Camping with my Dad

When I was a kid we didn't go on a whole lot of family vacations, with 7 kids in the family you can only guess why. On thing we did do at least once a year (or so I remember anyway) was go camping. I have to boast a bit about my Dad. My Mom never really liked camping so when she did come, we went to campgrounds that had hot showers, a swimming pool, and she took a portable TV/VCR to watch movies all week. Sometimes she stayed home and my brave Dad took us kids by himself. Now when I say brave I mean brave because 5 of the 7 kids are girls! Now that I am a mother of a whopping 2 children I realize what an accomplishment it was that we all made it back at the end of the week safe and sound. The memories of camping with my dad are some of my favorite. To this day I can't help but think of it when I see a big bag of child's play candy mix, you know the kind with the tootsie rolls and the dots. My Mom would always send us with one of the big bags full and we could eat all we wanted of it all week, that and the pudding snacks. We would go on hikes and try to reach the top of whatever mountain we were camping next to. We would find water in a stream or pond and get soaking wet. We would get the biggest stick we could find and call it our walking stick and take it everywhere with us. We would tell stories around the campfire and roast marshmallows. When my dad asked if I wanted to go camping with him while we were visiting I couldn't wait for my boys to experience some of the fun that I had as a kid. We went on a "hike" though it was more of a walk since my kids are small. They smashed and killed giant bugs with their walking sticks. They dug in the dirt with Grandpa's trucks. They played with their cousins. They threw rocks in the stream. They even found a puddle of water to get drenched in. We had a great time, Thanks Dad!

Our trip to Utah...So far...

Wow! What a crazy 2 weeks! Since Sam was only with us for the first 2 weeks before returning home to school, we had to pack a whole lot of things in. So far we have been to 5 birthday parties, gone camping with Grandpa Dorsey and cousins, taken Christian to Aunt Dezra for a real haircut (with 5 calicks on his one little head, I just didn't know what to do!), Ridden a tractor at Grandma Jake's, had our family pictures taken, and have seen Kara Receive her endowment, and get married in the Manti Temple. We have honestly been busy the whole time!


Nicholas riding a real motorcycle at his friend Isaac's birthday party.





Playing at Grandma Jake's.


Christian's new hairdo!




My Boys with their little Cousin Alexandria, they just ADORE her!

I decided to do separate posts for camping with grandpa Dorsey and Kara's wedding because I have way too much to say about them, and it's late so I'll add those soon!