An Excuse to Eat S'mores

We finally got the chance to go camping Friday night with family and friends. (We went in May, but I don't count that because it was up at Bear Lake for Ben's race and it was freezing!) We camped at Hope Campground up by the Squaw Peak overlook and it actually made me feel like I was out in the boondocks despite the fact that we were only a 20 drive from our house, and barring the car alarms sounding and shouting children at the site next to us.

I grew up going camping often with my family (although you'd never guess it from my severe fire-making handicap) so each time we go it brings back lots of memories for me. This is what makes all the packing, loading, unloading, setting up, taking down, cold hard ground and smelly bathrooms worth it!

Here are some great things I love about camping:

Toys get dirty and it is completely ok



Time to actually sit and just talk, no interruptions



Dirty hands and the chance to shove handfuls of dirt and rocks into your mouth and in your hair (ok, that 's Logan's favorite part...)


Tin foil dinners and campfire smoke that sticks to your clothes and hair



Family time


Friend time]



Fuzzy jammies and looking like a deer caught in headlights (ok, that was Solomon's favorite part)



More family time (yes, Tamara is pregnant but luckily had a blow up mattress)



Drinking hot Tang for breakfast


Being outside, beautiful scenery and appreciating God's amazing creations



Children that take 3+ hour naps after getting home

Pictures to Appease

Alright, alright. I know I am horrible at updating this blog. We have been busy and enjoying the summer and, per the request of my sick sister on bed rest, here are some pictures to prove it.


At the Orem Summer fest Parade they were handing out hair-sprayed hair do's instead of candy. This is Logan with his cousin, Mercer.



Happy Father's Day Ben! (I know, that was over a month ago)



July 4th weekend we went to see a Hot Air Balloon festival and got to watch them all launch off early in the morning.



On the 4th of July in the afternoon we went up to Cascade Springs with Ben's family (however, Ben was off mountain biking down Sundance, hence the reason he's not in these pictures)


Jera loving her grandbabies



One of the many pictures I took of Logan




This is more recent. I heard a noise in the kitchen the other day and I looked around the corner to see this:

My little peanut. He took the liberty of climbing into a box that I got from Costco ( Note: this was the box they packed my groceries in...no I didn't buy a whole box of Peanut M&M's.... I wish!)



And this is his famous downward dog yoga move that he does all the time.