First Camping Trip of the Summer

It feels like we have been so busy this summer playing and something happening every weekend. We finally had a free weekend where we get out of town and do some camping. Both Ryan and I enjoy camping but being away from home for so long we haven't had much opportunity to do much of it these past 5 years. When we first moved to the Philippines our first trip home was a year later for Christmas. Once we started to figure out that summer would be the more logical (fun) time to come home we were hopping between families so much we didn't have any free time to something just us and the only camping trip we made was the Beattie Reunion trip. I'm not complaining, our trips home were super fun and a whirlwind of excitement, we just didn't do camping. This weekend was the first time the 5 of us had been camping in a relaxed setting and the kids 3rd time camping, ever (Madison's 2nd). So did they enjoy it? I think the picture of Brayden is answer enough! What did we do with all our free time with no cell signal cutting us off completely from civilization? We played!

Friday we spent setting up and working out the kinks in the trailer we were using for the first time. We explored the huge area we had staked out earlier in the week and Ry got to work chopping down fire wood and making a bridge so we could easily cross the river. Saturday the kids had a lot of fun in the morning skipping rocks into the river, running back and forth on the bridge and starting up their dirt bikes for some riding. They cruised for quite a while on their bikes getting faster which each turn around the loop. The weekend did not go by without injury though, Sydney waxed out pretty bad on her bike leaving her arm and side kind of bloody. She did get back on and ride back to camp showing no hesitation the next day to get back on and show Grandma and Grandpa her skills. She is one brave little girl!

Saturday afternoon Ry's parents joined us and brought their quads (4-wheelers for all you Americans) to add to the fun. The kids got turns going for a ride but I think it was nice for Maddy since she doesn't have a dirt bike to cruise on. It gave her a chance to go around the loop with them and not be left there standing watching her brother and sister have all the fun. With the extra man around the boys got to work and quaded up the mountain a bit dragging logs for firewood back to camp. They started chopping down big dead trees on the river edge for a sturdier bridge and tested the quads power by pulling dead logs through the river and up to camp. Nothing like men and their toys! I'm not too sure if it's more manly they were so matchy (because they are so manly they don't care about wearing the same outfit) or less manly (because they were wearing the same outfit) but either way there was no denying the similarities between father and son this weekend.

Our first camping trip of the summer was a complete success. The kids ran wild, we all were filthy and stank like fire. What could be better then that?