Our Annual Visit with Mother Nature

We got back yesterday from spending three days camping and fishing in the canyon behind our home. It took us 10 minutes to get up to the campground and an extra minute or two, to reach the lake. Quinnie-boy, who went home after the first night because of illness, and the Moeai family joined us. The scenery in the canyon is breathtakingly beautiful and the weather was unbelieavably gorgeous and the fishing was pretty good. They weren't kidding when they said fishing is a sport of patience and luck because Joseph and Elias caught seven (I think), Scott and Anson each caught their first and only and I'm not sure how many Evan caught. Luck was definitely not on the girls and the little ones side. First time campers, Malianna and Isaac did well in the great outdoors, although Ofa and Isaac slept in her Suburban and Malianna, Dallin and I slept in my Yukon XL (we joined the rest of my family in the tent on the last night and it was nice and cool). My kiddos had a great time collecting bugs, playing in the tiny brook on our site, making ice cream in baggies, going on nature walks, talking story around the campfire, roasting marshmallows and making s'mores and thanks to the Moeai's, we learned and loved roasting Starburst candy (don't knock it til you try it). I think the only thing my boys didn't like were the very cold "spicket-showers." However, Scott, the girls and I, came home and took warm showers. ;)
As for the meals (as if you were even interested)... :)
This year was the first time we didn't have our traditional family dinner of Scotch eggs, but we were happy with what was on the menu which to my hubby's delight, did not consist of your ordinary camp stew or roasted hot dogs. Instead we had campfire spaghetti bake, green salad, Joseph's pork chops, french bread and Ofa made dutch oven pineapple upside down cake (it was so good), the first night. The next morning, we woke up to Scott's sausage and pancakes, while Ofa and Elias made ham and eggs. For lunch, we had egg salad sandwiches and chips and then for supper, we had hamburgers, hot dogs, green salad and trout that the boys caught that day. The following morning, we ate french toast, bacon and cantaloupe and then we went back to the basics... pb&j sandwiches with fruit for lunch. Being that it was our last night there, we had a camp feast of b-b-q pork steaks, sweet corn-on-the-cob (which took 3 hours to cook over the campfire), rice, hamburger soup, sourdough bread, watermelon, and potato salad (the potatoes took 6 hours to cook over the campfire). Mark and Ofa's friend Joelle, and her children, along with Mark's parents and brother, joined us for dinner. The dinner was delish and the company was fabulous. I should mention that Tiani, Lynne and Deuce were great dishwashers and all the children were awesome in gathering kindling and firewood. Thanks kiddies… I love you all!