetically talking about sentence structure, Peter called my attention to a spot on the carpet that had the looks of a squished spider - you know, the ones with the body intact but legs curled. I backed away like any protective patriarch would...and Peter calmly went to get a tissue and pick up the "dead" spider. But when Peter picked it up and looked at the tissue, his eyes got wide.
And I backed up further...leaving my 4 year old to fend off the spider alone.
What kind of a father am I?!? I left Peter in a time of need. Fortunately, Karen was close and grabbed the tissue to finish what I had started when I sat down.
The kids wanted to know how to dissect my colorful expression: Oh my holy freakin' cow!
I'll never like spiders. I'm glad Peter is brave.
Sometime between sitting down on our bedroom floor to change Luke's diaper and getting ready for family prayer tonight, I sat on a spider. But the story is a little better than that.
After I changed Luke, Anya shared her first written story with me and Karen. And that got us into a discussion about sentence structure and components of a sentence. If you knew me while in school, you would know that I absolutely LOVED dissecting sentences in English class. That and geometry were my two favorite subjects before discovering music theory and history.
Anyway, as I was energetically talking about sentence structure, Peter called my attention to a spot on the carpet that had the looks of a squished spider - you know, the ones with the body intact but legs curled. I backed away like any protective patriarch would...and Peter calmly went to get a tissue and pick up the "dead" spider. But when Peter picked it up and looked at the tissue, his eyes got wide.
And I backed up further...leaving my 4 year old to fend off the spider alone.
What kind of a father am I?!? I left Peter in a time of need. Fortunately, Karen was close and grabbed the tissue to finish what I had started when I sat down.
The kids wanted to know how to dissect my colorful expression: Oh my holy freakin' cow!
I'll never like spiders. I'm glad Peter is brave.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Luke Doesn't Nap Anymore
Why do we even have beds for little people under the age of 3? I've lost track of time...but Luke quit taking scheduled naps quite a while ago. You know that phase of childhood--where the toddler just runs his or herself on raw energy until they collapse? Yep, we're 5 for 5 with this phase. Luke did not disappoint.
Even at bedtime, he usually prefers someone else's bed. James was the lucky candidate on this particular night.
At least Luke is obedient. We'll ask him to come lie down for a diaper change. Only sometimes Karen or I will get distracted with something else and forget we told Luke to come lie down. We have found him several times in this position:
I suppose sitting exerts some energy as well. He uses these chairs to catapult himself onto our bed. He's good entertainment awake or asleep.
I'm not sure why he would have chosen the middle of the kitchen floor. Perhaps he asked someone to open the fridge...no one heard...and he got tired of waiting?
This one is another unique position. He'll pull the piano bench up to the computer to watch. But no one was around when we found him like this. Good thing he doesn't squirm when he sleeps. Those wood floors have no buoyancy.
But here's Luke when he's wide awake! Two year old little people are by far my most absolute favorite. I'm glad we have one more coming up through the ranks before we're done with this phase of our lives.
Even at bedtime, he usually prefers someone else's bed. James was the lucky candidate on this particular night.
At least Luke is obedient. We'll ask him to come lie down for a diaper change. Only sometimes Karen or I will get distracted with something else and forget we told Luke to come lie down. We have found him several times in this position:
I suppose sitting exerts some energy as well. He uses these chairs to catapult himself onto our bed. He's good entertainment awake or asleep.
I'm not sure why he would have chosen the middle of the kitchen floor. Perhaps he asked someone to open the fridge...no one heard...and he got tired of waiting?
This one is another unique position. He'll pull the piano bench up to the computer to watch. But no one was around when we found him like this. Good thing he doesn't squirm when he sleeps. Those wood floors have no buoyancy.
But here's Luke when he's wide awake! Two year old little people are by far my most absolute favorite. I'm glad we have one more coming up through the ranks before we're done with this phase of our lives.
Here's a bonus video footage. Luke jumps out of his seat in the car whenever he sees an American flag. And the way he says it is worth recording. Luke says, "Mewica flag." This isn't his best example...but it's what we've captured on record so far. And apparently, this particular flag he's referring to is Mark's. So it's "Mawk's Mewica flag."
Friday, June 25, 2010
Innocence Lost
It was midsummer this week. And we celebrated in traditional style. It was even more authentic because a strong storm had knocked the power out.
"If you want to introduce this delightful summertime custom into your family's repertoire of pastimes, begin by telling your children that legend says that on Midsummer Night, the fairy realm holds its annual revels and is visible to human eyes (if you're lucky enough to notice), as William Shakespeare reminds us in A Midsummer Night's Dream. And the fairies expect a party." --Mrs. Sharp's Traditions
So we pulled out Anya's tea set and provided the fairies a muffin, raspberry, and jelly bellies...with a cup of juice. If we provide refreshments, the fairies provide a gift.
This year, however, Mark saw the gift "the fairies" (i.e.: Karen) were making out in the garage. So did James.
The light by the door turns on at night to let us know when they're home. :)
I think this is one of Anya's favorite celebrations. She was holding onto one of her fairy dolls while looking out the window watching for the fairies to begin dancing in the yard at dusk.
What if adults exercised a little more childhood innocence?
"If you want to introduce this delightful summertime custom into your family's repertoire of pastimes, begin by telling your children that legend says that on Midsummer Night, the fairy realm holds its annual revels and is visible to human eyes (if you're lucky enough to notice), as William Shakespeare reminds us in A Midsummer Night's Dream. And the fairies expect a party." --Mrs. Sharp's Traditions
So we pulled out Anya's tea set and provided the fairies a muffin, raspberry, and jelly bellies...with a cup of juice. If we provide refreshments, the fairies provide a gift.
This year, however, Mark saw the gift "the fairies" (i.e.: Karen) were making out in the garage. So did James._
It's tough growing up.
_
Mark was pretty upset to learn that fairies weren't real...or Santa...or the Tooth Fairy...or...and I wasn't prepared in the slightest for that kind of conversation. But we had it. Mark wanted Karen to lose her privileges for 24 hours for lying (that's the consequence in our home for lying). He told us that he had some doubts all along...but still believed. He took it pretty hard.
_
Anya came up to Karen a few weeks ago and stated/questioned, "Fairies aren't real, are they?" Karen answered truthfully and shared the importance of childhood fantasy and make believe and imagination. Anya took it very differently than Mark. She knows Santa and fairies aren't real, but enjoys believing simply for the fun of childhood. I wish I could remember what that phase of life felt like.
_
But Mark's ok now. And he has promised not to spoil it for the younger ones. James never said anything. I think he still wants to believe, too.
_
This year we also found that the fairies moved into one of the trees in the backyard. Anya was the first to discover it.
The light by the door turns on at night to let us know when they're home. :)
I think this is one of Anya's favorite celebrations. She was holding onto one of her fairy dolls while looking out the window watching for the fairies to begin dancing in the yard at dusk.
What if adults exercised a little more childhood innocence?
Saturday, June 12, 2010
2nd Annual Family Campout
Last year we finally got a tent that was big enough for our entire family. And we're determined to do at least one, if not two or three, campouts each year. This year we chose to go to Luray Caverns (the largest cave system east of the Mississippi) and enjoy a little portion of the Shenandoah Valley.
Before we share how wonderful this weekend was (and it really was), we must first be honest and state that camping is sometimes over-glorified. :) Karen noted that the magazines never show the hikers and campers hot and sweaty...and rarely do you see little kids tagging along. :)Unless you luck out and get the perfect weather with 70s during the day and 50s at night...calling it the "great outdoors" is a bit of a stretch. It was hot and humid but at least there wasn't any rain. And we continue to learn how to be better campers with each trip. So by the time our kids are older and we can do longer trips, we'll be pros!
Mark, Anya, and James really are the best three amigos around. They've always been close and they tend to stick together no matter where we go.
We found a campsite that was minutes from Luray Caverns. When we set up camp, the larger fire pit was in sunlight...so we chose a fire pit closer to the trees for some refreshing shade. :) We might be crazy and camp with a 9, 8, 7, 4, 2, and 9 month old...but we're not afraid to make life a little more comfortable while we're at it.
Eliza really liked the grass. And of course, everyone really likes Eliza. :)
Although it wasn't anywhere near bedtime, the kids enjoyed a little break inside the tent once everything was set up.
In Luray, there is a Carillon of forty-seven bells. And each Thursday in June there is a live 45-minute recital. It was absolutely beautiful--the setting and the music. We've included one of the many recordings we made at the end of the post. After the recital, we got to meet the Carillonneur, David Breneman. I wanted to take his picture (for this post, of course!) but when he exited the tower he was friendly but shy. And it was very clear he wasn't comfortable talking with people so I didn't want to make him uncomfortable by asking for a picture. We thanked him and that was what really mattered.
After the live recital, we headed back to camp and enjoyed the cool weather and fire before going to bed. There's something really cute about a 2 year old camper.
The next morning we headed to Luray Caverns. It's somewhere underneath this building! Inside the building, there is a door that leads you right down to the cavern. At it's greatest depth, we were 164 feet below the ground.
The tour itself was a strange morph between a live tour guide and an audio tour. It was kind of obnoxious because the tour guide walked us through the cavern but then stopped us periodically and told us what number to type in to our headsets to learn about what we were looking at. So it was usually quiet and we had to stay with our group. If we were running Luray Caverns, we would just let people go at their own pace and have tour guides throughout the caverns to make sure people were safe and keep everyone moving along and answer random questions. But we're just a family who had to sell our first-born to afford this overly-priced experience so why would they listen to us. :)
Before we share how wonderful this weekend was (and it really was), we must first be honest and state that camping is sometimes over-glorified. :) Karen noted that the magazines never show the hikers and campers hot and sweaty...and rarely do you see little kids tagging along. :)Unless you luck out and get the perfect weather with 70s during the day and 50s at night...calling it the "great outdoors" is a bit of a stretch. It was hot and humid but at least there wasn't any rain. And we continue to learn how to be better campers with each trip. So by the time our kids are older and we can do longer trips, we'll be pros!
Mark, Anya, and James really are the best three amigos around. They've always been close and they tend to stick together no matter where we go.
We found a campsite that was minutes from Luray Caverns. When we set up camp, the larger fire pit was in sunlight...so we chose a fire pit closer to the trees for some refreshing shade. :) We might be crazy and camp with a 9, 8, 7, 4, 2, and 9 month old...but we're not afraid to make life a little more comfortable while we're at it.
Eliza really liked the grass. And of course, everyone really likes Eliza. :)
Although it wasn't anywhere near bedtime, the kids enjoyed a little break inside the tent once everything was set up.
In Luray, there is a Carillon of forty-seven bells. And each Thursday in June there is a live 45-minute recital. It was absolutely beautiful--the setting and the music. We've included one of the many recordings we made at the end of the post. After the recital, we got to meet the Carillonneur, David Breneman. I wanted to take his picture (for this post, of course!) but when he exited the tower he was friendly but shy. And it was very clear he wasn't comfortable talking with people so I didn't want to make him uncomfortable by asking for a picture. We thanked him and that was what really mattered.
After the live recital, we headed back to camp and enjoyed the cool weather and fire before going to bed. There's something really cute about a 2 year old camper.
The next morning we headed to Luray Caverns. It's somewhere underneath this building! Inside the building, there is a door that leads you right down to the cavern. At it's greatest depth, we were 164 feet below the ground.
The tour itself was a strange morph between a live tour guide and an audio tour. It was kind of obnoxious because the tour guide walked us through the cavern but then stopped us periodically and told us what number to type in to our headsets to learn about what we were looking at. So it was usually quiet and we had to stay with our group. If we were running Luray Caverns, we would just let people go at their own pace and have tour guides throughout the caverns to make sure people were safe and keep everyone moving along and answer random questions. But we're just a family who had to sell our first-born to afford this overly-priced experience so why would they listen to us. :) _
The audio tour was really fun for the kids. There was a kids version that had them look for different formations in the cavern. With the headphones on, Peter couldn't hear himself talk. So it was especially cute when Peter found what the audio recording told him to look for and he yelled it out. There were many giggles in the crowd. Mark chose to do the adult version and really picked up some cool facts. All-in-all, it was an incredible cavern.
Peter couldn't stop looking up at everything. And as you look through more pictures, you'll notice one other thing he couldn't stop doing the whole tour...
Anya was very studious with a bit of sass.
In the next couple of pictures, there's a small body of water in the background which gives the illusion that the cavern is much bigger in this area than it actually is. It was amazing to see.
The water is to the right of the walkway. Even seeing it in real-life, it was difficult to convince the eyes that it was a reflection because the water was so still.
Ok, can you pick up on what Peter needs to do by now? A long tour can feel like an eternity to a little boy who has to go to the bathroom! :) We're trying to break him of the habit...
Eliza slept through most of it. And everyone around us was wishing they could be in one of these by the end of the tour. Sometimes I wish I was a baby again just to remember what it felt like to be carried everywhere.
And look! A picture with the entire family! You can even see Eliza's sleeping head poking around my shoulder. Soak it in...because it's rare that we actually have a picture with the ENTIRE family. It may be another few years before you'll see one again.
Peter couldn't stop looking up at everything. And as you look through more pictures, you'll notice one other thing he couldn't stop doing the whole tour...
Anya was very studious with a bit of sass.
In the next couple of pictures, there's a small body of water in the background which gives the illusion that the cavern is much bigger in this area than it actually is. It was amazing to see.
The water is to the right of the walkway. Even seeing it in real-life, it was difficult to convince the eyes that it was a reflection because the water was so still.
Ok, can you pick up on what Peter needs to do by now? A long tour can feel like an eternity to a little boy who has to go to the bathroom! :) We're trying to break him of the habit...
Eliza slept through most of it. And everyone around us was wishing they could be in one of these by the end of the tour. Sometimes I wish I was a baby again just to remember what it felt like to be carried everywhere.
And look! A picture with the entire family! You can even see Eliza's sleeping head poking around my shoulder. Soak it in...because it's rare that we actually have a picture with the ENTIRE family. It may be another few years before you'll see one again.
We can't wait to learn where our tent will take us next year! Actually, we learned so much this camping trip about how to make things go smoother that we might do another trip this Fall so we don't have to wait another year before implementing some of those things we learned. Is that sick or what?!? :)
_
Here's the video of the Carillon. There were so many classical songs played that we were pleasantly surprised when we heard this tune...sorry, Blogger is having technical difficulties and I've been sitting here since 10AM waiting for this to load. I guess the computer won the patient contest.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Business Trips May 2010
Two week long trips in the first three weeks of May. God bless Karen, right? :) In a few years from now she'll be able to join me on some of these trips while Mark and Anya take care of the kids...but that's down the road a little. This month I've been able to see two cities I've never visited before. So I took advantage of my evenings...and an afternoon here and there...to see the sites.
How can you visit Seattle and not walk through Pike's Place Market?!? I felt like a tourist with my camera...but I got over my issues because no one I saw there would ever see me again. So I enjoyed being a tourist!
Now I'm off to Virginia Beach, Newport News, Lynchburg, and Abingdon, Virginia. Followed by every city and town found on the map of North Carolina. I know...Karen deserves anything she wants after all these trips.
How can you visit Seattle and not walk through Pike's Place Market?!? I felt like a tourist with my camera...but I got over my issues because no one I saw there would ever see me again. So I enjoyed being a tourist!
This farmer's market is massive! Level upon level and a never-ending walk way...it was awesome to be there. And we all know about the flying fish there. Here it is:
And there was live music that was actually pretty good. Seattle was a very different city than others I've visited. I loved the atmosphere. And the architecture was amazing. So unique.
I was surprised to see how the Space Needle was separated from the rest of the city. I thought it was closer to downtown. The Needle was fun to see.
The last day of the trip we got out of our meetings early in the afternoon. So I took advantage and headed south to the Capital building in Olympia. It was a beautiful setting.
And Mount Rainier. What a sight to behold! It took the entire week before I could see it. I was asking EVERYBODY where the best place to see it would be. And everyone kept saying "you can't miss it." But with the slightest overcast in the area, the active volcano blends in and is hidden from sight. It's over 14,000 feet...and from where I took this picture in Tacoma, it was easily 60 miles away. Imagine how giddy I was when I finally saw it. Yep...pretty giddy. :)
I drove and I drove and I drove...trying to soak it all in. On a clear day, you really can't miss it. And it was as beautiful as you can imagine. It was even more amazing as the sun set.
And then flying home, I was hoping to be on the side of the plane that Mount Rainier was on. But no luck. So I snapped this picture of the Cascades in the distance. From a landscape perspective, I don't think I've ever been to a more diverse city. Seattle was beautiful.
This past week, I took another business trip...this time to Philadelphia. Being enamored with history, I spent an evening at Valley Forge. If you're interested, this blog better describes my feelings. I loved walking where George Washington walked during that pivotal turning point of the Revolutionary War. This was his headquarters from December 1777-June 1778.
This is where his guards were stationed...twelve men to a cabin.
Although not a single fire was shot here, 2,000 men died for our country. This was hallowed ground.
Unlike Valley Forge, Independence Hall was crawling with tourists! I thought a Thursday afternoon would be rather quiet, but every school district in the area must have planned a field trip for the day I went. Once most of the kids started the tour and went inside, I was able to hear myself think and enjoyed the atmosphere a little more. The Declaration of Independence was signed here on July 4, 1776. Eleven years later on September 17, 1787, our Constitution was completed here at Independence Hall. Some of the best men to ever walk the earth were right here a little over 200 years ago.
And there was live music that was actually pretty good. Seattle was a very different city than others I've visited. I loved the atmosphere. And the architecture was amazing. So unique.
I was surprised to see how the Space Needle was separated from the rest of the city. I thought it was closer to downtown. The Needle was fun to see.
The last day of the trip we got out of our meetings early in the afternoon. So I took advantage and headed south to the Capital building in Olympia. It was a beautiful setting.
And Mount Rainier. What a sight to behold! It took the entire week before I could see it. I was asking EVERYBODY where the best place to see it would be. And everyone kept saying "you can't miss it." But with the slightest overcast in the area, the active volcano blends in and is hidden from sight. It's over 14,000 feet...and from where I took this picture in Tacoma, it was easily 60 miles away. Imagine how giddy I was when I finally saw it. Yep...pretty giddy. :)
I drove and I drove and I drove...trying to soak it all in. On a clear day, you really can't miss it. And it was as beautiful as you can imagine. It was even more amazing as the sun set.
And then flying home, I was hoping to be on the side of the plane that Mount Rainier was on. But no luck. So I snapped this picture of the Cascades in the distance. From a landscape perspective, I don't think I've ever been to a more diverse city. Seattle was beautiful.
This past week, I took another business trip...this time to Philadelphia. Being enamored with history, I spent an evening at Valley Forge. If you're interested, this blog better describes my feelings. I loved walking where George Washington walked during that pivotal turning point of the Revolutionary War. This was his headquarters from December 1777-June 1778.
This is where his guards were stationed...twelve men to a cabin.
Although not a single fire was shot here, 2,000 men died for our country. This was hallowed ground.
Unlike Valley Forge, Independence Hall was crawling with tourists! I thought a Thursday afternoon would be rather quiet, but every school district in the area must have planned a field trip for the day I went. Once most of the kids started the tour and went inside, I was able to hear myself think and enjoyed the atmosphere a little more. The Declaration of Independence was signed here on July 4, 1776. Eleven years later on September 17, 1787, our Constitution was completed here at Independence Hall. Some of the best men to ever walk the earth were right here a little over 200 years ago.
On the west wing of Independence Hall, two original documents of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were on display (they weren't the ceremonial documents). They were in a dark room and no flash photography was allowed. There was an incredible spirit of reverence in that room. 
Following my historical treat, I walked down the road about a mile to view the future site of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 1739 Vine St. And it appears to be a parking lot. :) I checked my coordinates on the GPS and looked at the street signs on either end of the block. If the address is correct, this has to be the place.
This is what you see looking across Vine St. It's near the heart of Philly...and only a mile from where this nation was founded. A prime location. I wonder when they plan to break ground?
And then on my drive home from Philadelphia, I saw the D.C. Temple. Yes, I took the picture while I was driving...some would say it's a talent. My wife and mother may disagree. But this was a beautiful site after being away from home so much.
Following my historical treat, I walked down the road about a mile to view the future site of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 1739 Vine St. And it appears to be a parking lot. :) I checked my coordinates on the GPS and looked at the street signs on either end of the block. If the address is correct, this has to be the place.
This is what you see looking across Vine St. It's near the heart of Philly...and only a mile from where this nation was founded. A prime location. I wonder when they plan to break ground?
And then on my drive home from Philadelphia, I saw the D.C. Temple. Yes, I took the picture while I was driving...some would say it's a talent. My wife and mother may disagree. But this was a beautiful site after being away from home so much.
Now I'm off to Virginia Beach, Newport News, Lynchburg, and Abingdon, Virginia. Followed by every city and town found on the map of North Carolina. I know...Karen deserves anything she wants after all these trips.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Bonding Is More Important Than Comfort
And a pretty setting helps balance out the lack of comfort, as well. This past weekend, I took the three older boys (Mark 9, James 7, and Peter 5) to a yearly Father and Son camp out. The campground was just beyond the silo and barn in the pictures below.
And this is what was coming towards us as we drove into camp. Personally, I love rain when camping. But I prefer to get the camp set up before the rain comes. And dealing with rain while camping is much easier when I'm not responsible for three little boys. When did I grow up?
I took advantage of the scout tents and cots they had available. Scout camp begins in another two weeks so we did the camp a favor by setting up the campsite and we had the benefit of a little added comfort. Cots are so much better than rocks and roots and miscellaneous bumps in the ground. Mark and James stayed in one tent.
And I got to sleep with Peter in the other. Mark and James are certain that they stayed up till 1:15 in the morning...regardless of how many times I remind them that they had no watch in their tent. But "it was pitch black..." so in their minds, it HAD to be 1:15 in the morning. Regardless what time they fell asleep, Peter and I were out by 10:30 listening to the last drops of the evening rain.
Morning came and things were a little wet outside, but there was no more rain in the forecast. And the rain brought a little cooler weather so that was nice. We enjoyed some breakfast and other activities that morning.
Like finding walking sticks (James has an unseen power that draws him to the best walking sticks around. I think we have a collection of about six in our garage.) and hiking over creeks and on bridges.
Mark and James always stayed together as we were walking. I would love to know what they talked about! I stayed behind with Peter. As you can see, he enjoyed taking his time with his hands behind his back.
The boys got to check out the shooting range.
Since I had three boys with me, I could never find a convenient time to take a picture of them actually shooting the gun. My job was to make sure they kept the gun pointed TOWARDS the target. So I took a picture after the fact...more for them than for the blog...so they could remember. Mark and James have been to a shooting range before but this was Peter's first time. I aimed the gun and he pulled the trigger.
And then we pulled off the highway on our way home to enjoy some more scenery. Maybe next year I'll try to get in one of these pictures so it looks more like a Father and Son camp out.
Despite not having the comforts of home, I look forward to spending some time with my boys...slowing down the hectic daily schedule of life and being reminded of what really matters. And next year, I think I'll even give up the comfort of a scout tent and cots so we can all sleep in the same tent and enjoy even more bonding. Then Mark and James can prove to me that they can stay up till 1:15 in the morning. :)
And this is what was coming towards us as we drove into camp. Personally, I love rain when camping. But I prefer to get the camp set up before the rain comes. And dealing with rain while camping is much easier when I'm not responsible for three little boys. When did I grow up?
I took advantage of the scout tents and cots they had available. Scout camp begins in another two weeks so we did the camp a favor by setting up the campsite and we had the benefit of a little added comfort. Cots are so much better than rocks and roots and miscellaneous bumps in the ground. Mark and James stayed in one tent.
And I got to sleep with Peter in the other. Mark and James are certain that they stayed up till 1:15 in the morning...regardless of how many times I remind them that they had no watch in their tent. But "it was pitch black..." so in their minds, it HAD to be 1:15 in the morning. Regardless what time they fell asleep, Peter and I were out by 10:30 listening to the last drops of the evening rain.
Morning came and things were a little wet outside, but there was no more rain in the forecast. And the rain brought a little cooler weather so that was nice. We enjoyed some breakfast and other activities that morning.
Like finding walking sticks (James has an unseen power that draws him to the best walking sticks around. I think we have a collection of about six in our garage.) and hiking over creeks and on bridges.
Mark and James always stayed together as we were walking. I would love to know what they talked about! I stayed behind with Peter. As you can see, he enjoyed taking his time with his hands behind his back. 
The boys got to check out the shooting range. 
Since I had three boys with me, I could never find a convenient time to take a picture of them actually shooting the gun. My job was to make sure they kept the gun pointed TOWARDS the target. So I took a picture after the fact...more for them than for the blog...so they could remember. Mark and James have been to a shooting range before but this was Peter's first time. I aimed the gun and he pulled the trigger. 
And then we pulled off the highway on our way home to enjoy some more scenery. Maybe next year I'll try to get in one of these pictures so it looks more like a Father and Son camp out. 
Despite not having the comforts of home, I look forward to spending some time with my boys...slowing down the hectic daily schedule of life and being reminded of what really matters. And next year, I think I'll even give up the comfort of a scout tent and cots so we can all sleep in the same tent and enjoy even more bonding. Then Mark and James can prove to me that they can stay up till 1:15 in the morning. :)
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