Camping

I love the outdoors. I love spending time with people I love. I love sitting around a campfire. I love being technology-free. I love hiking. I love fresh air. I hate the sleeping. I don't sleep well when I camp because I worry too much about whether or not the kids are warm enough, creatures, etc. The kids love to camp, and we have made some great memories while camping, so that outweighs a sleepless night here and there. A few weeks ago, my sister-in-law Laura planned a great camping trip close to home. It was so fun!

A panoramic view of the campsite:

Friday night was filled with practicing somersaults,
keeping a soccer ball in the air,
playing frisbee,
cuddling with grandmas (can you believe these two are grandmas?)
visiting,

playing Duck Duck Goose,
playing cards,
singing "Happy Birthday" to my boys (Sean's was Friday, Warren's was Saturday)
eating s'mores,
singing by the campfire (accompanied by Mark on guitar),
and hearing childhood stories from Grandpa. A few favorites included: Grandpa being attacked by a baboon, his provincial boxing championship (step aside, Rocky), his pranks while working at the pharmacy, his (brief) attempt at a mo-hawk, his life changing moment that decided his career, and many others. It was so great to hear these stories and reminded me again how important it is to share our history with our loved ones.

After a super restful sleep (or not so much), Saturday morning brought:

breakfast,

awesome bedheads,
fun on the zip line,
enjoying mountain air,
canoeing,

interacting with the wildlife,
splashing in the water,
cuddling with cousins,
posing Napoleon Dynamite style,
and lunch. We went home exhausted, covered in dirt and happy. I will leave you with my very favorite photo of the trip. I think this one will be framed:
(have I told you how much I love his eyebrows? Well, I do. A lot.)