Camping!

We got to go camping a few times in August! We had a Boyce family reunion that was starting on Sunday the 8th. So we decided to head up early and just spend time with our little family the Friday before. WE LOVE that David gets every Friday off! Yeah, I know, I am spoiled! Anyway, we headed up the North Cascade Highway on Friday. We had reservations at a campground called Marble Creek. It was seriously in the middle of no mans land. Like the nearest big city was at least 2 hours away. It probably took us a good 6 or so hours to get there. The little town next to it was called Marblemount. It was a super great campsite though. Lots of trees, a river to throw rocks in and lots of exploring!

We started Bridger out on this towel while we got everything unloaded and set up, well let's just say it didn't last long. He crawled (army style) all over and didn't care what was in his way! he was so so dirty this whole trip, but the best part, I didn't even care one second, and neither did he! HE LOVED IT!

Cambree seriously was the best little camper! SHE LOVED EVERY MINUTE of it too!! She was such a good good girl! And proved to be a pro little hiker! She LOVED wading in the FREEZING cold glacier water in the river and throwing rocks! I was worried about her going potty in the biffy's (no flush toilets) But somehow she got in her head that their were rocks in the bottom of the potty so she happily went on "the rocks" every time she had to go! She was scared she was going to fall in so I always had to hold onto her, but she was a trooper! She also LOVED getting as dirty as she wanted! I purposefully packed clothes that I didn't care how dirty or ruined they got. I was not going to be the crazy mom that couldn't have fun because her kids were getting dirty. Let me tell you that was the way to go!

David saw a trail on our way into the camp that he really wanted to hike, so Saturday morning we got up and packed a little backpack of snacks and water and headed out.

Here we are at the start! the Start of it was pretty steep and looked like we were just going to be hiking straight up the mountain. I voiced my concerns to David and he said, "it will level out once we get up just a few more feet"

um yeah, IT DID NOT LEVEL OUT AT ALL! yes, there were switch backs, but it was pretty much a straight up shot!

But we all felt pretty good and kept going, and going, and going! Cambree LOVED it! she was our leader and just kept on hiking to her little hearts content!

I tried to get a picture to show just how straight up and steep it was...but none of them really show it.

the trail was pretty narrow. only one person at a time, and it was covered in rocks and trees. I am surprised none of us tumbled to our death. Thank goodness that did NOT happen!

After a couple of hours of hiking we stopped and ate a little "lunch" it consisted of beef jerky, trail mix, and graham crackers!

We thought maybe we were getting closer to the top when we came to these rocks, but that wasn't the case!

We had to stop and do a few poses!

At this point I was really worried about the hike back DOWN the side of this mountain...but we kept going because a hike sorta seems pointless if you don't make it somewhere...ya know!

Shortly after passing these rocks we passed a seriously hiker. She said hello, and then stated, "wow, you guys have got quite the hiker there, you picked the hardest trail in the whole park!" She was hiking up to spend the night at the lake that was at the park! Apparently even serious hikers don't just turn around and take this trail back down, because it is that hard that they need a day or two in between to rest!!

After we had hiked up for about 3 hours we decided we need to turn around. HOLY COW IT WAS HECK getting back down. It was so steep for Cambree that she could not do it, AT ALL. Like she would have just fallen down the side of the mountain. Plus she said it was hurting her feet, since it was shoving her toes to the front of her little sneakers. SO David ended up Carrying her. Don't forget he already had Bridger on his back! Yeah he was my HERO! How he didn't tumble down the side of the mountain is beyond me. I was Almost in tears behind him because my bad knee WAS HURTING SO BAD! I seriously thought my legs were going to buckle under me. my knees were seriously SHOT! I was SO SO SO HAPPY when I finally saw our car! We all slept GREAT that night! Although, I couldn't walk for the next 3 days! And anytime the ground had the slightest decline I looked like a crazy person trying to move my legs, they hurt so bad!

Sunday morning we packed up camp and headed down to Maple Valley to get a shower at my Aunt and Uncles house before meeting the Boyce Family at Mt. Rainier! Somehow I got no pictures of this reunion, but it was a lot of fun! Cambree ran around with her favorite cousins, aunts, and uncles and Bridger spent the majority of his time in a little outdoor playpen that Meredith brought, it was GENIUS! We played family feud and minute to win it. It was SUPER FUN! We also ate some really great food! and played card games while we watched the mice invade our campsite! We also had a little hike to the grove of the Patriarchs. Again Cambree was the best little hiker, and this one was MUCH MORE pleasant then the mountain side hike! Bridger also proved to be a good little hiker. He would just fall asleep in his pack when he got tired and we hardly even knew he was there. He LOVES being outside! We headed back home on Tuesday, but only made it to Moses Lake so we didn't actually get back home until Wednesday. Just in time to do laundry and head to the Fackrell family reunion on Friday!

The Fackrell reunion was up by Heppner, OR. David's Great Aunt Nella has a private campground up there, that is AWESOME! She told us we could use it whenever we wanted, and I REALLY hope we take her up on that from here on out! I also was really excited to meet the Fackrell side of the family I had only met David's Grandpa and that was really it. So it was REALLY nice when I was able to meet his Grandma and lots of Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. I seriously teared up when we left on Saturday night. Plus it was fun for them to ooohh and ahhh over my sweet kiddos! We ALL made new friends that weekend!

We did Karaoke the first night and it was a lot of fun! I think the boys are singing some sort of Disney song here! Cambree LOVED the microphone! No surprise there!

We at a lot of yummy food, talked for hours on end, and the kids LIVED on the zip line! I barely saw Cambree the entire two days we were there. She made a few friends her age and she was in HEAVEN!

The whole group that was there. (minus a few that showed up here and there)! (you can click to make it bigger)

I am LOVING these next group of pictures. I really wanted some generation pics while David's Grandparent's were here, and these really are the best! MY KIDS LOVED THEM!!

How cute are these two! "a Great Grandpa and his girl!"

There is nothing better then a grandpa's lap!

Four generations of Fackrell's!

All the boys!

Our family

We really did have the best time! I wish we could have camped a few more times as a family, but there is always next year!