camping trip #1 and 4th of july

Thursday. James and the boys went up to Kayak Point with Mom, Dad and Leah. They got everything all set up by the time I arrived straight from work. We had meat and veggies for dinner cooked on the camp stove, made plastic bag ice cream and got dirty at the campsite (well a few of us did). It was unusually warm for camping in Seattle, I liked not getting wet or being freezing.

James teaching Greyson how to be a MAN

The BFF cousins sitting still for once

Aidan can get more dirty than any other kid I know, it doesn't bother him


Shaking their ice cream

After shaking this is what you get

Then you dig in, Grey's turned out a little salty, but he still ate it

Of course Dad made his all fancy

Oh, look at that face

On our walk back from the flushies, James would rather camp in the wild, but not I

My boys

Friday. We hung at the Beach most of the day. I even got in the water, its been years. I actually had fun though and it was the best way to stay cool. Natalie and Clara came for lunch and shortly after Rob and Steph arrived. It was a lazy, perfect day.

They made a pirate ship

Arrr!

On our voyage

Leah was so brave

Clara just chilled/cried

Both little girls crashed

Poor Leah was out of it the rest of the day, she got a little too much sun

Just when I thought we were almost dry and clean for the night...

Thank heaven for little boys

Back up at the campsite, Dad made Dutch oven chicken and rice and peach cobbler for dessert. We ate smores again and since everyone was exhausted we went to sleep pretty early.

Clara's first camp out

We brought our picnic table from home, very smart

Since they're boys they found a tree to climb on and

pretended to be dead and

took turns playing "pet" (Grey is hold a string that is tied to Aidan's wrist)

Natalie bought the biggest marshmallows, not that good but cool

Look at that technique

Grey eating a monster smore

Strawberry sticky goodness

Leah took a bite or 2 and I got the rest! That's how I like to make smores (have someone else do all of the work)

Saturday. Happy 4th of July. We woke up early and packed up camp since we'd (the Quigleys) be going home at the end of the day. Then we joined the party that was already going on down at the beach. We ate lots of food, played in the water, James played volleyball, we visited with friends and family and enjoyed our freedom. I love Independence Day!

Too cute, I love being "matchy-matchy"

Isn't it so pretty?

These two...they are trouble makers, they have to have everything the exact same

Best buds but can drive each other (and all of us crazy)

See what I mean? TROUBLE

This is how Clara spent most her first major holiday

Stephanie copied her

Aunt Susan and Uncle Eric came with Grandma Jackie (G.G.)

I love this one

Almost there, its a big deal to pass Grandma Jackie, but fairly easy to do

Mark and Amy (up from Arizona) coordinated their chocolate outfits

The other Washington Quigleys came too

Arren played kayak tour guide

Ammon Shaw

Jaedyn Quigley

Andrea and Liz (Sam came too,but I didn't get a picture of him)

We were so tired after all of the festivities we came home did a few fireworks in the street, watched a movie and went to bed

Watching things get blown up was a perfect way to end such a great weekend