I Might Be Warming Up to the Whole Camping Thing...

So.  A few months ago Brett planned a family camping trip.  I said yes for the kids sake.  I don't love camping.  But Brett convinced us it was a great camping spot and everyone else was going (except Abilla's obviously because they're in Tennessee now) so we went too.  It was a lot of fun!  Yes, I just admitted that sleeping in a tent surrounded by filthy children was fun!  The fun started after the first night.  The first night was pure torture.  Let me tell you:

Mack got woken up and wouldn't go back to sleep.  He was crying and waking up everyone within a 5 mile radius I'm sure, so the only option was for him to come into my bed with me.  After a few hours of being kicked, sat on, nose pinched over and over, my adam's apple grabbed repeatedly (even though I don't have an adam's apple- who knows what he was trying to grab), my eyes poked, face and head slapped, mouth covered, etc etc. I started bawling.  It was like trying to sleep with a wild piglet and obviously I was not sleeping.  I don't do well without sleep.  It was like 3am and I hadn't slept at all!  Dave heard my sobs and took the baby even though he did NOT want to be taken.  Dave put him back in his crib and told him to go to sleep.  He continued to cry and then Macey started crying and dramatically yelling at us "how can you just let him cry like that?!?!"  Anyway, long story short Dave held him and bounced him for a loooong time and he finally went back to sleep.  

We were all up bright and early the next morning where I was greeted with a delicious piece of french toast with a birthday candle in it (thanks mom!) and a fun birthday banner (thanks Em!) and some treats from my kids and nephews.  The rest of the day was awesome.  We sat on a gorgeous beach and watched the kids play in the water, swam, canoed, rafted, played bocce ball, ate and chatted with some of my favorite people.  Oh and I even got a nap on the blanket with the sun warming me... I was miraculously left alone for at least 30 minutes.  It was a wonderful day.  That night we went to a super yummy pizza place for my birthday dinner and then walked along the water for awhile.  Seriously I don't know what I would have done here for my bdaythat would have been better (maybe would have gotten a shower) but it was a great day!

Now onto a small sample of pictures from the trip (haha):

We also celebrated my dad's 60TH BIRTHDAY!  We all chipped in and got him a range finder (some golf gadget that I don't understand).  Then we all took pictures with him.  Here he is with just the in-laws- so random and funny.

Here he is with his childrens (minus Angie and Kaley).

Bennett and Wyatt being silly.

Mack and Miles being buddies.

My most favorite part of camping was watching Mack wander around the wilderness.  He was so quiet and content to wander and gather sticks.  Occasionally he would touch a tree and say "woooow."  Or crouch and play with dirt.  But he loved being in the forest and I loved watching him roam.

In this photo above, he spotted me spying on him from behind a tree.  He promptly held his stick up and made a shooting noise.  He shot me.  His own mother.  With a smile on his face.  Boys.

Another highlight was obvs smores.  Who doesn't love all you can eat smores?!?!

Our tent.  

Mack sleeping in the tent.  Please notice the cot on the left.  That is my bed.  Dave borrowed a super sweet cot for me to sleep on- it was amazing.  I will never camp again without a cot.

Who hung their underwear up in the middle of camp?  Sheesh.

The adults.  Julie and I have matchy shirts!

The kids spent a lot of time carving sticks into weapons.

Mack just digging in the dirt!  This was taken the first day- when he was still relatively clean.

The babies.  Who are now not really babies anymore (SOB)

cousins!

This is where I wish we had stayed- how gorgeous is this home right on the lake!  My dream!

Tahoe is so pretty it's just crazy.  I could sit and stare at it all day long.

My boyfriend.

Emily and her boyfriend.

Mr Coops!

Lexi loves Grandma and Grandpa

Mace and Wyatt swimming!

Baby boys- both with an adorable space in their front teeth.

Miss Mace

Macky and Grandpa

Me and Dave, my love.  Here I am officially 34.

Walking and running along the water.

Love Mack's cankles and Miles with his 90's jeans laughing so hard!

Mack LOVES his uncle Dustin so much- it's adorable.

Me and my girlfriends.  Where was Logan?  Just off in the woods the whole time.

Me and my Dad's birthday banner- thanks Em!  

Macky also LOVES his uncle Landon.  It melts me.

oh, just gatherin' some sticks and dirt!  Don't mind me!

Pure Beauty.

Babies in a boat

Julie and Miles playing in the sand.

Hotness.

The men canoeing.  Did they kick Landon out for some reason?!

My birthday celebration.

Lexi asked my mom to help her make me an apron for my birthday.  They worked so hard on it and I love it- it was so sweet of her to want to make me something.  And so nice of my mom to help her!  Thanks you two!

My delicious birthday dinner.  I could go for some more right now.

My birthday date.

Me and my sisters (missed you Ang and Kays!)

And that is the end.  If I never print these pictures at least they're here on my blog and let's just hope this blog lasts forever!

Also, someday I want to buy a house in Tahoe.  I'm going to start saving right now.