2008 Family CampOut

Every year on Labor Day weekend, Ryan's family goes on a camp out. And there a lot of us, like 40+ and usually from 3 different states. We packed up and left by Friday at noon in a caravan with his parents. When we were less than 10 miles from our campsite, it started to rain... and then there was this white stuff all over the ground. Thankfully it wasn't snow, but HAIL. It was very obvious at that point that we were in for a wet muddy weekend.

Saturday it was sunny and we planned on going on the hike we do every year back to the waterfall at Fossil Creek. It is beautiful and easy enough you can take younger kids with enough adults to help them. We drove down to the trail head only to find it closed for construction on the dam. We kept driving and found a fun place to play in the water and get some sun. I was not planning on getting wet (I usually go cliff jumping at the waterfall but not
at 5 months pregnant). So we weren't as prepared as I would have liked to be but it was lot of fun. Haylie wanted to go off on her own while in the water without floaties. I guess she didn't get the memo that she doesn't know how to swim yet. Our nudest child really enjoys the water, and her white little body didn't get burned even though I only sun-blocked her face,but my nose and scalp sure did. After playing for a while we traveled down steam to find a rope swing where some of our group had a lot of fun jumping in the creek.

Here are some pictures of the fun.

It majorly poured while we were sleeping Saturday night and kept raining Sunday morning. The storm got so bad that even under our huge canopy we started accumulating lakes and
streams of water. The corner of the canopy even started to fall at one point. The storm created mist that kept our cards wet while we were playing under our shelter. We were very happy to see the sun come out in the afternoon. I have very few pictures from camp other than our creek trip. I guess with all the rain I never thought to bring it out.

Even these cute ones I had to get from my mother in laws camera.

They were taken on our very soggy Sunday.

It was a lot of fun to be with the extended family and be away from the real world for a while. I mean I was very happy to come home to a bathroom and a shower and my bed but I really love being outside with my family having fun away from it all.