Camping!!!

 This post requires a lot more exclamation points than that, but I will spare you all. I was SO excited that the girls and I were able to go camping this past weekend with some friends. I grew up camping for 1-2 weeks every year with my family, and was really missing it. It had been 7 years since my last camping trip (when I was pregnant with Lucy!). Matt was really sorry not to be able to join us, but has promised a family camping trip next year!

What I love about camping is that you are outside the whole time, surrounded by the beauty of nature. The experience is so sensual- feeling the air, smelling the pine needles and fire, hearing the gusts of wind and the crickets, seeing the trees and bark and rocks. It fills me up from head to toe! 

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, especially for late September- sunny and in the high 70s/low 80s during the day. The girls had an awesome time. There were 10 kids there, 9 of them between the ages of 3 and 6, so they had a ton of playmates. There were lots of games of tag in the woods, building of fairy houses, and general exploring. Not to mention throwing leaves and sticks in the fire, sparklers, glow sticks, s'mores, and hot cocoa.

Dinner by lantern-light on the first night.

Building a fire Saturday morning.

Clara standing proudly over the fairy house she built.

A close-up of the house.

The whole group, preparing for a big hike.

Lucy started strong, but the late night combined with a long week of school had tired her out, so she headed back early with some of our friends.

So beautiful.

Clara tackled some of the trail on her own.

Above the tree line- an amazing view!

A beautiful rock garden by the side of the trail.

My hiking partner.

The view at our feet was just as beautiful.

A nap on the way down. It made for a peaceful last part of the hike.

Cooking some delicious pork kebabs and baked potatoes.

Comic book reading.

A quiet morning, as I boil water on the stove.

My snuggle bunny.

There were also games and coloring when the kids wanted a break from running around.

Some fall colors on the way home.

Napping on the way home.

Having fun is hard work!

Remembering summer fun- Storyland!

I was about to post pictures from our recent camping trip, but thought first I should post from our fun trip to Storyland this summer! It was a quick, 2-day vacation, but we all had a blast. The girls loved all the rides, fast, slow, and in between. I lost track of how many times we went on the roller coaster and log flume rides, and Lucy even went on the big-kid roller coaster twice. The first time we went on the roller coaster, Clara laughed out loud the whole ride.

2 soldiers and a goofy girl.

Our two princesses.

Meeting Cinderella in her castle was a highlight.

Intense merry-go-round riding.

We stayed at the most family-friendly hotel imaginable. They provided S'more fixings after dinner, and showed a kid-movie each night.

A hummingbird, seen at breakfast.

The heated pool was a huge hit.

Especially the floaties and noodles!

Riding the train around the park.

Up high in the sky!

Family week in VT

What a wonderful time we've been having, soaking up the summer weather, and the presence of so many dear people in our family. All 11 of us (Mimi and Papa Jack, John, Caitlin, Sam (7), Jeff (4 1/2), Nora (20 months), Matt, me, Lucy (6), and Clara (3 1/2)) headed up to VT for a week- our first time together in 2 years.

Roughhousing with Papa Jack.

There was a lot of the kids "rescuing" each other from his grasp.

With my niece Nora, who is the cutest little peanut ever!

Clara is quite attentive to Nora and protective of her. Tonight at dinner she was helping to feed Nora bites of food.

A walk behind our house in VT.

A national park pond nearby where we went swimming almost every day.

The kids had so much fun in the water and sand.

Nora was quite serious about her task.

The girls out number the boys now!

Little to Big.

There were many salamanders to be caught and held and given puddle homes, before being returned to the lake.

A highlight was visiting a local farm, where we got to see cows, pigs, chickens, goats, horses, and a donkey. Lucy and Papa Jack both got to feed a 10 day old piglet.

We also enjoyed homemade ice cream, cheese and milk.

The kids all fed the chickens from their hands.

This was the view behind the house- so gorgeous and green and peaceful. I spent a few moments out there from time to time, enjoying the beauty and the quiet.

Jeff proudly showing his salamander.

An even more remote lake that we drove to one day. It was the kind of place where you expected to see moose (though we didn't).

Clara getting a ride on John- who is an amazingly sweet and fun uncle!

Sam, as I caught him mid-bite.

Selfie of Lucy and I.

Lucy and Nora, getting ready to watch the 4th of July parade.

It was an awesome local parade; the floats/cars threw out tons of candy, and we also got squirted a bit with water guns. The kids had a blast and thought it was better than halloween.

Mimi and Papa Jack with their 5 grandkids.

And an amazingly good group picture of us all!