Happy Campers!

There is brave, and then there is "three families taking six kids under the age of four camping for two nights" Brave. That's right - Brave with a capital B. Fortunately, the second kind of brave also comes with fun adventures (hiking! swimming! peeing on trees!), smiles and laughs (five kids running laps around a campsite - one crawling - and not needing to open the med kit once!), and yummy food (s'mores...what more could you ask for in life?). We also lucked out in that our camping adventure happened before this never-ending week of tornado-producing thunderstorms descended upon our portion of the state. We may be tempting fate, or we may just still be a little crazy, in part due to the lack of sleep, but I think we're going to try it again in the fall.

Practicing...to make sure we know how to set up the tent and to make sure all our stuff fits in it. Success on both items.

 Practicing...Eli built a bonfire (and is "roasting" a marshmallow)

The three amigos go for a hike

Two sweet faces

The little ladies enjoy their backpack ride to the waterfall (thanks, dads!)

A happy hiker (or rider)

Eli brought a blue shovel along on our hike. We were well-prepared.

Evelyn wanted to hike, too (since her brother was, of course)

No grumpy trolls near this bridge

Post-hike picnic lunch at the beach

 

Beach time

Flashlight fun by the campfire

Yum!

 

Determined not to drop even one bit

Smiles in the hammock

"Helping" Daddy take down the tent (or just taking down Daddy)

The youngest camper

 Our home away from home

Borrowing Daddy's hat...

...it is a little big...

 ...but it still looks cute on me!

Showtime!

There has been a fun mix of being a performer and an audience member in our house lately. On with the show...

Getting ready for a puppet show at the library

 

 His song list includes such classics as, "Happy", "Wheels on the Bus", and "Itsy Bitsy Spider"

First home dinner and a movie: Mary Poppins

Father's Day World Cup viewing

Yardwork

Over the long holiday weekend, the whole family went to work to get the yard ready for summer. Our little helpers were right in the mix for everything...each year will only get easier in the yard as those helpers get bigger, right? Not wishing any time away, though. It was fun to see them having such a good time outside and pitching in on a family activity.

The crew observing the master at work

Eli selected his mulching attire for the day

Getting to work

If Eli is doing something, Evelyn wants to do it, too.