Our First Family Camping Trip

It took us 2 and 1/2 years to build up the courage to take Jack camping. Jon and I both love camping and hiking, but love our sleep a little bit more. So we've been very reluctant to take our wild Jack man to sleep in a tent. But we finally toughed up and went for it!

We trekked out to Buckeye Ranch with some friends and looked for the perfect camping spot that was calling our name. It wasn't hard to find seeing as it was the only one with a fire pit. So we set up tents and get our tin foil dinner cookin'! Perfect weather, great company and hilarious children made for a fantastic evening. Jack of coarse refused to go to sleep in his tent all by himself, so we let him stay up with us big kids until we all decided to turn in. Jack however was no where near ready to sleep despite it being 3 hours past his bed time. Jon was in the tent with him, and Tuck and I had our own tent. For the next 2+ hours I heard Jack singing every song he knows including "We will we will rock you" and anything he could sing to the tune of "jingle bells", interluded by Jon saying "It's time to go to sleep!! I MEAN it this time!!" Jack was obviously way too enthralled with the idea of sleeping outside to go to sleep. And just like clock work, kid was up with the sun. Our day of hiking was off to a good start! :)Very sceptical of this sleeping outdoors stuff.First time snarfer--learned from the best!

After our scrambled eggs and sausage breakfast, we broke camp and headed to Hard Labor Creek for some hiking. We selected a grooling 1 miler and our toddlers made it almost the whole way by themselves! We enjoyed a delicious picnic, then called it a day for everyone to go home and sleep.

Jack got to ride most of the way. Lucky kid!
They climbed and conquered!Hiking is sure exhausting, even for the littlest!And may I just say how much I LOVE the south land in the springtime!! Despite the yellow haze that's causing even non allergenic folk a headache, everything is green and blooming and positively glorious. The dogwoods and cherry trees are positively bursting with blooms, not to mention my rose bushes!! I'm so excited my perennials have come back and in full swing! Hooray!

All in all I'd say our trip was a glorious success and we can't wait to do it again, except next time WITHOUT CHILDREN. :)

Easter Time

It has been so fun having a kid old enough to get excited about holidays. Because I love any reason to celebrate, and my hubby rolls his eyes (but happily goes along with) all of my silly traditions, it's been awesome having another little person to get excited about things.

We braved the task of decorating easter eggs with a rowdy toddler, and I think it's safe to say I had more fun than everyone. Jack was so excited to hold the egg and was so angry when he had to just sit there and LOOK at it while he waited for the dye to dry. Patience is not one of his strong suites. I'm afraid he inherited that trait from me. Easter morning we awoke to find that the sneaky little bunny had hidden Jack's basket!! After searching high and low, it was finally retrieved and Jack was way more entertained with the plastic duckies holding the candy than the actual candy.

Breakfast was strawberry buckwheat pancakes made to look like bunnies of coarse! As I was putting on the "cotton tail" Jon says: "is that what they say to do?" Not really sure who "they" is. I guess he thinks there's a master book k of "mommy" that gives any and all clever instructions.
Easter Sunday we spent at my parents house enjoying conference. And because they're "yard" is a far more proper hunting ground than my dinky 1/8th of an acre, we did our egg hunt there. The day was absolutely glorious and Jack had so much fun hunting and taking all of the eggs. He was the only child hunting so luckily there were no "who saw it first" drama. Whew!Pictures of my boys in their adorable Easter outfits to come!