Camping

It's funny - we've been here two years and yet we still always get excited about moose in the yard.

Momma

and the twins

7/15/10  Thursday morning, Doug and Ethan mowed the lawn. 

Then we spent the rest of the day getting ready to go camping with our friends the Leys, and our tag-along Boden, who was staying with us while his parents were in Anchorage.  We thought for sure we could be ready to go in time for soccer and then leave from there, but we have realized that our camping stuff needs some attention in the organizing department.  I took the kids to soccer and Doug continued to pack.

It's really hard to play soccer like this...

you can't even turn your head to look at the ball.

Brenden played hard.

(I have to throw in here, as an explanation, that Brenden wears the headband to keep his implants on.  Not to look cool.  'Cause he doesn't, really.)

On the way to where we were camping, we saw a bear cub.

He ran off into the woods when we tried to drive closer.

7/16/10

Silly Nolan

Ethan, Gavin, Izzy and Nolan on a boat ride.

Brenden chopping wood

Savannah chopping wood

I think Ethan would have even slept on the boat if we would let him.  He never wanted to get off.  He made a good fishing buddy for Doug.

Doug took 7 kids on the boat.  Incredible or insane?

We came to camp and found a squirrel in the trash.

The kids started swimming partially clothed

but the clothes came off pretty quick.

You have NO idea how cold this lake is.  Like, my toes froze.  It's over 1000 feet deep - that makes for a cold lake.

I came back from the lake and found Nolan doing this:

Thanks to peer pressure, Nolan's training wheels finally came off.

His friend Gavin has the same bike and his training wheels broke, so he had no choice but to learn to ride his bike.  Nolan thought he'd try it too.

Doug took the kids on a hike, which turned out to be more like rock climbing.

(Izzy, Nolan, Savannah, Brenden)

Brenden, Nolan, Izzy, Boden, Savannah

There are two specs on the road - they are Ethan and me.

I laughed out loud at this picture.

A slightly better one...

And what hike can end without a little dance party?

Brenden insisted he had to read before bed.  He didn't make it long.

7/17/10

Doug, Ethan, and I went for a boat ride.

I told you he really liked it.

We came back to find Brenden and Savannah reading Calvin and Hobbes out loud, Brenden read all of Calvin's words and Savannah was everyone else.

Swimming in cold water... again.

Naked bike riding boys

Brenden popping a wheelie

We packed up and headed home, but stopped to see the wood carving competition on the way.

This is a lot like how camping felt... giant mosquitos out to suck every ounce of our blood.

Doug has a intriguing question for everyone (and he really does want an answer.)  Why are football, baseball, and basketball one word and soccer ball is two?  (He was typing our packing list when he came up with this one.)