Vernon camping trip

Wow how time flies! The end of June through the Fourth of July we went camping out to Vernon reservoir. Its sad to say but thats been the main camping trip of the year. Our time is so limited now we dont get out near as often as we would like. This was a special trip because Dave's sister Amelia and her family were able to come spend a few days with us. They had been in North Carolina for her hubby Andy to go to school to be a Nurse Anesthetist. Andy graduated in May (i think ) and got a job in Twin Falls, ID and had just moved there. We hadn't seen Andy in 1 1/2 yrs and the rest of the family for a year. The kids were so excited to see their cousins Nick and Drew and we were all excited to meet their new addition, Joseph. They had never met Briggs either. It was so nice of them to come and spend some time camping with us. Thanks guys!! Another super cool thing is our friends the Collards came for a few days too. They are great friends and the kids are best friends with their friends so they were in heaven to be out camping, swimming, fishing with your best friend for all day!! We have some of the best friends and family anybody could ask for!

The first morning we were there the kids woke up and went straight to fishing- before breakfast of getting dressed.

Caden caught one of his first fishes ever.

And Kaylee caught her one.

Me, Amelia and the older kids going for a little boat ride. We left the babies at shore with their dads.

Kaylee swimming back to shore after jumping out of the boat

Caden chillin on the shore with a pole in the water eating red vines. That right there is a mini Dave. It cant get any better then that!

Caden giving his fish a kiss

Nick, Caden, and Briggs playing in the dirt

Briggs with his buddy Creedin

The kids with a fish they caught. (minus Nick, he didnt want a picture)

Caden with his "best friend" Corby. He tells me all the time that Corby is his best friend. We can tell by their faces they are having way too much fun!

Briggs with his little cousin Joseph. We were so happy to meet him finally!

Kaylee jumping in

This was the kids favorite thing to do. We would take them out in the boat so they could jump out and swim back to shore. Only to beg to do it again.

Almost there!

Dad and Caden shooting their hansom pink gun.

What a lucky girl to be able to stay up late when all the other kids are asleep to be with your best friend roasting marshmallows

Wow, now that is a face only a mom and dad can love! And boy do we love it!!

Caden would make his own entertainment.

Me, Caden, and Kaylee shooting

Dad and Aspen

Briggs trying to escape the screen door of the camper when we would contain him in there.

Me and the kidos shooting

When we were packing up to leave we gave Caden the left over worms to play with. He loved them- He kinda has an obsession with worms. We looked over and he had put him in the mesh drink holder on the chair and liked to watch them slither through the holes and catch them. Pretty gross, I know.

Briggs loved gnawing on this cob of corn

One night before going to bed, Dave and I went to make sure everything was picked up by the water. When we shined the flashlight in the water there were crawdads that would scatter. So Dave fashioned a net to a stick and we walked the shore line with the flashlight and caught a bunch of them.

So of course the next day we had to boil them up to eat them.

The finished product. YUMMY!!
Actually it wasnt too bad. It was probably the best seafood I've had. Jenn and Dave liked it, but not Darrin so much :)

Captain Kaylee

Silly girls

Our little man, whos not so little anymore.

Kaylee with the cooked crawdads. We couldnt get her to try them. Arlee did and liked them.

wow, he is filthy!

Caden loved to try to split the wood with the hammer. He worked really hard at it.

WATCH OUT!! I think this is just before he hit the log with the hammer and tipped it over and it landed right on his big toe. It hurt him pretty bad and his toe nail was just hanging there and bleeding really bad. We kept telling him to put his shoes on, but what do we know, we are just parents. His toe nail is just barley grown back now and is starting to look normal.

Kaylee trying to dry off and warm up with Arlee

Aspen catching a fish while we were out trolling.

Kaylee netted it for her.

Dave diving in

Then Kaylee

What a good dad!

While Briggs drove us.

Check this out. After the kids are sleeping me and dave would just chill by the campfire with the beautiful view. At that moment life was great- it couldnt get much better. Loved it!

This is how we would contain Briggs while we cleaned up to go home.

Caden building up his courage to bail off the boat.

We had a great time together and with all who came and joined us. Thanks!!! Hopefully when Dave finishes school we can do this much more.