Camping

We love that we can be in the wilderness just a few minutes from our house. We decided a long time ago that we would reserve a site at the campground up the canyon just fifteen minutes or so from our house so that we could get some more time out in our tent trailer. I'm glad we had set aside the weekend or we would have found some reason that we couldn't go. We have been so busy lately, especially Matt, and so tired and overwhelmed lately, especially me, that we really needed some time away with no responsibilities or to-do lists. It ended up raining most of the weekend, but we didn't care. We didn't do much of anything but rest, talk, cook dutch oven food, snack, play in the rain (Matisyn), chop fire wood (Matt), snuggle with Emilyn (me), sleep (Emilyn, and the rest of us too!), play in the dirt and gravel (Matisyn), enjoy the view and the sound of the river (Matt and me), look for worms (Matisyn), sit by the fire, roast marshmallows and starburst, and make smores. What a busy, lazy weekend! We needed it!

Thank goodness for the cover, here we are huddling under it by the fire

Look at that cute face! I'm loving all the smiles these days. Emilyn really took to camping right away. She slept well, ate well, and was all around a pretty happy baby while we were away. She loved looking around at the rocks and trees and things, and we think she liked the white noise of the river rushing by us.


Yuck and soaked are the words that come to mind. Matisyn and Chase were loving playing in the pouring rain, digging in the gravel and searching for worms. Dallin was helping them pick them up. Matisyn was so proud, she kept running over and showing us each one she found. There were a billion out all over with the rain. This is where my little princess turns into snakes, and snails, and puppy dog tails!


Matisyn spent lots of time "helping" Daddy, which meant running around in the rain and then coming and sitting next to him in her chair while he chopped wood!






Matt was so proud of all his kindling. He needed to find something to do with all his free time, so he chopped lots of wood and then built a cabin to start a fire for dinner. . . so manly!



Sleepy Girls! Emilyn actually slept better than she ever has the first night. She slept 7 hours in a row, 11-6, and it was pretty cold. I, of course, woke up anyway since my body was used to feeding her much more often, but it was still nice to know she could do it. There's hope for the future! The second night was really, really cold and she woke up more. I had to put her in my sleeping bag with me for awhile to make sure she was warm enough. We have had such weird weather, it doesn't seem like June with how much rain, wind and cold we have had. Anyway, I slept better than I ever have camping, I'm sure because I've been so tired. Matt and Matisyn are great sleepers all the time, and also slept good, but I think I realized Matisyn talks in her sleep which was funny to listen to her shout things out in the middle of the night!




The Peppers were also camping near us. Matisyn loved having the boys to play with and it was fun to cook and talk with Jana and Joey. We had some good campfires and yummy smores both nights. Since Matisyn loves treats so much she was real happy with the roasting!

Princess on the potty! Matisyn did really well on the trip with her potty training. She only had one accident and that was when she was napping and we forgot to put a pull-up on her for sleeping time. It helped to have our new little potty in the tent trailer. It was just her size! For the most part she has mastered it, but some days she just gets busy playing and forgets. Sometimes she asks to put a pull-up on which I don't understand, but I think she just wants to protect herself from an accident. She still goes on the potty when she has one on, but I'm afraid it will make her too comfortable and she'll start forgeting, so I'm trying to win those battles. All in all, I'm proud of her for catching on so fast, since she decided it was time, she's done really well.