Around the Campfire

We had so much fun around the campfire!  Throughout the day and late into the evening we hung out, swapped stories, and cooked s'mores.  It was a great little trip!  Looking forward to next year!

A Walk In the Woods

One of the times my uncle's family went boating, we decided to take a walk in the woods.  I had a great time looking around and taking pics!

Boating

I didn't spend much time on the boat due to the weather being cooler, and Kylen's size and lack of  experience make tubing pretty challenging for him.  But we still enjoyed going out a couple times.  My cousins, on the other hand, did quite a bit of tubing and knee boarding!

Watermelon Catch

This is a game that involves the simple task of throwing and catching a watermelon, only it's not that simple!  You play until the melon breaks.  They actually stopped before that point, but the melon still met an unfortunate demise when Kylen tossed it on the sand without thinking!

Water Shots

Doesn't this look like some amazing beach in Hawaii or something?  Nope, just a lake in Idaho.  The water is incredibly clear there.  Just gorgeous.

Swimming

Torpedo Greg

Jumping Off the Dock

Kylen Running On Water

My Cousin's Impressive Flip

Splashing

Racing

Chopping Wood

I had no idea what a magnet an ax can be to boys!  My uncle brought a bunch of his own logs so he could keep a fire going practically 'round the clock without a lot of scavenging.  But the logs needed to be split, and the boys were only to glad to help!  Especially, his oldest college-aged son.  Quite the pro!  I'm guessing he's had a lot of practice over the years.  Even when they weren't chopping wood, they were chopping branches for fun.

The Food

I'm always impressed with their setup and grateful that my uncle loves to cook breakfast!  We prepared one dinner and our own lunches, but they did the rest.  Breakfast was huckleberry pancakes one morning and eggs, bacon, and toast the next.  Their dinners were chili dogs and tacos.  We made the same dinner as last year, an oriental noodle and chicken dish.

Camping 2014

When we went camping with my uncle's family at Priest Lake last summer, we decided to make it an annual event.  They stay a week, while we only stay two nights . . . but we cram a lot of fun into that short time!

This year, we actually arrived early enough to put tents up before dark, or at least start on them before dark (unlike last year).

We Made It!!

 

This place wowed us.  An easy 15 minute walk along a trail, and you get a stunning view of God's handiwork. My uncle said that 45 minutes further up, there is another spot where people slide down the rocks into pools. Here, there wasn't enough water flowing for more than a short slide for a young child. That's probably a different story during spring runoff!  Either way, it's a rock climber's paradise.  Back before I had arthritis, I would have loved to keep going up the stream to see what what lay around the bend.

One of Kylen's favorite parts was riding in the back of the truckbed on the way up and back.  There were places so bumpy, I was worried they'd fall out!  The road was poor enough that a car would be challenged, although we did see cars parked at the trailhead (and wondered about the people's sanity who drove them).

My aunt and uncle went out of their way to make this a memorable trip.  They've been camping here each summer for 15 years or so and are well acquainted with the area.  Each day, they presented us with the possibilities, asked what WE wanted to do, and made sure it happened.  From the delicious meals and boating to swimming and hiking, we had a marvelous time.  The only downside was my pesky feet, which got sore faster than expected and made me sound like a nag asking Greg to do everything!

After saying our goodbyes and driving away, they secretly ran to another side of the campground.  We didn't think we'd be getting another glimpse of anyone we knew during our long 2 1/2 hour drive home.  Suddenly, there they were on the side of the road, in a completely unexpected place, waving wildly!  It gave me such a neat feeling.  Almost made me want to turn around and stay another night!

On the Way . . .