First camping trip of the season!

Memorial Day is and has always been a camping/fishing weekend for my family. Rain or shine. Erica finds it difficult to pack up and head camping whilst it is raining. It rained all day Saturday and Sunday until about 4:00. After that it turned out to be an enjoyable day and a half. It used to be a big family affair with my grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Nobody really came this year, even Dad had stuff going on so he couldn't come camp. It was just the brothers. I love my brothers, and although it is extremely difficult with children sometimes to go camping (especially in the rain) I had a fantastic time. There is just something about being in a forest by a river.

Here is one example of difficult children. As I was packing I could only find three pairs of socks for McKinley, the rest were probably stuffed under the back seat in the van, under her bed, under the couches, or some other random place. She gets out of the car and starts running around through the tall, wet grass in her tennis shoes, after being told to put her rain boots on. Pair of socks #1 now soaked. Rain boots now on. Time to go walk through puddles deeper than her boots are tall. Pair of socks #2 now soaked, as well as having wet boots the rest of the time. It's almost funny how as much as you try to keep children dry and warm, they seem to want to be wet and cold. Notice I said almost funny, meaning it is not funny.

We had a good time though. We took the boats out on Monday and have a good day. The fishing wasn't great but we did catch a few.

Enough talking. Let's look at some pictures. I'll leave a spot at the bottom for Erica to add any comments she sees fit.

Jamison jumping over the river that drained off the tarp while it rained.

Fish!!!

McKinley's first driving lesson. We all survived.

Erica and Baby Reagan caught a couple fish. See this one in the boat?!

Gavin was navigating Cold Springs while McKinley rowed with an oar.

Men-folk fishing

McKinley had fun too. How can you not have fun while riding in a boat called the 'Puddle Jumper'?!