"This is CAMPING!!!"

That was my favorite memory of our camping trip last weekend...Max was so excited about everything when we were talking about it beforehand. It was a 3-hour car ride out to the coast and so some of the excitement had waned by the time we got there and he just wanted to get out of the car. We finally arrived and while Tyler and I were setting things up Max was running around like a mad man. He kept squealing and telling us what he saw. It was very cute. Then he runs over to me, throws both hands up in the air and says (in a most excited, emphatic voice), "Mom, THIS IS CAMPING!" Throughout the weekend he would come up to me and say (in a very sweet voice with a bit of a laugh to it), "Mom, love fire" and "Mom, love tent" and "Mom, love ocean". As you've gathered, camping was a hit for the little dude.We went to the COOLEST place! Kalaloch Campground. It was so, so beautiful (that's right, folks, all of the above pictures were from our trip, taken on our little digital camera). The campground was right off of the beach. Our site didn't overlook the ocean, but was just across the road from the ones that did. We heard the ocean all night. Man, Heavenly Father has created such a beautiful world! It was incredible. The trees and greenery were all spectacular. We wished it had been about 5-10 degrees warmer, but we still had great weather. The kids did well sleeping in a tent, Ty is well on his way to becoming a pro at the dutch oven (he made the best cornbread I've ever eaten!) and we are definitely going to be a camping family. I think some of our fellow campers thought we were a little nuts for bringing such tiny people (we got several "You're so brave!" comments)...but I think this is the EASIEST time to take our kids camping! Next summer may be a little crazier since Kelly will just be walking. Anyway, here are a "few" :) pictures of our super successful camping trip:

I got a kick out of this sign...look closely and you can see the bikini-clad lady and her family fleeing the ferocious beach logs in fear of their lives. As you can see, we weren't nearly as afraid as that poor family. :)

We went for a "hike" along the beach on Friday. This older gentleman and his dog approached us to let us know that there was a seal on the beach! He thought that we might want to show our little guy. It was just hangin' there, pretty far from the water. So cool to get that close!




The highlight for Max was digging in the sand with his shovel and pail from the dollar store. Gotta love these low-maintenance kids!

Dad & Son

Mom & Daughter

Warming up in the car...mom's decision. I don't want to feel super cold if I don't have to!

Sunset....

I called this the "animal tree". Doesn't it look like some great creature from a Dr. Seuss book?

Tyler serenaded us around the fire and lulled Max right to sleep...

Kiddos around the campfire

Ty has some mad pancake-flipping skills I never knew about until this trip!

HUGE, gnarly cedar tree








On the way home we stopped at the HOH Rainforest. It was so, so incredible! It looks like a place that has been preserved from the beginning of time. We took a short hike through it and want to go back and do some more exploring there.

"I'm glad that I live in this BEAUTIFUL world Heavenly Father created for me!"