Camping 2014

I survived three days of camping.  While I have been camping as a kid, the last time I camped was with some friends in Midland just before Alan and I moved to Fort Worth for the first time.  I did not enjoy roughing it.  It was July and I managed to freeze in the mountains of Ruidoso, New Mexico during the night time.  I was miserable!  I had to buy some Indian blankets the next day in town just to stay warm at night.  I love the outdoors but roughing it, is not fun to me.

A year ago I was with my High School choir in New York City.  I really thought I had the better end of the deal while my family went with my in-laws camping.  My kids told me how much fun they had and that I needed to go with them next time.  Well, I tried to think of ways NOT to go this year.  I was hoping rehearsals for Peach Festival would interfere with the camping trip.  It did not!  I finally gave in because my kids assured me that Nana and Papa's camper has an air conditioner, which is really important to me ever since I had chemo.  I am almost always hot now.

I actually not only survived, but actually enjoyed it.  We went hiking through the hills of Llano State Park, swimming and tubing down the Llano River.  We enjoyed a lot of great food such as hamburgers, steaks, hot dogs and of course S'mores.  We saw some of the most beautiful birds I have ever seen in the wild. We saw deer at our camp sight and on our hikes and I even stumbled on an armadillo on one walk back to camp. On one hike, we came across small lake, green grass and tall shade trees....just beautiful and Peaceful.  I even sat down on the grass and took it all in.  We gazed up at the stars at night and sat around the camp fire.  My Mother In Law even suggested that we may need to make this a yearly tradition..............I did not cringe when she said that.

Anna helping setting up the camper

Andrew helping leveling the camper

Had to celebrate the Spurs!!!

On our hike up a big hill!

On top of the hill

Anna and I beat Alan and Andrew....how did that happen?

Anna recording what she is experiencing and seeing in the State Park journal for others to see.

Bird Blind

The hill we were on

The Bird area

There were many opportunities to talk about God and His creation during our hikes and I did!

We played Yahtzee and Clue.

Buck Lake

More of Buck Lake

Camp Sight

Where we started tubing or where we swim

The fall was fun!

 

While I was a little apprehensive about camping I have to say that I am willing to try it again.  I am thinking the beach, since it is my favorite place to be.  More importantly, we made more memories and spent quality time as a family.  

Summer Fun

Wow!  We have been out of school less than two weeks and have done more together as a family than we have the past two summers.  Two years ago, I spent most of my summer in bed, my bedroom or at the cancer clinic.  Hard to have family time when you are under going chemo. Last year, we were busy preparing to move South.  So again, hard to have FUN with the family when packing up a house and NOT looking forward to leaving a place we have grown to love.  Most of the time I spent preparing Andrew and Anna for public school and the mindset to have.

We started summer with a trip to the beach, Alan has grilled several meals and we have eaten outside in our beautiful backyard and yes, the cows are still around. The kids have been swimming, we have gone to a couple of "Spurs" watch parties, and we have had dinner and a movie night as a family.  We spend a lot of time as a family when we go to church in San Antonio.  We have even had a "few" stay in our pajama days and just rest as a family.  We have gotten out old board games that were mine as a kid and played.  Our new family favorite is "Clue."  We have baked cookies, cakes and tried out new recipes.  Today, we are going to make ice cream.

We have many, many more events planned for the summer.  Some big and some small.  Most importantly, we are making memories that will last.

Swimming before the Spurs game at some friends house in Kenedy

I saw Andrew pushing Anna.......I thought it was so sweet.