Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camping. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Memorial Day Weekend "Camping"

For our usual holiday weekend camping trip, we had planned to go to a treehouse campground. The Gjerde's arrived the night before we did and called us the next morning to say they weren't staying and we should come to their house instead. Their cabin had been infested with carpenter bees and the campground didn't have a lot of area for the kids to play. So we headed to their house with the promise that we could sleep in their new camper.

When we arrived Saturday, we all headed out to Harper's Ferry.

The first thing we saw were weapons and the kids were all fascinated with descriptions of the different weapons and clothing.



We also listed to information about the history of Harper's Ferry and watched some muskets being shot off.





All the kids hanging out in John Brown's fort.




The kids checking out the water and the goose family.



Looking out over the  Shenandoah River.




Crossing the river next to a train bridge.



On the other side under the train bridge.


While we were on the other side, a train came by. Lily G counted the cars, I think it was about 140.



A view of Harpers Ferry from across the river.


Walking back over the bridge, Lily H told me she had gathered rocks for the Guatemalans, and they were all going to throw them over the bridge together. Rudy had to be called back because he was running way ahead but he willingly went along with it.


Charlotte and Ashton were best buddies this day.


A beautiful church.

Jefferson Rock- it was quite a climb to get up here but the views were great!



Rudy checking out the rocks.


Lily G and the view

The church from the lowest part of town.


The next day we took a short hike near Kim and Olav's house.




We found a frog (next to the water bottle).


These two boys, without planning, dressed the smae for 2 out of 3 days this weekend.


Boys and water and sticks

After lunch we headed to Cunningham Falls Park. We took a trail to the waterfall.




The beautiful falls.

Monday, September 7, 2015

Killens Pond Camping

Rudy and I spent Labor Day weekend camping with the Gjerde's in Delaware at Killens Pond.

When we arrived Friday night, we took a hike and had some beautiful pond views.




The kids found a dock to walk on.


And Rudy had to check out the water.


Jumping from the dock was great fun.



Ashton on the steps.





Siblings on the dock.


Saturday we headed to the water park.


I just missed getting Rudy.


Lily off the slide.


Trying the lily pads.





After the water park we hiked over to the nature center on the other side of the pond.


Years ago we took a picture here on this log.





Relaxing at the Nature Center.


Checking out the paddle boats.





After dinner we went on a hayride. The kids are always miles ahead of us.


Love Rudy and Ashton's faces!

Me and my boy

Boys being boys


The little speck in the distance is Olav running to get to the hayride.



Friends.

Sunset over the trees





On Sunday we decided to rent some boats- a paddle boat for Olav and the kids and a canoe for me and Kim.


We got Olav and the kids set up, waved good-bye and set out on our canoe.



In no time out boat looked like this. (Lily and Rudy both decided they wanted to be in the canoe, so we met at a dock and switched off.)


Then we found another dock and my view looked like this- Rudy in front rowing.



And we went to a dock again to switch everyone around to look like this- Lily in front and me in back.


After boating, we had lunch and hung out at camp for a while. The kids played in the dirt because, why not?



Then we headed back to the water park.









After dinner we walked down to the playground for a while.







These first ones turned out too dark, but near the playground are some great climbing trees, so all the kids spent some time doing that (Lily gets the award because she did it in a long skirt!)














Monday morning was pack up and leave time. The kids went to the playground for a while on their own while we started packing.
Rudy wanted to show some things to Lily before we went.


Then it was time for the usual pictures.
The whole (much smaller this time) gang.


Gjerde family


Silly version

Me and my too-tall boy.



Silly version

The Guatemalans ("pretend you don't like each other")




"Okay, now pretend you like each other"



The kids

The boys


And ending with a perfect photobomb from Lily.