Camping Trip

Last time we went camping, M was a baby.  We entirely skipped GQ.  This weekend we decided to repent and get going.  Everybody had a great time.

For dinner we had tacos that I made at home.  I didn't feel ready to depend on making the whole "cooking on the fire" thing work.  Remember, I am not used to being the grown-up when it is camping time.  (This may also be why we arrived without a single flashlight... thank goodness for "flashlight apps.")  I also thought I should have brought a tablecloth - especially since a Daddy Longlegs colony had set up shop under the table. 

Luckily our tent is big enough for the pack and play to go camping too.  Since that is all Baby S sleeps in anyway, he felt right at home and slept like a champ.  (We have not yet convinced GQ that he doesn't want to sleep in his crib.)

E quickly set to orchestrating activity story-time for all the kids.  Are we surprised?  They also played tag, follow-the-leader, and house.  Their ultimate, favorite activity was playing in the tent and jumping on the sleeping bags.

We had a hard time finding firewood.  While we searched, E remarked "It's okay, I'm sure I'll have a smore someday."  This was said in an entirely un-okay tone.  Luckily, we found some and we all got to make some smores.  M, of course, did not like them.

I should have remember to take a photo in the morning.  GQ was asleep horizontally on E's pillow and M was all the way down at the bottom sleeping on top of GQ's sleeping bag.

Taking a nap in the morning:

Around camp:

Wahoo!!!

Dress-up

The girls enjoyed playing dress-up at Young Women's:

GQ found a cowboy hat he was pretty sure made him Woody, but I missed getting a picture of that.

Two Years Down

This week Justin had his "review".  Pretty much this is where the faculty gets to tell you how they think you're doing on you PhD program.  What fun!  Afterward we went out to dinner to celebrate two years done.  That was fun.  Outside the restaurant was a lake/park that the kids had fun finding dead fish in.

"Look, Mom, a dead fish!!!"

"I see it too!!!"

And a good old-fashioned comparison photo... since I am apparently obsessed with them.

Cute Swing Photos

(Apparently Meg doesn't swing)

At the Park

Bald baby getting swung by sister:

Boy with a stick:

Funniest face ever, even if it is fuzzy:

Check out that hair.  We've got to get this kid some Rogaine!

It's true, GQ is pretty much always whining these days.  But we still love him.

Hello!

I am a cute, fat, balding baby.

And if you get too close, I will eat you!

M's Fashion Statement

Justin took this picture of M.  He really enjoyed her outfit.  Although this clothing is rare enough.  Usually M wears leotards and tights at our house.  I always think we're running out, but when I tell her the current set is dirty she quickly finds another dance outfit to wear.

Of course, once she was in a picture the other kiddoes had to be in some pictures too.

Omaha

It was the week before the performance, and I was feeling a little stir crazy.  Or just crazy.  Anyway, we had been planning on "sometime" in the summer going to either Omaha, St. Louis, or Chicago (yes, we are exactly in the middle of nowhere) with some funds we had earned swabbing our throats for staph.

So, at about 3:00 pm on Friday we decided to go to Omaha for the weekend.  It was such a fun trip because I did not have to plan or prepare.  We just escaped.  And if I forgot to pack something... oh well, of course I forgot to pack something when I had to get five people's stuff together in 30 minutes.

The kids loved the car ride because they got to watch movie after movie after movie....

Justin drove the whole way because I am a slacker.

And I took a picture of myself to prove I was there.

Driving into Omaha we saw that at least some of us were expected:

Waiting in the lobby of the fancy smancy hotel - we decided to go to a little nicer hotel so we could enjoy the pool.  The kids thought this might actually be a pool.  I said it wasn't, but when Justin came to fetch us after checking in - he told them it was.  I told him to watch out or GQ might jump in.

M is in fact wearing a leotard.  She wears them every day.  If I tell her to get dressed in real clothes she puts the real clothes on top.  This is a nightmare when it comes to pottying in an emergency, and we have consequently had several accidents lately.  Now she can only wear a leotard if she was accident-free the day before.

Sleeping on the bed.... How many times can you say "don't touch me"????  Several.  GQ was the last to fall asleep and spent about 30 minutes kicking the headboard.  I'm sure you wish you were our hotel neighbors.

Don't forget the mummy:

We went swimming early Saturday morning since my kids enjoy waking up at the crack of dawn.  It was really nice though, because we had the pool to ourselves. (Except for the lap-swimmer who we scared away).  In the pool:

Unfortunately, my children are very much related to me.  They were quite frightened of the water.  M preferred the hot tub - no surprise there.

The next day we went to the zoo. 

I don't have very many pictures there because I was running out of batteries in my camera.  Hey, I didn't know I was going on vacation, remember?

I think Justin thought he was going to be in this picture:

Thinking of Cousin Samson on his mission.  Do you see a resemblance?

And, finally, we visited the Mormon Trail Center (thanks Elisa for guiding us all the way from Utah).

Luckily they had free cookies, because we were starving by then. 

What a fun family trip!  From now on I think I'll save money and then wait for the trip-bug to bite me.  It was much more fun this way.