I LOVE Camping

So I think I originally thought we should go camping for the kids.  But now I just want to go for me.  I love being out in the great outdoors with the beauty of God's creations surrounding us, exploring and hiking and eating and cooling off and being without technology and time and deadlines and work and dirty dishes and houses and bedtimes and on and on.  I love camping.

We had heard from friends about this great campground called La Wis Wis.  It is near Mt. Ranier.  The plan was for our family to go on Thursday night and on Friday go exploring near Mt. St. Helens and then friends would join us for Friday and Saturday, but unfortunately Brady got sick so we didn't go until Friday morning, messing up our exploring Mt. St. Helens plans.  Oh well.

 But Friday morning everyone was ready to roll!

It was so beautiful with huge majestic trees and a beautiful river and lovely sounds and sights and scenes.

Friday afternoon we dipped our toes in the river.  It was COLD water.  I said that if it was holding still it would freeze over. Dave got his thermometer out and it was 50ish degrees, but it was still right off the glacier if you ask me!

Platts and Webbs joined us Friday afternoon, and on Saturday we enjoyed hiking to a waterfall, playing in the river, making shirts and crafting, exploring, fishing, and eating.  The kids all get along so great, and the adults always have something to talk about and play nice too.  It is nice to have 3 families that get along and have no DRAMA. So fun.

Some of the crazies soaped up and took a bath in the ice water.  Dave splashed like a wild man to get the soap off.

We decided to go to Dog Lake and go fishing.  Some of the kids and adults were dying to throw a pole in.  Although we didn't catch anything, (we seem to have bad luck), we had a good time eating a dutch oven dinner of fajitas and cobbler and enjoying new scenery.

Mt. Ranier was clear and visible on our drive back to camp. 

 We stopped at a place along the road where a lava flow had been backed up and poured over the wall.  It was amazingly beautiful.

 Here is the troop of kids in their new bleach dyed shirts.  It was such a fun weekend!  Hope to do it again soon!