Hochstedler Visit

The whole family. Wow, now that I look at the picture, the family doesn't look so big. Somehow it seemed like there were more of us in the house...

The brave early-morning fisherpeople.

Our "camping day." We skipped the sleeping part and just went out for most of the day.



Yes, it rained. So we built a shelter and there I am, trying vainly to dry out some of the clothes.





We had to get out for some poutine!

Ta daa! And here it is! Fries, cheese and gravy. The only way you can improve on this stuff is by sprinkling a little vinegar on it. Yummy!


Some silly late-night fishing. Thanks to Mom and Dad for keeping all the kids!

Snakes, snails and puppy dog tails (and tadpoles).

Last summer Eli swallowed a tadpole. I think he was happily surprised at the rave (grossing out) reviews. He has listened as we've told the story and what began as a simple act, has turned into an act of bravery, toughness and manliness. He was in his heaven surrounded by his cousins. So this was his perfect opportunity to strut his stuff.

Here he prepares his midday snack:

And he swallowed it! Is it truly gone? Yes, it is!

Ah yes, just the response and admiration he was hoping for:
Later in the day, just to prove his "boyness," he swallowed a second tadpole for everyone that had missed it the first time. Next summer, I think we'll make a rule that you can only eat one gross thing per year.


One night the whole family crammed into the living room and played swat. (Took me back to youth group days, though we usually tended to lean toward the games you could hold hands in.) Anyway, Eli was so into it. Excuse me for sounding like such a mother, but it just blessed my heart to watch him. I could identify with the feeling of belonging. I can remember the importance and the security of complete belonging in a group of cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents, the feeling that you have an important place among both the kids and the adults.

My extended family played such a vital role in my growing-up years. They are in so many of my most special memories. I think Kendall experienced the same thing, though his cousins were long-distance and mine were down the road. So, even though we don't live in the same community with any cousins, it has made me really want to encourage those relationships for our kids and make special memories when we're together. I was so happy to see Eli reveling in his extended family.

Hochstedler Visit (continued)

Some artistic shots, thanks to Joelle:


Bannock. Mmm...






Our local zoo (garbage dump). Scary to think these guys are hanging out in the woods around here.


And, the majestic bald eagle. Try to ignore the surroundings.

Kirsten, June 24-July 1

Kirsten came for a week in June. We had fun, made good food, and even made it to the beach a time or two. (Even though I sat there wrapped in a towel over my sweatshirt because I was so cold!)

We took the 4-wheelers out in the MUD. It was messy.


We were hoping to go camping with Kirsten, but the weekend between Kendall's shifts was rainy and cold. So we rented a cabin from friends for a night. We caught fish in spite of the rain and had a delicious "shore lunch." We found cozy inside activities.

Church Campout

Well, we did go camping in spite of the rain.

Friday night when I last posted, we were deciding whether or not to go. Right about the same time we were hoping to leave, it started pouring. I knew the forecast for the weekend was extremely rainy with chances for storms. But I thought that if we could just get there and set up before the rain began, we'd be okay. Once it started raining though, my desire to camp plummeted and I began to experience an intense craving for a popcorn and movie night. And who wants to set up a tent in pouring rain and huge puddles?!

Kendall was right there with me in not being too excited about camping in a torrential downpour. But then he had an idea! Didn't Marvin and Melva have a camper that maybe we could use? He called them and before too long was back at the house with this little guy (photo taken today when it is no longer raining):

So we threw our stuff in and off we went!

The first night was horrible- almost to the point of being funny. The camper kept the rain off of us, but it was damp, sticky, hot (I'm not exactly complaining about that one), and the mosquitoes made themselves at home in our living quarters. We all made it inside and then had a mosquito-killing party. Then we made floor beds for the boys and turned off our flashlights. After a very small amount of squabbling, the boys were out. Then I lay there listening to Kendall swat. Pretty soon we could hear an orchestra of mosquitoes buzzing in harmony. We turned on the flashlights again and somehow the bugs had resurrected and multiplied in the few minutes since we had killed them all. So we killed them again and sprayed our sweaty sleeping children with more DEET. Yummy. After that the mosquitoes were mostly quiet and my long night began. Oh well, I knew that the more tired I was the next day, the better I would sleep the that night.

I did finally sleep and it was true that the second night went much better.

This was how we spent the majority of the day Saturday:
Well, that's where the adults spent most of the day. The kids were happy to play and ride bike and whatever else it is that kids do while camping. At one point, as I watched Eli play, I got confused and forgot if I was in my past or in my present. It just brought back memories of the cousins' camping trips which were always the highlights of summers. The kids were all in their little heavens. One of the benefits of it being such a horribly rainy weekend was that the campground was nearly deserted. All sane people stayed home. So the kids were fairly free to roam.

Here they are playing a water game. Eli is blindfolded and trying to squirt his buddies. I guess, why not play a water game? They're wet already!


Overall, it was a good weekend. It was fun to just sit and chat with people. The group was pretty small Friday and Saturday, so it was very relaxed and laid back.

Sunday we were almost the last ones to pull out around 3:00. On our way out of the campground, we stopped by Jeff & Wendy's campsite and sat down for coffee with them under their tarp. We ended up sitting there for 3 1/2 hours while the kids played and watched a movie in their camper. It was a very good way to end the weekend.

We got home and decided to leave most of the clean-up for this morning. So by nighttime I was clean, warm and dry and I was sitting with Kendall watching a movie and eating popcorn. Yea! Just what I had been waiting for!

Camping?!

Right at this very moment we are supposed to be leaving for a wonderful weekend of camping. This is what's going on outside. I don't know if you can really see what's going on. It's POURING. The forecast for the rest of the weekend is no better. Now we try to decide what to do.

By the way, that's Kendall's new truck. :)