JOHNSON, Party of Six!: Camping

We were able to find 24 hours of free time so we decided to spend it camping. We met up with Brooks and Sarah up Indian Creek Canyon, which is right next to Palisades. Of course by the time we finished up all our chores for the day and got everything packed and ready to go it was 6:00 pm before we pulled out of the drive-way. So when we got there it was a little after 8, and it was dark! Pitch.black.DARK! Good thing we had set-up our new tent at least once before, or it could have been a disaster. This time we took a little tent for the girls to share in hopes of momma getting some sleep. Which I would have had it not been 28 degrees! Clearly I did not pack bedding for that cold of a night, I mean who would, It was still August! We froze! Which could be an understatement! It was so cold...Jack Frost changed his name to Jack Froze! Next time...I will be better prepared and will certainly over-pack with extra blankets and sleeping bags.

Once the sun came up and I realized Brooks had made a fire, I decided to brave the cold and get dressed, which took longer than usual due to frozen hands and toes. Ahhh, the fire at last felt so good!

Once the sun started to pop through the trees and everyone could move, we started to cook breakfast. Huckleberry pancakes, omlete eggs and fresh fruit! It was tasty!

After breakfast, the kids played for a spell, while we adults started tearing down camp. This is the part I dislike about camping...I mean we did just set it up.

The plan was to head down to the lake and let the kids play in the water and the sand. It was more like mud! Normally, I would have taken full advantage of being at the lake (which is somehting I love) but they had been letting all of the water out the dam so they could do some repairs on the dam. This once huge lake was disappearing and the water didn't seem so fresh and clear.

So I watched from the beach.

There was so much mud/clay that the kids would run and dive on their bellies and slide for a few yards. I think Jeslynand Tel had the most fun!

And here is the proof!

Jes would get so muddy and then go out and swim and wash it all off and then do it again! Silly girl. I am glad that she had fun.

Clay hated the mud bewtween his toes and didn't much care for the water either.

The camping trip ended with a picnic on the beach. While eating lunch, Jes felt a little uncomfortable and decided to take a peek down her swimming suit and to her surpirse...a minnow was inside, which of course was now dead! Oh, yuck! It was funny but disgusting! We still tease her about it.