A Much Anticipated Camping Trip

The girls have been asking to go camping since January. When I looked at the forecast on Monday and saw that it was going to be 70 degrees by Friday, Mara asked if she could start packing! (Note the girls' Hello Kitty suitcases, plenty of wood for campfires, and the four inch think foam pad on the bottom that Jedd brought especially for me - his pregnant wife who gets sore hips at night. I actually slept well!)

We went to Lake Mary Ronan State Park, just 25 miles south, and found this secluded campsite. When we got there, Mara said, "There are so many trees; that's weird". I responded, "That's because we are in the forest". Mara said, "We are? . . . Are there bears?!"

We arrived around 5:30, started the fire for roasting hot dogs and brats, and set up the tent. I think it would be fair to say that we all experienced a bit of euphoria. We definitely have two little campers on our hands!

The girls received these cute red chairs from the neighbor kids for their birthday. They were so happy to have their own chairs to scoot around the campfire.

We spent several hours by the lake throwing rocks, resting, and watching the boats come in and out. I think the girls found all the action at the boat lift very exciting - a truck backing up with a trailer pulling a boat and suddenly seeing the boat floating in the water and a few minutes later, speeding across the lake.

Love Sonna's face!

Roasting marshmallows for Smores! Mara LOVES fire. She was always poking it with a stick or adding a small evergreen branch to watch the sudden flames.

Jedd made us eggs and sausage for breakfast! It was a three course meal: cereal first, then sausage and eggs, followed by more Smores. We were on a mini-vacation.

So happy.

Mara doesn't go on any trip without her Word Finds!

At the boat launch (which doubled as a jungle gym).

We were gone less than 24 hours, but it sure felt like a 'get away'. After packing up our campsite, we drove 10 miles further south to check out another State Park on Flathead Lake where the girls could swim the next time we have a camping overnight. Maybe next weekend?