Into the Woods

These two little hooligans of ours are VERY enthusiastic about camping. So much so they’ve slept outside in a tent every night for about six weeks after school let out (seriously…every.single.night) We’ve been saying we’d take them camping but it just hadn’t happened between visitors, events, and appendicitis. This past weekend we finally made good. We wanted to update our family photos (it’s been 3 years) and the wonderful gal who has taken our last two family photos suggested doing a camping ‘lifestyle’ type session since she know we like the great outdoors. That said we figured if we were traipsing out the woods with a tent anyways we might as well make the most of it and stay overnight.

What a blast we had. The kids were little hams for the camera and I am excited to see what turns out. We took some ‘standard’ photos but also some fun stuff roasting hotdogs and marshmallows plus a pillow fight in the tent. Guessing it will be a tough decision on which images to make enlargements from.

Jack and Emilie played so hard that they actually put themselves to bed. We didn’t even have to remind them to stop giggling and sleep 50 gazillion times like we normally do. The put PJ’s on, brushed teeth, climbed into their sleeping bags and were out like lights. Wish I could say it was that easy for Kevin and I. We stayed up long enough to catch some of the Perseid Meteor Shower and went to bed around 11:30. Kevin erred and slept next to Emilie, who is a certified snuggle bug. At some point in the night she pretty much wrapped herself around his head, and once freed had to curl himself into a corner of the tent. Jack isn’t much of a snuggler at all so I did okay aside from the fact I was only granted about 10 inches of space between him and the tent wall only which half of was covered by my sleeping mat as Jack had passed out on the other half. It was a bit awkward, but I managed.

Next morning we were up with the sun and treated to a yummy camp breakfast and some less than stellar coffee. Seriously, it made convenience store coffee look high-end. Lesson learned: cheap, dollar store grounds are not worth the savings….. We mixed it with hot chocolate and survived but once again reminded ourselves that a French Press and better beans should go on the camping supply list next time. We also learned that Nutella should be packed with the dry goods next time. It took a warm waterbath to get it softened up enough to spread on pancakes after being in the cooler overnight

Once we broke camp we took our time heading home. Drove up to Pike Mtn overlook (Jack was very excited to say he was standing on top of a Mountain) and enjoyed what view we could see through the wildfire smoke haze (tis the season) then drove down and hiked in to Ross Falls. In a stroke of luck the falls were still flowing this late into the summer. Emilie looked for mermaids (All waterfalls have mermaids at the base right?) and Jack tried to take a shower in the flow.

A short trip in all, but I think their need to camp has been satisfied for the time being.

Oh A Camping We Shall Go…

Whew! The last two weeks have flashed by before my eyes. The better part of last week I was working on a special project, which I will get to in another post, then we went camping. This week has been camping recovery and gearing up for VBS next week. Pretty much there has been something going non-stop. No chance to even get bored around here.

We haven’t been camping since Emilie was about 4 months old and that was just a quickie overnighter en route to see my parents. Emilie slept in a cardboard box, we forgot the propane for the camp stove, and a porcupine sat in the tree next to our tent all night and…’chewed.’ Wasn’t all that great really. We’ve been saying we were going to go for the last 2 years but it just never happened. This year we said, “enough talk, more action,” picked a weekend, invited some friends (Josh & Chelsey and their kids Molly & Henry), and headed for the hills.

Our campsite was at Five Points Campground, a semi developed (meaning outhouse but no potable water) about 25 miles north of Fairfield, Idaho. Turned out to be a great choice as it was nice a quiet, there was a small kid-friendly stream alongside one of the campgrounds and it was close to a lot of things to see in the woods.

As for the friends, well they are awesome. I often worry going into the woods with people. I mean people have different definitions of what camping is. Thankfully the friends who went with us seem to have a similar laid-back attitude to camping. No sweat, sleep in a tent, let the kids get filthy, eat really good food, and have a fantastic time.

Most of the time we explored around camp, chatted, and let the kids play. We did go over to the Worswick Hot Springs for awhile and let the kids wade a bit. Not directly in the hot springs itself…that water was scalding….but just below the main pool where it mixed with a cool mountain stream is was just about perfect.

Kevin and Josh even got in some fly fishing while Chelsey and I hung around camp with the kids. It was Father’s Day weekend after all. Hanging with the kids was pretty entertaining on its own anyways. At one point we got a triple concert, three kids, singing tree different songs. Emilie even had hand motions. There was even a puppet show late in the afternoon that involved a car door and eagle and Emilie as a ‘special assistant.’ She got ‘attacked’ by the Eagle….the boys were riveted. Then they mutinied and took over the show much to the girls’ chagrin.

 

Should I even mention the food? Sooooo yummy. There is definitely no need to live solely off of hotdogs while you camp (though we did have that for lunch one day). We had a nacho bar, Dutch oven lasagna, pancakes, sausage hash, and lots of other yummy snacks and sides.

 

Other fun highlights of the weekend included. Making “non-traditional” s’mores and Molly losing a tooth in her S’more. Yes, Emilie’s double decker there includes chocolate striped shortbread cookies, a peanut butter cup, a plain marshmallow, and a strawberry flavored one….YUM! It’s hard to beat your basic s’more but these were pretty darn amazing.

There was also the hunting dogs that showed up in camp Sunday morning. Guess the bears were still in bed so a pair of them meandered into camp early checked to see if there was any food to beg for, got some pets and lovin’ from the kids, and moseyed on down to the road where their owner picked them up.

Oh, and we can’t forget the mouse. I was sitting around the campfire early one morning drinking coffee and chatting with Kevin and Josh when I caught something dark on my foot out of the corner of my eye. My initial thought was that Kevin was being a goof and poking my foot with a stick until said stick moved and it dawned on my that it was a mouse. Now, I am generally pretty calm about rodents but this one caught me off guard. My initial reaction was to shriek and shake my foot around. Startled poor Josh so much that he poured his coffee in his lap (oddly I was the one with a mouse on her shoe and didn’t spill my coffee at all…most be those supermom reflexes). The little bugger than proceeded to try and hide under a cooler than climbed in the wheel well of Josh & Chelsey’s car until Kevin scared him off. Gotta love the wildlife.

So yes, it was a FANTASTIC trip. I’d got back again in a heartbeat. In fact we’ve already been tossing around the idea a bit perhaps August or something like that. One last hurrah before school starts.

Don’t Blink…You’ll Miss Something

WOWeeee!

Life sure has a way of breezing by when you aren’t paying attention. I glanced at the calendar today and realized I needed to turn the page, July was gone and August was here. Didn’t we just celebrate Independence Day? We’ve been busy around here. Too busy to pay attention to the calendar I guess. What is really scary is that most of the weeks and weekends for the rest of the year are filled. Bat an eyelash and Christmas will be here.

I had a week long Range NEPA conference in Sun Valley two weeks ago. What a trip. It was wierd not having the mom/wife responsibilities for a week. I almost didn’t know what to do with all the spare time after work was over for the day…almost. I managed to read two books, did the newspaper crossword everyday, went out to dinner with Range folks from around the region, took some long walks, bubble baths, and generally just took it easy. It was nice break, but I was more than happy to come home to all the noise and chaos that is my real life. Plus, while Sun Valley is a great little resort town it is really not my style. A little too up scale and classy for a girl like me. I mean the actually pay people to stand around and open the door for you…that’s it just open the door. When I checked in the concierge asked to carry my bag to my room. I declined…I only had one bag and was pretty sure I could manage without breaking a nail. Still its a nice place if you like that sort of vacation.

“ My room for the week…the bed was insanely comfy”

The same week Kevin was relocating a bridge that week and somebody still needed to be here for Jack so Grandma Duchow came down for a visit and really saved the day (well the week actually). Not only did she entertain Jack, and vice versa, but she weeded the weed patch out back and you can actually tell we have a garden now. The vegetables are coming on now too. We’ve got peas, zucchini, lots of tomatoes, peppers, and onions right now. The pumpkins seem to be holding their own and we should have green beans at some point.

This past Friday Kevin had a contract to administer at a campground on the South Fork of the Bosie river. Since it was a Friday and it was a long drive up and back we decided, “What the Hey!…let’s go camping!” This was the first time we have gone camping with Jack so we decided one night would be good for starters. We had a lot of fun and Jack loved it.

The sky rumbled all evening, but it never did rain. We forgot garbage bags and graham crackers and there was a slight miscommunication over what tent we brought. I said “Not the Kelty, the ‘shake out’ tent Bethann & Julie used at Lost Lake.” That was clear right? Somehow we ended up with the green Pup Tent Kevin takes to fire camp. It was C-O-Z-Y, but we managed.

The three pictures above are from Left to Right: Jack after he and I took a long walk around and around and around the campground, Wading in the S. Frk Boise, and Kevin and Jack cooking breakfast.

The only real issue was getting Jack to sleep in the tent. He was put down at the usual time and I laid in there next to him put sleep was not on his agenda. Mostly he hopped around on the sleeping bags and pounced on the pillows. Every now and then he would crawl over and peel open one of my eyelids and say “Hi!” …..just checking to see if you’re still awake Mom. What a silly little boy.

Well I’d better go. Kevin is trying to toast coconut and I can smell something burning in the Kitchen……take care until next time.