As Greg’s paternity leave is coming to an end, I realized, we may not have a chance to take a spontaneous trip for a while! We’ve actually never been on a just-our-family family vacation (we are always visiting someone or with other people) so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get away and enjoy some quality time together before he has to go back to work! I was so sad we had to miss the cousin camping trip a couple weeks ago because I was just so nervous about Abbie screaming all. night. long. and keeping everyone up, so for whatever reason, this seemed more manageable to be just us. I couldn’t wait to smell the fresh air and be in beautiful nature – I just love camping. Naturally, the air smelled like marijuana (the very smell we were trying to get away from ever since our neighbor decided to set up his own little grow house and forever perfume the air with the smell of summer concerts) and the particular site I selected was surrounded by two roads and the noisiest neighbors who enjoyed getting high and having ample amounts of loud daytime tent sex. Ah the joys of family vacations. BUT we made the best of it and although we left a day earlier than planned (Greg caught my cold and new even noisier neighbors moved in ;) making such a decision quite easy), I had the best time with my little clan.

Camping with a toddler looks a whole lot like this:

Oh so helpful ;)

And look at that sweet boy! “And there will be running….!!!”



Greg said the ground was too hard to get those in. This woman of his got them in. I’m still very proud.


All set up! ;)


My husband, man. He’s been jumping on the cooking boat at each place! My kitchen makes me cry and he’s been so sweet to make almost every meal since he’s been off. And then he cooked for us in the wilderness and I just love him so.

They are just the sweetest.

And this is how Greg shows me that Luke’s hungry. “Look he’s eating my finger!” As if babies don’t just love to gum something ;)

So that night commenced with more high, noisy neighbors and the new knowledge that camping is just not the same with kids ;) But then waking up to this snuggle bunny that kept me so warm all night long… we are just in the sweetest time with these babies of ours.
Just lookit him in there! Just lookit!!

Camping really brings out some fabulous ensembles. She’s still just the custest girl :) says her mother.

And that man is the most handsome of mens. Also, so thankful for that bug tent. The bees were loving Luke – one just came down, landed on his nose and bit him for no darn good reason, so I was very happy to have a place to sit with him where we weren’t constantly being chased ;) Poor baby got his first bug bite and didn’t even cry! Bravest little boy :):)


Did you know that my husband was a LIFE SCOUT!? That’s one below Eagle, folks. In case you weren’t up on your scouting ranks…

Our entire marriage, this man has pretended to not know how to build a proper fire. Probably so that I felt really bad ass showing him how to do it. Then this trip came and he whooped my fire making skills. He knew how all along! That guy. (Life scout, let us remember) ;)

Look at Bentley :) “They said there would be running…” ;)


^^We brought her no toys or books. Her hood was her only entertainment.. Good parenting skills, right there.

OH THE JOYS


I can’t even break into this love affair even though I so love him more and feed him and wash him and and and!

And then there’s these two :)

And these two :)

This boy :) He currently has two modes: asleep or fussing. But then sometimes…. SOMETIMES I can get him to smile or catch that cheeky little grin and all the fussing is so worth it :):)

There was also a lake. It was pretty.


Are you sick of seeing pictures of my daughter yet? :)

Cause I clearly can’t stop taking them. It’s a condition.

They have the sweetest little relationship.

And then there’s the other side ;)







And this is how she throws. Because she’s our child. We do not possess the athletic gene.


He looks happy because he came so close to running.


And then there comes the point in the nap where you see this and have to decide if it’s worth wetting the bed because sleep. please. just. sleep. Luckily she slept through putting it back on so POINTS ALL AROUND!

This is his, “mom she’s just putting dirt on me” face. And she was. Heaping it onto his back with a spoon. He’s just the best dog :)

Stellar outfit number two. Socks with sandals. Because someone refused to wear her tennis shoes.

And now for 50 pictures that light up my soul:







The way she looks at her daddy :):) ohhhhh sigh

Not to mention, the way he looks at her :)


We were there too.

Someone is starting to insist on using a big girl cup..

And there were smores… even though no one in this family likes them. Because, camping.

She didn’t seem to hate them.

OK. Those hands, smore, stick-in-hair combo ;) Just look away. Just look away.

And this was quite possibly my favorite part of our short little trip… the coziest rainy morning in bed :):) SO COZY! IT JUST DOESN’T GET MORE COZY!!! I’ve never been camping when it rained (that I remember) so this was verrrryyyy exciting for me :):)

And then there’s Bentley: “They said there would be running…”
I was so excited to take this dog until I found out how very not dog friendly yet another part of California is. So he had to be tied up the whole time. And the dog beach that I remember so vividly, was no more. Poor Buddy. But at least he got a front row seat to all the driving!
Which means yes. I did sit in the back, jammed between two carseats for four hours. It was awesome. Actually it really was. Abbie and I had a mighty fine dance party going on. And Luke slept. HOLLA!

The best part of camping is how good a shower feels when you get home ;) Greg bought us some more wipes for cleaning up while we were up there and after thoroughly wiping ourselves down, we read “use common sense: for stainless steel only. do not use on body” So if we both die anytime soon, now you know why ;) And in other news, IT’S FALLLLLLL!!!!!!

Goodbye summer and welcome welcome Fall!!!!!