Camping 2009

I haven't blogged much about our camping trips this year, so I figured I would sum it all up in one big blog. We didn't go on too many, but I thought they were worth mentioning.

Stevenson Family Reunion - Mountain Green, Love's Cabin June 19-20

Here is Rob and Anisten jammin out at the reunion ("we are fam-i-ly"). It was our first overnighter in the trailer with the girls. All I gotta say is we were all pretty tired the next day. It was fun to see all the fam though and the cabin/area was beautiful.

Here's my cousin Camie and I with the new babes. Just a couple weeks apart. Can you guess who's older? (It's Aivree)

Payson Lakes - Hall Family Reunion, June 30-July 2

Rob and Anisten fishing down at the lake. Okay, so Ani isn't really fishing, but she had fun chasing butterflies.

Anisten teaching cousin Emma ring around the rosies.

Rob holding a sleepy Aivree

There was a slight downpour while we were there one day and so of course Anisten found the puddles afterward. I tried to tell her to stay out of the water but for some reason she just couldn't (wouldn't) hear me. I finally took April's advice and stopped watching. It's only mud and she had a great time.

White shoes + muddy puddles =

A surprised :) and happy Aivree hanging out in the stroller. She did really good for her first camping trip.

Browne Lake - Annual camping trip with the Stevenson/Maxfield fam, July 29 - August 1

The first night we were up there poor Anisten got sick. She woke up at about 11:30 pm and was all stuffed up and couldn't breathe. Needless to say it was a long night for all of us (except Aivree slept through it somehow - which is more than I can say for the next two nights). The next day she still wasn't feeling well and had a stomachache besides, so this is what she did to pass some of the time. Hanging out in the trailer reading her library books. She was so looking forward to this trip too. For weeks before we left she would say everyday "Guess what? We're going camping!" She started feeling better the second day, but I think her best day was the day we left. She still had a great time though and was very sad when we had to leave.

Ani was so tired one day that she just fell asleep in the my mom's arms. It was like 5 pm in broad daylight. She hasn't done that in sooo long so it was pretty obvious how tired she was.Here's Aivree blowing bubbles

Anisten is so lucky to have a swing at home under the deck, but she was even luckier to get a swing up camping too (thanks to Grandpa). She spent much of her time here.

Here's our "rock star" Aivree. Poor thing hates the sun and that's kind of hard to avoid in the great outdoors so I had the brilliant idea to put these sunglasses on her. I think they were more stylish then anything. She was a hit.
Aivree hanging out in the playpen. She was so good to just play with her toys and "talk" and smile to everyone who stopped by to say hello.

Rob fishing at Spirit Lake

One of the days we were able to go on a 4 wheeling ride with all the couples (except Brandon and Aimee who graciously stayed behind to watch the kids) up to a natural spring in the mountain. I can honestly say that I have never been on a ride like this! It was a little scary and crazy but a lot of fun. Here we all are (it's kind of hard to see all five 4-wheelers) lined up at a tough spot in the trail.

Rob and I at the natural spring that comes straight out of the mountain. We even drank the water and it was great. Nobody is sick yet, so I think we're good. It was so beautiful and peaceful up there.

The whole group that went on the adventurous 4 wheeling ride

Sitting around the campfire singing, laughing and eating :)

And this is what I got to look at on the ride home :) So cute

I love camping and I always look forward to camping trips, but this year was a bit different for me. I found it a little hard with the kids as young as they are and Rob's gone fishing and I'm still getting up a couple times a night with Aivree (and Anisten as well). Sometimes it seems a little more like work than a vacation. Not only that, but Anisten is a completely different person when she doesn't get her sleep (which she rarely gets on camping trips) so that's always fun to deal with. Sometimes it's just not that fun. But, I know these years won't last forever and my kids will grow up loving to camp because we're going on these trips, so I guess in the end that is what matters. Building memories.