The great outdoors!

So we were heading out to the mountains for a night of camping and when we pulled into Costco's parking lot to fill up out tank with gas;

what we saw was photo worthy...

Check out our gas prices!

Who would have thought that we would get excited about gas prices under $4.00?

Off we go straight East to the mountains of Heber and we got to our camping spot and we decided to set up our "Home Sweet Home" for the night.

The kids were so excited to watch the tents go up for this was the first time that any of our kids had gone camping.

Here is how we spent Friday afternoon:

The "Dads" took the older kids on a hike to find the "lookout" tower and each kid wanted to get their picture at the top...
...and even Kenzie wanted to show off to the boys that what ever they can do, she can keep up with them even though she is a girl. Kenzie has a good time playing with the boys (Jackson, Braden, Riley, and Johnny) but makes sure we know that "they're just friends."

Dan likes to tease his daughter, but the truth is, no guy will be good enough for his daughter.Here is Friday night: (Doesn't it just scream Kumbaya?)
We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows.

We made "tin foil" dinners.

We darted back and fourth from the smoke.

Laughed. Liza "sang" to her marshmallow "crush" before eating it up...

See how she BURNED the marshmallow, she actually likes it like that and burns it on purpose.

YUCK! if you ask me...Can burned Sugar really taste that good?

I love this picture of Carson; it is how we all felt when Friday night was over.

We wanted to sleep, but I really have to admit that I woke up once in the night and I honestly thought I wasn't going to make it and I would have to get out of the tent and sleep in the car...no it wasn't all the snoring I heard from the "other" tents, but it was that I had never tent camped before, I ALWAYS have stayed in a trailer and I don't like knowing that there are "wild" animals walking around MY tent!

But I am proud to say.........I DID IT!!! I slept in the tent ALL NIGHT!

Here is Saturday morning:

Look at the Carson face in the picture on the bottom: that is what all the kids looked like the whole time. Us moms would wash their hands and faces to watch them fall again to the dirt. It was a never ending task we had to face.

Also, Carson NEVER wore shoes the entire time we were there. I don't know how he could walk on the hard rocks without shoes...maybe it is the hot coals we make him walk on for his discipline when he gets in trouble. These rocks must have been a piece of cake, but he doesn't get that from Dan or Me, we both have baby feet.

We went to the pond and watched the zip line and canoe.

The kids didn't like it, but didn't know the more they moved in the boat, the more the boat would rock. They wanted to be done after one time after going to the other side of the pond.

But guys will be BOYS!

See the guys took the canoe from the kids and wanted to have their own Olympic event:

The teams were Dan and Curtis "Stroke"- Dale and Paul "the OLD men underdogs"- Jeremy and Dustin/Bishop " Cheap Shots"

So the rule was row down to the other side of the pond and go all the way around the rock and row all the way back: first time back was the winner.

Jeremy and Dustin got the Dale and Paul to somehow tip their canoe and the both of them fell out of their boat...thank goodness that was a prequalifing round.

So the REAL race was to begin and to make a LONG race short...the "OLD"men WON!!!! They won the gold. Dan and Curtis took the Sliver and the ones who took the "cheap shot" took the bronze!

Who said that we missed the Olympics while we were gone!?

With the camping trip done and everything finally packed up; (that is a lot of work for just one night) we were heading down the canyon when Delanie and Mackenzie both thank Dan and I for a great camping trip. I guess they really did enjoy the whole camping experience and I have to admit, it was a lot of fun.

Thanks you guys (you know who you are) for putting up with our family's chaos and for a fun ward camping NIGHT. Next one is in our back yard!